Memorial Day is an American holiday held every 26th of May or the last Monday of May to honor the soldiers who had given their lives to the country. Flags are flown at half-staff, from the time the day starts until noon. On 3:00 PM Eastern time, the national moment of remembrance is observed. Like Veterans Day, Memorial Day is symbolized by the red poppy flower, which was said to have bloomed profusely in the battlefields of Flanders during the first World War.

Most people observe Memorial Day by visiting the memorials and cemeteries of soldiers. Why not commemorate it in a more unique way, by holding a Memorial Day party?

Despite the seemingly somber tone of Memorial Day, the holiday can still be enjoyed by old and young alike, especially if it’s a party. Memorial Day is also an opportunity to enjoy the last days of summer, and it’s not unusual for families to have picnics and host barbecues and family gatherings on this day. Sporting events also take place during this time. If you’re planning a Memorial Day party, here are ideas you can try.

Memorial Day Invitations

Go patriotic with your Memorial Day invitations by using the colors red, white and blue, with different variations of the flag. You can even use invitation cards designed like the American flag, too. You can also draw inspiration from the holiday’s symbolic flower, the red poppy. Send poppy-shaped invitations or cards designed with this flower.

If you’re having a casual barbecue or picnic, you can also design your invitations to indicate your activities, such as printing pictures of swimming pools, grills or picnic baskets. Announce your celebration with a message like “Join us for our Memorial Day Barbecue!”.

The summer season is also rife with invitation ideas. You can use summery colors such as yellow, red, orange and mint green to evoke the year’s warmest season for your Memorial Day party.

Memorial Day Decorations

Don’t be afraid to go blatantly patriotic on your Memorial Day Celebration. Put up American flags outside your home, or use them as decorations indoors. Put up red, white and blue streamers and balloons. String up Christmas lights in the same patriotic colors outdoors.

On your tables, spread blue tablecloths with red runners. You can use the holiday’s red poppy as your centerpiece flower, or you can use American flags in vases. Your unused 4th of July tableware and utensils will really come in handy on Memorial Day, so don’t forget to bring them out.

If you have a flag in your backyard or lawn, fly it at half-mast from morning until noon, in honor of all the fallen soldiers.

It would be a shame if you don’t take advantage of the summer day by not having your party outdoors. String up Christmas lights for a festive look. Set up a tent for the buffet table, and if there’s still room, have a little fire pit that will provide more light and can be used for roasting marshmallows. Mosquitoes are sure to show up in the nighttime, so you should have lots of citronella candles on standby.

If you have a pool, providing lots of lounge seats and beach towels so your guests can bask in the summer sun. If you are expecting kids, ask their parents to bring inflated rafts and floaters. You should also assign someone in advance to act as lifeguard to stand guard over the kids who will be swimming.

Memorial Day Activities

People who have family members killed in military action usually visit cemeteries and attend church services in their memory. Some people also volunteer to put American flags on the graves of fallen soldiers to honor the memory of the fallen soldiers. Other families who didn’t lose anyone during the war still visit cemeteries, and lay flowers on graves who have no loved-ones to visit them. These soldiers died nobly for the country, so it’s only right to put aside a little of our time to remember and visit them, even if we are not related to them. (see 11 Creative ways to pay homage to the dead)

Afterwards, you can proceed with your celebration. Here are some great things you can do on your Memorial Day party.

• Outdoor Sports. Break out in a little sweat with a little friendly competition. Badminton, basketball, soccer and frisbee are great team games you can play. Just be sure that you have enough space to do these activities.
• Pool Games. Marco Polo, Chicken and Follow My Leader are games kids can play in a swimming pool. To play Chicken, a leader will make a funny dance, walk or impression before jumping in the pool in a similarly funny way. The next in line will have to copy what the leader did. If the attempt is unsuccessful, the player will earn the letter “C”. Each unsuccessful attempt will earn that player the other letters of the word “chicken”. If he forms the word, he is eliminated from the game. The player who gets eliminated last, wins.
• Water Fight. Prepare water-filled balloons a day before the party. Divide your guests into two teams, and the team who gets soaked the most, loses. You can also have a water gun fight by asking your guests to bring their own water guns and extra clothes prior to your party. Participants who get hit, or get wet on the center of their chests, are automatically out of the fight.




Pool games

Badminton

Water gun fight

Another thoughtful thing you can do on Memorial Day is to raise funds to buy flowers and wreaths for the fallen soldiers. You and your guests can later visit cemeteries and lay these wreaths in the soldiers’ honor.

Memorial Day Food

Take full advantage of the summer weather and barbecue outdoors. There are lots of good food that go along with good old-fashioned grilling, and here are some suggestions:

• Caesar Potato Salad. This is just your typical potato salad with a twist: instead of mayonnaise or sour cream dressing, use caesar’s salad dressing. Serve on a nest of cool lettuce leaves.
• Watermelon Shake. This simple recipe consisting of crushed ice, watermelon and a bit of sugar makes a quick and refreshing drink!
• Italian Deviled Eggs. Boil four eggs, cut in two and remove yolks. Mix the yolks with paprika, pepper, salt, olive oil and minced garlic. Mix with a wooden spoon and carefully top on the egg whites. A very flavorful dish.
• Chocolate Brownies Ala Mode. Make instant brownies and top them with delicious vanilla and strawberry ice cream for a dessert your kids will adore.




Caesar Potato Salad

Watermelon Shake

Chocolate Brownies Ala Mode

Check out this Memorial day party

Memorial Day is not just about remembrance, but it’s also about family, too. The best way to pay tribute to hard-won freedom is to enjoy and celebrate your Memorial Day with a blast. Show your appreciation of life and all its glories. Happy Memorial Day!