How to Throw a Great and Less Stressful 4th of July Party

Want to throw a great party this Fourth of July? Here are five tips to help you in your quest.

1. Prepare!

We all know how it is: You wake up the day of your 4th of July party and you feel as if nothing is done, nothing is ready and nothing is going to be ready by the time your guests start arriving. This is why the Boy Scouts know the best tip of all - be prepared! There are many things that can be done before the actual day of the party. If you have any food prep, do it the day before and refridgerate. Marinate your meats and chickens overnight for a great taste and less stress in the morning. If you're getting a keg, order it ahead of time so it's waiting for you when you get to the store. Pick up any other alcohol and do any other shopping (plates, bowls, snacks, etc) in the days leading up to the party. If you have a pool, keep up with the maintenance so you're not stuck vacuuming it at 9:00am on the day of. You may be the one throwing the party, but you don't have to miss it!

2. Throw yourself into the theme.

Hey, this is America, right? Land of the free? So free yourself! You don't have to have the same old party bowls for your chips - how about making it into a fun project and painting them red, white and blue ahead of time? Give your games up to theme too. You can give away sparklers to the kids who do well playing volleyball or you can make special drinks for the adults playing horseshoes. (For more on my signature special drink for the 4th, see #4) You can even pick songs like "America" by John Cougar, "Born in the USA" by Bruce Springsteen or "Kids in America" by Kim Wilde and make mix cds or playlists to play throughout your 4th of July party.

3. Get a good chef!