Red, White & Blue Only – Create a neighborhood tradition and organize a potluck that no one will want to miss. Invite all of your family and friends to this casual party and give them each a food assignment. Include all the necessary foods for a successful celebration, and don’t forget to mention that everything must be RED, WHITE and/or BLUE. Foods of any other color will not be permitted, so your guests will have to get creative.

Year after year, people will invent more outrageous recipes. Just seeing what clever dishes everyone comes up with is more fun than actually eating them. Add to the festivities by having a contest for the most original dish, and be sure to take a photo of the patriotic champion with his/her prize-winning recipe in hand.

Annual Photo with Uncle Sam – There is nothing more fun than a silly tradition the whole family can participate in. Here is one for the Fourth of July that encourages creativity and makes for wonderful annual family photos. It’s simple. Every family member must make his/her own Uncle Sam’s Hat and wear it for a group portrait. You can allow everyone the freedom to create anything they want (as long as it is red, white and blue) or you can choose themes for each year: paper hats, glitter hats, flag hats, moving hats, tall hats, symbolic hats, funny hats, etc.).

If the Fourth of July involves several families getting together, each family can design their own “family hat” and make duplicates for the rest of their family members to wear. No matter what, make sure you capture this patriotic pastime on film for everyone to enjoy.

Fourth of July Friendly Gazette – Forget trying to send out a family newsletter in December when you have a hundred other things to do. Everyone will enjoy (and have more time to read) your news during the summer, so why not create a Fourth of July Friendly Gazette and make enough copies to share with your extended family and your friends – even the mailman!

Get the whole family involved, and have everyone help come up with the topics: your summer vacation plans, funny family stories from the year, achievements and disappointments, too. Add pictures, and be sure everyone signs the final edition before you have it copied. Get ready for a Gazette to come your way after your friends see what you have created.

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