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The 4th of July is one of America’s favorite and celebrated holidays for obvious reasons. On this hot, sweaty day under the mid-summer sun, the whole country waits patiently for the exciting part of the year, 4th of July fireworks! But hey, who sits around on grass with flags in their hands and party hats in order to cheer for America’s birthday in the middle of night. It’s also a national picnic interest. It’s a holiday for all so we have our family by our side, a pleasant weather and plenty of time to kill.
Grab some barbecue grills with buns and head outside in shorts; why not have a popsicle or two with some music to cool off? Or a pool party sounds “cool”. There are endless options that definitely beat our ideal; sitting on the couch with a soda to watch Independence documentaries . The best way to embrace Independence is to celebrate it, and celebration is incomplete without party.
Now it’s time for the question: how can we organize our perfect picnic that in addition to gorgeous fireworks will make its way to our list of best family days? Of course, there’s a lot to do. But organizing is as fun as the activity itself if the excitement is enough. Worry not soldier, this article shall take your hand and show you the way.
Figure out exactly the kind of picnic that you want
If you have kids who like splashing some water, you could have a pool picnic. Or a Popsicle party. Combining the both works too because no amount of fun is too much fun (until it’s harmless); but it is not limited for kids to all! Pretty sure adults like pools and popsicles as much as kids. If you like water, it’s hot in your area (which it probably is) and you have access to a pool, get on with it.
These ideas might not suit each and every individual, but the options we have in hand are endless. A barbecue picnic! All it calls for is a good BBQ grill. Those who don’t own one can always rent one. Going for a hike with a food basket is also a fun idea.
How to prep?
Now that’s the hard part, organizing. There’s so much to do and you probably don’t know where to start. But neatness is key. Make a list of things that you are going to need. Sit down for this one in a quiet place because you need to think of everything possible. Don’t forget First Aid!
If we’re having a pool party, we are going to need a lot of food since we all know how much a good swim gets our stomachs growling. The most important component of that should be poolside snacks and drinks. No pool party is complete without some munching. Grab an ice box for your sodas and popsicles. Again, First Aid. Dry clothes, shampoo and other toiletries etc. The most important thing however, is a recording device. We do not want to let this day pass by without capturing the good memories in a camera.
A BBQ party or a hike; you know what to take. It’s all outdoor. Shorts. We need light airy and colorful clothes without forgetting music. It’s no fun without music unless we have a political agenda and interested friends who might want to be all boring with us and discuss world politics over barbecue.
Doesn’t hurt to take it up a level!
Picnic is an interesting activity itself, but every activity needs sub activities. What else are we going to do? Splash water at each other for the entire day or have some grilled beef and then awkwardly use our phones the whole time? Must be fun, but not the kind of fun that should be there on picnics.
So, what could we possibly do to keep our family busy and happy at the same time? Not much, this will probably require less than half the effort of writing this article. The wisest thing to do is to keep everyone’s interests together. Come up with something that every member will enjoy or it might just guilt trip us for the rest of the day. Kite flying, board games, Frisbee, fun game matches such as cricket, pool volleyball, musical chairs, duets etc. There are SO many things to do.
What to put in the food basket?
That’s a tricky one. It depends completely on our lifestyle. Personally, I would be conflicted between a healthy snack and a cheesy burger and then give up and take both. So, you can do the same. Have a combination of everything that everyone might enjoy. We do not want to leave anyone behind on the feast.
Summertime picnics require mostly cold fluids, so we have plenty to choose from. Pack some boxed juices, beers for adults, soda, and if you can, smoothies. Another thing that must be there in a summertime picnic box is watermelon. No sunny day is good without a slice of watermelon. But there is always that one member of the family who would rather eat pizza for all 3 meals of the day, and as we want this to be an inclusive holiday, we must make them feel welcome as well. So, fast food is never a bad idea. Burgers, pizza, sandwiches, fries, and other numerous forms of potato since it’s an absolute gem for an edible product of nature. But for a BBQ of course, you can’t go without mashed potatoes. It should be illegal to have a burger without a side of some sort of potatoes.
However, for the main components of a picnic feast, there are options from a rather grander tier of family dishes. Fried chicken is always a popular item among those who are regular with family picnics. Apple pie. Easy to make and a treat to everyone’s taste buds. You don’t have to be good at baking for this. We can get a ready-made pie, buy ready-made dough and filling, or make everything at home. Corn, who doesn’t love a little bit of that heaven on their tongues? Countless ways to have corn. You can boil or smoke it and have it whole with some lemon, or shred it and make sweet, buttery corn. End it with a chocolate cake or fresh ice cream and your family will thank you.
Final touches
Now that we are probably done with all the arrangements, we have to give it some final touches. It’s a must to pack some emergency items such as spare clothes, shoes, disinfectants, tools etc. Sitting around isn’t the only way to enjoy fireworks just by the way. A wonderful way to end a refreshing picnic could be a bonfire with some nice slow music and dancing.
Hope you have the day that your family deserves!