Make it a Great 4th of July 2020
July 2, 2020
With social distancing as the new norm, July 4th will look very different this summer. Instead of mass gatherings and parades, we’ll be spending our Independence Day in small groups of family and friends. Take advantage of the simplicity that brings and make it memorable for your kids—and for you.
10 ideas for a great 4th of July:
- Let’s be honest … most things are all about the FOOD. So, whether you’re hosting friends or just eating in the backyard with your family, make your July 4th menu delicious! Try this recipe for barbecued chicken:
Ingredients:
2 TBSP lemon juice
1/8 Cup finely chopped oregano
1 TBSP minced garlic
1 TBSP kosher salt
1 tsp black pepper
3 TBSP olive oil
10-12 chicken thighs
3 lemons cut crosswise (for grilling)
Instructions:
• Combine lemon juice, salt, pepper, oregano, garlic and olive oil in a medium-size bowl.
• Separate a third of the above sauce mixture to coat chicken and grill over indirect heat.
• Thighs should be seared and then cooked an additional 18-24 minutes until juices run clear. In the final five minutes, grill the lemon slices.
• Transfer grilled chicken to bowl and combine with the remaining sauce mixture. Top with the grilled lemon slices and serve.
What’s more patriotic than a pie? These not only taste great, they look the part! Make your own with these great recipes from Williams Sonoma: Strawberry-Rhubarb and Blueberry pie.
Place the blueberry filling in the left-hand corner first and then hold it there with a spatula while you fill the rest of the pie with the strawberry-rhubarb filling. Cut the top layer of crust into strips and stars and place them to look like the stars and stripes of the American flag.
- Set the mood with a patriotic playlist on Spotify. Be sure to include “Living in America” by James Brown, “Ragged Old Flag” by Johnny Cash, “You’re a Grand Old Flag” by George M. Cohan, and some marches by John Philip Sousa. Or, if you want to make it easy on yourself, listen to these traditional songs on Youtube.
- Make your backyard a playground and have fun with your kids! Jump on the trampoline with them, fill up water balloons and soak each other, get out the lawn games and enter into some friendly competition. Your kids will remember it for years to come.
- Dress the part—get out your red, white and blue and wear it with pride. Don’t forget to dress up your pets, too!
- Make a campfire and sit around it to roast marshmallows and tell stories.
Sparklers are legal—so get a lot of them! Teach your kids how to hold them safely and use them to make designs in the air once the sun goes down.
- Have an outdoor movie night in your backyard—get out the projector, hang a sheet against your house, and watch The Sandlot.
- Put up tents and camp out as a family.
- Take a hike, head to a lake and launch a kayak, or walk on the beach—it’s going to be one of the lowest tides of the year in the Puget Sound region.
