Guess what? The 4th of July is Monday.
You may have stocked up on bottle rockets and Roman candles, shopped for burgers, bratwursts, and hot dogs, and know that your village’s fireworks show starts at 9pm. But…are you prepared for your 4th of July parade?
If not, this is an oh so timely blog post. If you have, 1) good for you, and 2) you may learn something new.
Read on, friends.
Stake Your Claim
This is waaaay less dramatic than it sounds.
However, if you want a good spot (or any) from where to watch the parade, lay down some chairs as early as you can. Find out what the rules are from your village, town, city, or fiefdom around that. Oh, and grab some real estate in the shade. Your skin will thank you.
Speaking of Chairs…
You know what you deserve?
A comfortable, portable lawn chair. Sure, you’ve got some hanging in your garage that are stained with melted marshmallow, but that will no longer do. Buy a new set that is poised to absorb your parade sweat.
Also, bring a blanket or two for the kids because why should they have the privilege of sitting in your new chairs?
Sunscreen (Gobs) & Hats
This is for the kids, because unless they’re unicorns, they’re not going to remind you to lather them up and cover their heads.
The average 4th of July temperature is a low of hot and a high of unforgiving. Kids don’t worry about this stuff because they’re kids, but it’s in everyone’s best interest to apply sunscreen and have them wear their favorite team hat before leaving the house.
Oh, and bring extra sunscreen with you.
Bring Water
Make like a camel and carry a lot of water.
And I’m not talking about the lousy one-hump dromedary camel, but the two-humped bactrians, who scoff at their ill-prepared, inferior counterparts as though they’re airplanes with only one engine.
The point is to take the number of water bottles you’re planning on bringing and multiply by two. Dehydration is no joke, and if you have leftovers, there’s still a lot of summer left to consume them.
Have Snacks Handy
4th of July parades have become sort of a preamble to Halloween.
People dress up in costumes and they launch candy from their floats. This is enough “nourishment” to satiate your kids, but what about you?
It’s a good idea to pack some fruit, energy bars, nuts, what have you in a cooler or a bag with a liner. Whatever you do, don’t put any food in your pocket because it will melt like it was never a solid.
🚨SHAMELESS PLUG ALERT🚨
It’s about time this got its own section.
If ever there was a product more suited for a blog post, it’s our Summer Fun Gift Basket. A seasonal hit, this one includes a popsicle maker, Copco insulated cup, Hawaiian pasta salad, emoji lemonade, and gummy bears.
Your 4th of July parade just got a whole lot better.
Enjoy the holiday weekend!
About BasketWorks
BasketWorks/79Gifts is a woman owned gift basket company, located in the north suburbs of Chicago (specifically Northbrook, IL) since 1997. We are proud to offer a variety of gifts and gift baskets appropriate for all occasions. Each of our packages is built to order, allowing for customization at no additional cost to our clients. Contact us today!
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