July 4th: Crafty Ideas for Holiday Celebrations
Summer is upon us here in the U.S., and the holiday we’re focusing on is July 4. Many Americans see this as a day to gather friends and family together for a summer meal. Whether before or after the fireworks, there will be hungry mouths to feed. Many of us fill the day with traditional meals and activities. Some face the stress of trying to find things for the kids to do, while they await sunset and fireworks.
This year, why not provide the excited tots, teens and tweens with some new options? Plan your usual holiday dinner, but incorporate some crafty projects. Give your family the task of inviting friends to your family holiday meal. Ask them whom they would like to invite. Then, consider involving your children in some artful ideas for a Fourth of July theme. Crafts are an excellent way to shift the focus from the waiting and anticipation of those fireworks, over to a special meal designed for family and friends. Take a look at sites such as Better Homes and Gardens for a wealth of ideas via slideshow, or The Crafty Crow for children’s food and craft fun.
- Start with invitations. Card making is all the rage, and it shouldn’t take you too long to come up with a design. Even if you have never made cards before, an online search will lead you to all sorts of ideas and projects. Deliver the end result to your invited guests. Help children personalize the invitation for the people they are asking to dinner. You can take this activity as far as you want to go, but it’s guaranteed to delight someone! Your kids will be proud when invited guests respond to their invitation.
- Next you’ll want to create a focal point for your dinner table. Look online for ideas that go beyond the holiday table and include yard and porch decorations as well. You won’t go wrong conducting an online search for holiday yard and house decorations.
For a special table design give this a try: Grab some special ribbon and tie a few sparklers together; add some custom tags labeled with each guest’s name and you have an inexpensive fun decoration. After dinner everyone will have his or her own fireworks to light. An online search will provide you with nametag ideas. Placeholders are a fun way to make guests feel welcome. Tags are readily available and easily decorated.
- Have some fun planning your tableware. Yes, you can just go to the local party shop and buy things but why not add some creative touches of your own? For instance, white cups create a blank canvas for your family to decorate. Purchase a white paper tablecloth, supply markers, colored pencils or crayons and have everyone doodle some patriotic art. Throw in some fun stickers for an added artistic touch. Remember that adults love to color too! This makes a great activity while waiting for the meal.
- Last but not least, create some food related crafts using your traditional recipes, or new offerings. Barbecued meats may not inspire you, but summer is an excellent time to be crafty with fruits, and vegetables. Take a trip to your local grower’s market for colorful seasonal offerings and turn them into table art. Use small American flags for patriotic touches on your food items.
This year, engage your family and friends in the preparations. Besides drawing everyone into healthy activities, you might possibly establish some new traditions for future celebrations. Bookmark some web sites for project ideas for future events and keep in mind; there are no mistakes in crafting! Don’t worry about your talent or lack of.
The arts of cooking and crafting go hand in hand.
Family, food, friends and a little crafty touch! You’ll find the resources to be endless, and the rewards to be great.
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