Fun Decorating and Food Ideas

Growing up, our town had the cutest Memorial Day parade that I marched in as a Girl Scout and cheerleader! When I had children, they really enjoyed visiting my parents that weekend and attending the parade. And our neighborhood had a big block party afterwards, with free hot dogs!

This holiday is dedicated to soldiers who gave their lives for our country. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Memorial_Day.) My dad was a WWII veteran so he always  loved anything patriotic, and had some friends who rode in an army tank in the parade! The holiday is even more meaningful this year, since my dad passed away in March. We received the very special folded flag at his funeral, and I believe he would be very proud to have earned that honor.

Decorations

At my home growing up, we always had flags outside, and that is a fun tradition I’ve continued.

This makes such a festive entrance as guests arrive for your Memorial Day gathering.

I bring out these plates and cups every Memorial Day and Fourth of July. They are adorable, and absolutely perfect for these celebrations.

We always dress for the occasion in patriotic colors! Even using special nail polish colors is fun- especially for little girls! We used to paint our nails alternating red, white and blue. But you can also buy press-on nails with all sorts of themes, including stars and flags. Much easier!

 Old Navy has sold super cheap ($5.00) American flag t-shirts for YEARS that I could never resist getting for me and my daughters. Check them out here!

Food!

You know this celebration is all about the food! Break out the grill for hot dogs, hamburgers (turkey options if you’re on WW), corn on the cob, watermelon, chips, pickles and lots of toppings! I love a hot dog loaded with chopped onions, relish, and ketchup. Yum.

Look for some novelty items that add just a little something extra to your theme. How about these crackers in the shape of American flags!

This year, I’m trying a Memorial Day Charcuterie Board!

I love making charcuterie boards. (see my post on designing an elegant charcuterie board.) My daughter and I were making some star-shaped crackers for a party book I’m writing (these were for a movie star party she had when she was little), and it got me thinking about how cute these would be on a festive Memorial Day themed board. Aren’t they adorable?

Here’s the flavorful and easy star crackers recipe:

What you’ll need:

• 1 1/3 cups all purpose flour
• onion powder
• garlic powder
• salt
• 6 tbsp unsalted butter
• 8 oz package of cheddar cheese
• 2 eggs
• 2 tbsp water

Steps:

• Put flour, garlic and onion powder, and salt into food processor
• Slowly add the cheese and butter until mixed in
• Add two egg yolks
• Add two tablespoons of water, and a bit more until dough consistency
• Roll out the dough and cut with star cookie cutters
• Set on a baking tray and put in the fridge for about 15 minutes
• Bake for 20 minutes at 425 degrees

Other things I include on my charcuterie to give it a “star spangled” flare are: blueberries, strawberries, cheese cut into stars, red bell pepper, onion dip, the fun flag crackers, and of course, our famous star crackers! I like using small white bowls to give it some whiter whites. Other ideas might be white cheddar cheese curls or popcorn, white chocolate covered pretzels, watermelon, raspberries, marshmallows…it depends on the flavors you’re wanting. (I wasn’t going for sweet.) I’m thinking of adding meats like salami or prosciutto to mine to make it a bit more filling/satisfying.

You can make or buy some really fun desserts for this holiday, too. A wooden skewer with strawberries, blueberries and mini marshmallows is terrific for little kids! A parfait is fun, too; just layer either vanilla yogurt or ice cream with strawberries, raspberries and blueberries. Maybe a layer of granola too to give it a little crunch?

I also LOVE these ice pops!

I like to have cookouts in the mid-afternoon, especially if you have any out-of-towners who need to get home before dark. As you head into evening, a few fireworks are a fun way to end the party. My girls loved to light sparklers when they were little, and I usually have a few packs around the house just for fun. (Use them to replace candles on a birthday cake, or put a pack on a Christmas present so your kids have sparklers to use for New Year’s Eve! See my post about clever present-wrapping ideas.)

I hope you have an amazing Memorial Day! Enjoy your time with friends and family and make some wonderful memories!