How to Make Your Independence Day Party a Blast

Whether you're hosting your first Independence Day (aka, Fourth of July) party this year or your hundredth, this article tells you how to make your party a blast for everyone. All you have to do is follow the advice, and your guests and you will have a good time. As a matter of fact, make your Independence Day party an annual party, and next year everyone will want to return for more fun, food and fireworks.

These ideas come from a party my husband and I go to every Independence Day. My dad's girlfriend's sister hosts an Independence Day party every fourth of July, and every year we return for more fun. Here's how you too can have the same party that everyone will be talking about...

Start by inviting everyone you know to your house on the fourth of July - friends, co-workers, family, etc. Then, after inviting everyone, start planning your party. Write out a list of everyone you just invited, because later you will need that list to make sure you have enough food. When going over the list for food assume everyone is coming, and plan for extra food in case those you've invited bring a friend or two with them.

When planning your menu you can save money and the hassle of cooking a really large meal. How? Simple, tell everyone you invite to bring at least one covered dish to the party. Now, you just need meat and drinks. For meat you can grill hamburgers and hot dogs, or, if you don't want the same old hamburgers and hot dogs you could go with chicken, sirloin steaks, ribs and/or any kind of pork. Tip: If you choose to grill chicken, boil the chicken on the stove for an hour, and then put it on the grill. Make sure to buy enough meat for the number of guests on your list, and don't forget to get extra for any friends they may bring with them.

The next thing is decorations. You don't have to go all out on decorations, but a few will make for a festive looking party. A few red, white and blue table cloths for the tables will look nice - red, white and blue streamers to hang - and finally, paper plates, cups and napkins that are red, white and blue. A few other colors you could add to go with the holiday are the colors of fireworks - purple, pink, etc.

What's a party without fun and games! While everyone's waiting for it to get dark you don't want them to get bored. Games provide entertainment, and you'll be surprised how quick the time will pass by when you're having fun. Following are some activities that will keep both the younger and older guests entertained until dark:

• Volleyball.
• Croquet is another fun game.
• Horseshoes.
• Water balloons for a water balloon fight. Be sure to tell ALL your guests to bring an extra change of clothes. I said "all" because if anyone goes outside during the water fight you can guarantee they'll come back in wet.
• Frisbee.
• A scavenger hunt is fun too.

Finally - to celebrate with tradition - fireworks! The party we go to every year is in the country, and the property has 100 acres and a big open field to shoot off the fireworks, but you can do this without 100 acres as long as you have a big enough open space. The fireworks you buy will of course depend on the laws in your state, and the money you buy them with can also be donated. By donated I mean asking your guests to pitch in a few extra dollars to help buy the fireworks with (unless you want to buy them all yourself); about $300 worth of fireworks from Boomland in Missouri should be enough to put on a good display. After you have the money for fireworks, send a couple people to buy the fireworks the day before your party.

Grab the lawn chairs, get the long tables out, fire up the grill and get ready to host an Independence Day party that will be a blast for everyone!