Things You'll Need:
- Flag books for inspiration
- Flag-inspired crafts and activity books
- Quiz and prize
- Name tags
- Any Soldier Care Package
- Barbecue menu ingredients
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Step 1
Be inspired by books about the American flag; it's a symbol of our freedom and a great way to focus your family and patriotic energy. Here are a few favorites; “Long May She Wave: A Graphic History of the American Flag” and "100 American Flags: A Unique Collection of Old Glory Memorabilia" both by Kit Hinrichs. Check your local library for copies to browse through.
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Step 2
Feature flag-inspired crafts like red, white and blue rock painting and print a copy of a patriotic activity book for each of the kids.
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Step 3
Make up your own flag/military quiz. The most correct answers wins a prize, like tickets to a baseball game! You can't get more American than baseball.
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Step 4
Include name tags with a fill-in-the-blank element. Have guests answer the question: "What does freedom mean to me?" underneath their names.
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Step 5
Keep the food and beverages simple and go barbecue style. There are tons of menus and recipes out there, so I won't list another one here, but I will tell you my favorite Memorial Day celebration menu includes my husband's burgers, fresh corn on the cob, tomato salad, ice cream, watermelon and lemonade. Super simple, but greatly enjoyed!
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Step 6
Support the troops with a simple care package; every little bit counts. It's about a supportive mindset, so anything you send will be greatly appreciated. Send a link to the Any Soldier website to your guests beforehand to let them know you are supporting our troops with your party. Guests can browse the site and bring a donation to the care package. It's super simple; you can even send your Beanie Babies. The troops keep them in their packs to hand out to the local kids; it's a huge hit! You don't have to know a member of the military to send a care package; just go to the Any Soldier website to get the details on how to send our troops your support.
