Your Memorial Day Checklist

As we quickly approach Memorial Day, it’s important to stay organized. Looking forward to sunshine, family parties, and parades, you want to make sure you are ready, so you don’t have to stress about anything. This holiday is not just about having fun; you should also have time to think about those who gave up their lives so that we could all live ours, which is impossible if you’re not prepared for the big day. So let’s get your Memorial day checklist set!

Plan Your Parties and Picnics

The first thing to decide is what parties or picnics you are planning to attend or whether you are going to throw one yourself. If you’re having the party, consider a start time during the afternoon, and – depending on your guests – celebrate into the evening with a bonfire (perfect for s’mores).

Prepare the Food and Drink

Hot dogs, hamburgers, pasta salad, fruit salad, veggie trays, chips, and pretzels are a great start to your menu. You can also ask your guests to bring something if they’d like–appetizers are always a good choice.

And then, of course, you need to consider dessert. Cookies, s’mores, and ice cream work well because they appeal to so many people, plus they take very little time to either make or buy.

Whether you want to serve soda, water, iced tea, lemonade, or alcohol, be sure to have a nice variety to appeal to all of your guests. And if you’re not the one throwing the party, don’t forget to ask the host what you can bring.

Click here for a list of alcoholic cocktails. Or check out these non-alcoholic cocktails

Consider the Party Essentials

Buy your essentials, such as cups, plates, napkins, and silverware, as early as possible. Disposable dishes and silverware work especially well because they eliminate clean-up time, and you can theme them with a patriotic color scheme. Be sure to have plenty of drinking cups.

Buy Sunscreen and Bug Spray

If you’re throwing an outdoor party, plan ahead with sunscreen for the day and bug spray for the evening (tiki torches also work great to keep the bugs at bay). Since it’s only May, some people may forget theirs.

Plan the Party Entertainment

Another thing you should consider is entertainment options, ranging from music playlists to opening up a pool for swimming to board games, card games, and putting up nets in the backyard. The latter means you can play anything from volleyball to badminton, which is especially appealing to kids. You want to make your party fun for everyone involved, so planning ahead with entertainment is a good idea.

Check out this Memorial Day playlist on YouTube

Planning for Shade

If you have elderly guests coming to an outside party, they will probably need to have some type of shade. Whether you’re putting up well-placed beach umbrellas or simply an umbrella attached to a patio table, helping to keep them cool and out of the sun will be a nice treat for them (unless they enjoy getting lots of sun, of course).

The Backup Plan

Lastly, you should always have a backup plan. If the weather doesn’t look like it’s going to be a nice day for your party, you may want to think of an alternative location or simply buy a tent so that a little rain won’t ruin your party.

Memorial day is a great time to get together with friends and family and celebrate life. By getting organized ahead of time, you will not only keep your guests happy and full but also make special memories. Be sure to have your phone or camera there to take plenty of pictures, so you can remember the party. And if during your party, a frisbee flies onto your roof and you notice some loose shingles, it’s time for another backup plan: contact us!