Memorial Day is a time to celebrate and remember our loved ones. It marks the beginning of Summer, the beginning of road trips, picnics, camping and cookouts. Gathering your family and friends together to share in a Memorial Day Party is a great way to kick off the summer!
Setting The Atmosphere:
When planning your party, you need to find a good place at a public park with lots of picnic tables or you can use your backyard filled with umbrellas, tents, tables and chairs.
Sending out invitations 2-3 weeks early will give your guests plenty of time to set a side the day. If you are having a pot-lock or cookout and you want your guests to bring a tray, incorporate that into your party invitations along with an R.S.V.P to help you get a good count on the amount of food you will need according to how many people plan on attending.
Decorating With Patriotism:
Decorations for Memorial Day are patriotic with red, white and blue. Table clothes, paper wear and utensils should be in the same color family. Confetti spread out along the table tops is a fun little extra. Flower arrangements with red, white and blue flowers will look great as centerpieces for your tables.
You can buy small American Flags and place them in the flower arrangements or display them around the party area. Set a side large coolers to fill with ice and beverages and don’t forget lots of seating for your guests to sit back, relax and enjoy!
What To Eat:
Choosing the menu is something that depends mainly on your budget, but also on the theme you choose for your party. Local caterers are always a great way to go when you don’t have time to prepare the food yourself. If you want to get your hands in on creating the food, there are several ways you can go:
- Potluck Style: Ask your guests to bring their favorite dish to share and you give the drinks .
- Picnic Style: Ask your guests to bring their favorite side dish and drinks and you provide the main dish.
- Buffet Style: Your guests are not asked to bring anything, you provide the entire meal.
Some great ideas for summer buffet foods are: easy appetizers like chips and dip, cheese and crackers or veggies and dip. For the meal, you can serve crock-pot beans, burgers, hot dogs, brats, macaroni or green salads, cold cut grinders, chicken wings or even grilled chicken.
Serving pre-cut watermelon is always a hit! Homemade cookies, brownies, cupcakes or ice cream sandwiches are favorites too. You can order or create your own Memorial Day Cake decorated with an American Flag.
Keeping Your Guests Occupied:
Your guests can keep busy by playing horseshoes, Frisbee, touch football, volley ball, relay races or even kite flying.
Water balloons or slip and slides are always a lot of fun, but make sure to warn your guests ahead of time if you are planning on getting them wet so they can bring a change of clothes!
If you really want to go all out, you can even include a pie eating contest or pie war using whip cream pies in disposable tins. This is always a crowd favorite – depending on your crowd’s sense of humor!
If you want to send home goody bags with the little ones, you can include sunscreen, windmills, candies, sunglasses, tiny water guns, bubbles, flags and bouncy balls.
Remembering To Observe The Holiday And It’s History
However or where ever you hold your Memorial Day Party, you and your guests should pay special attention to the history behind the holiday and take a moment or two to honor and remember the brave soldiers that gave their lives for our country.
This post is brought to you by Philadelphia Caterers.
Not in Philadelphia, PA No worries, use Wedding and Party Network’s handy party planning directory to help you find a caterer near you!
Water balloon, picnic basket photo provided by Steve Wilhelm, Paul and Christa 
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