Ahhhh, summer. Can you believe that 4th of July is almost upon us? The days are long, the nights warm, and you’re probably getting pumped for the patriotic festivities this mid-summer holiday has to offer.

We know that most of you will be looking for a way to make your Independence Day bash stand out, and we’ve got some great ideas to help you shine as bright as the 4th of July night sky!

Make lawn stars with some red, white, and blue spray paint a knife, and a piece of cardboard. Simply cut a star design in the cardboard, place it on your lawn and spray! If you’d rather not spray your lawn with paint, consider using flour instead. The stars will be white, but they’ll wash right away.

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Have your food and eat it too. The toughest thing about a BBQ is choosing between your precious sangria and taking a bite of your potato salad! These awesome plates allow you to hold your drink and eat your food. Which I think we can all agree is quite helpful!

Everyone loves a free printable, and this one is perfect to add a little patriotic flare to your party. You don’t even have to buy a frame; simply replace an existing photo with the printable, and replace when your party is over. Doesn’t get much easier than that!

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Keep the kids busy with Abraham Lincoln’s (why? We made it up) Spoon Race. Divide the kiddos into two teams and fill 2 buckets with pennies. Place an empty bucket at the finish line and give each team a spoon or ladle. On “go” each team must transfer as many pennies to the empty bucket at a time, without dropping them. If pennies are dropped, they go back to the starter bucket. First team to transfer all pennies wins! This game is so simple and fun and the kids will sleep like LOGS. Win, win.

If you play with fire, you don’t have to get burned. This idea is ingeneous: poke a small hole in a Solo cup and thread a sparkler through. This way, the kids (and adults) can wave those babies around to their hearts content, and not worry about getting burned.

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Keep the grownups busy with….ahh who are we kidding, if the kids are busy, the grownups don’t need entertainment!

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Feed the masses. Sometimes feeding a large group on America’s favorite grilling holiday can be intimidating. Opt for simple foods like steaks and burgers instead of labor intensive entrees that require a lot of prep-work. While your guests are waiting for their grilled entrees, wow them with this gorgeously simple patriotic fruit and cheese tray.

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We hope that these tips will help make your Independence Day bash the best one yet! Happy 4th, and be safe with your friends and loved ones!