I love walking into stores this time of the year. The shelves are filled with everything from wicker chairs and checkered tablecloths, to hot dogs and grilling essentials. It just puts me in the mood for summer and sunshine!
The good news is that the change of seasons is just a few days away so the wait for pool days, barbecues and baseball games is finally over.
Do you know what else comes with summer? Gatherings with family and neighbors.
Think about it. There are so many chances to bring your loved ones together—especially since everything seems a little more “normal” this year. There’s Father’s Day, The Fourth of July and in my family, we celebrate my mom’s birthday in August.
But with quite a few events in a short amount of time, I like to make these celebrations as stress-free as possible. That’s why I like to stick with a theme… and since it’s summer, what better theme than RED, WHITE AND BLUE?
Want to see some of the ways I add a festive and patriotic twist to my summer gatherings? Take a look below!
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Red, White and Blue Dining Essentials
You can’t have a proper summer party without dinnerware to plate your dishes!
One of my favorite things to do is make the most of disposables. They make for easy clean-up and a lot of them feature fun designs!
Take these fireworks ones I found the other day.
They’re the perfect size for a main and a few sides. I like to stack mine with brisket, fresh fruit, beans and potato salad!
The napkins are pretty cute too, agree? Almost too cute to use, but since everyone has sticky (and saucy) fingers during these summer gatherings, you’ll be able to put them to good use.
I also adore this Bee and Willow tray from Bed Bath & Beyond. It’s perfect for appetizers or small finger foods. I also like to use it to bring out drinks to all of my guests.
Speaking of drinks, these Trestle Goblets are some of my favorite glasses. I’ve been using them for a while and they’re honestly some the highest quality drinkware I’ve ever owned.
I love the intricate designs on the outside and I also like that they come in clear and red. They definitely make for a great addition to any summer red, white and blue party, but you can use them any season!
Some Festive Outdoor Decor
To really get into the summer mood, you’ll need some outdoor decorations. Believe me, I don’t go all out trying to spruce up my events, but I do enjoy adding some household touches to the scene.
One of the easiest ways to do this is by putting out a red and white checkered tablecloth.
It’s so so simple, but it immediately makes me think of summer.
And while we’re talking about the table, you have to take a look at this new table runner I found from Bed Bath and Beyond.
The reason I picked this one out was because of the mix of the patterns. It has solids, trefoil-like shapes and checkered stripes. It’s also 100% cotton and can be thrown in the washing machine if it gets dirty!
I also found this American Flag Pillow that fits perfectly on one of my outdoor chairs.
Adding it to my space is super easy and while I like to use it outside, you can also place it inside on a couch or accent chair.
But if you plan on doing most of your entertaining on the porch, you’ll have to make sure you have enough seating for everyone.
I discovered these Resin Wicker Patio Chairs at Wayfair. They’re handmade and crafted with steel—meaning they’ll hold up all summer long.
You can also add some colorful cushions to them, either with or without a throw pillow like my patriotic version above.
I like these striped red cushions because they go perfectly with the Red, White and Blue theme, but can also be used to decorate during other seasons.
Red, White and Blue Cherry Delight
Have you tried my Easy No-Bake Cherry Cheesecake Dessert? It’s a MUST no matter the time of the year, but to make it a little more festive, I like to make it in the shape of a flag!
To find all of the ingredients, you can click on the ORIGINAL RECIPE HERE.
Next, you can follow some of my steps below to make your flavorful flag dessert.
After mixing all of your ingredients together and baking your graham cracker crust, you’ll need to fill the pan with the cheesecake filling.
Next, take some blueberry pie filling (I just buy mine from the store) and form it into a small square in the top left corner of your dish.
Use the cherry pie filling to make stripes starting from the top.
You should have three lines of cherry pie filling total and I find it easiest to work my way from the top of the dish to the bottom. See, stripes!
To finish it off, grab some mini marshmallows and plop them on top of the blueberry pie filling square. They look (almost) exactly like stars on the flag!
In addition to this popular dessert, you can also serve up other fan favorites at your Red, White and Blue get-together. Here are some of the ones I like to make:
- Black Bean and Avocado Salad
- Cheesesteak Three Ways
- Lemonade Chiffon Dessert
- Easy and Lite Buffalo Chicken Bake
- Lemon Blueberry Pound Cake
So, how do you plan on making the most of summer gatherings?
While your Red, White and Blue party may look a bit different depending on where you are and who you’re celebrating, I’m sure you’ll have a blast!
From my summer home to yours,
Jill
