Memorial day table decor

15 ideas for a patriotic summer kickoff |

Our Memorial Day decor will help kick off the summer in style. As the unofficial start of the season, Memorial Day means backyard barbecues, outdoor picnics, and al fresco dinner parties. 

Of course, the day is also about remembering the men and women who gave their lives for our country, so a proper tribute incorporates patriotic motifs and all-American red, white, and blue.

Below, we've rounded up 10 Memorial Day decorating ideas that celebrate both summertime and the good ol' U.S.A., whether you're looking for a way to dress up your front porch, you're hosting a fancy garden party, or you've thrown together a last-minute neighborhood barbecue. 

Memorial Day decorating ideas

Our favorite Memorial Day decor is, of course, red, white and blue, which means you can reuse them again as July 4th decor ideas, too.

1. Add red, white, and blue to the porch

(Image credit: Jenny Reimold / )

If you have a seating area on your porch, give it a Memorial Day update with red, white, and blue decor. Think: Throw pillows, an outdoor rug, and colorful lanterns. When it comes time to host a long-weekend get together, add to the ambience with servingware in the same hues. 

2. Set a star-spangled table

(Image credit: Dimples & Tangles)

For a chic take on Memorial Day decorating, set a table that nods to the American Flag without being literal. Stylist Jennifer Griffin combined a plaid tablecloth with classic blue-and-white porcelain dinnerware and vases to create a layered look with a sophisticated All-American feel. The finishing touch? Watermelon wedges that act as a simple appetizer course while also adding to the decor. 

3. DIY a flag display

(Image credit: Pottery Barn)

Your best grill recipes will look even better served up with a side of classic Americana. Create a simple but charming Memorial Day centerpiece with small burlap flags. To get the look above, fill a selection of colorful glass bottles with a few inches of sand, then stick a flag into each bottle. For a visual statement, group the bottles together on a tray.  

4. Invest in decor you can use all summer

(Image credit: Jenny Reimold)

Consider Memorial Day a chance to stock up on summer serving and hosting essentials, like melamine plates, multi-use baskets, and cloth napkins with seasonal motifs.

'I use décor outside that not only looks great but has a dual purpose,' says Jenny Reimold, interior stylist and HomeGoods style expert. 'I used a $20 whale-shaped wicker basket I found at HomeGoods and styled it for various uses, from holding star-spangled napkins on a table, to serving up fresh blueberry muffins as a grab-and-go summer snack station or holding sunscreen poolside.'

5. Hang fabric wreaths 

(Image credit: Pottery Barn)

Wreaths don't have to be just for the front door. Instead, add a pair of red, white, and blue wreaths to the siding of your home with a small nail or Command hook. This look will work as summer porch decor through the Fourth of July, but you can use in on your back deck to set the scene for a Memorial Day barbecue, too.  

6. Set a red, white, and blue table

(Image credit: Mark Scott/ Future Publishing Ltd)

If your Memorial Day weekend plans involve an outdoor dinner party, a festive tablespace is a must. For a sophisticated look, skip the flag motifs for a more evocative setting.

'No matter what holiday or theme you're decorating for, there's usually a literal way to do it, and one that's a bit more subtle and creative. Neither is right or wrong, but if you're opting for the latter, choose colors, textures, and designs that remind you of the look you're trying to create,' says Sarah Spiteri, Homes & Gardens editorial director. 'Instead of flag prints, pull out the colors in the flag and use them in varying shades and across the different elements of your table, for example.'

To get the look above: Pair blue-and-white patterned melamine plates with a striped or gingham-checked tablecloth, and wrap basic plastic planters with cloth napkins to create a simple centerpiece.  

7. Style the porch with vintage lanterns

(Image credit: Mark Scott/ Future Publishing Ltd)

Retro-inspired gas lanterns are a summertime decorating must for a few reasons. For one, they elicit memories of summer sleepaway camp and family overnights at the state park. Plus, you'll find them in a range of classic colors that'll reinforce any outdoor decorating scheme. And, of course, you'll only add to the ambience of your outdoor event by lighting them up at night. 

8. Decorate the front porch

(Image credit: Grandin Road)

One of our favorite front porch ideas is seeing a home's exterior resplendent in the stars and stripes. If your home has a porch, take advantage of the opportunity to share your patriotism, and hang flag pull-downs from the roof of your porch or across the front railing, or wrap columns and beams with a flag banner. For a simpler look, fly an American flag from your front flag pole. 

9. Add a patriotic pop to planters

(Image credit: Etsy / Treeific Creations)

Looking for a quick and easy way to dress up your table centerpieces or patio planter ideas? Buy a set of miniature stick flags, and push them into the soil in your planters, or stand them in the middle of a flower arrangement.

The handmade, pint-size versions above are from Etsy , but you'll also find a large selection online at retailers like Amazon or Target, too. 

10. Hang a bunting

(Image credit: Simon Scarboro/Future Publishing Ltd)

Whether you're looking to elevate your patio ideas for a family get together, or you simply want to add a festive pop to your fireplace mantle indoors, a red, white, and blue bunting is up to the task. 

The beauty of a cloth bunting is that it's both versatile and reusable, so you can rehang it in a few months for the Fourth of July, or stash it away for events in years to come. 

11. Create all-American planters

(Image credit: Grandin Road)

If you're planning your patio planters for the season, consider incorporating red, white, and blue for a Memorial Day decorating idea that keeps on giving. To make them feel festive, but simple enough to keep out all summer, consider a blue or red planter, like this Grandin Road version, filled with white hydrangeas. Or, swap the idea and fill a white planter with blue hydrangeas, instead.

To ensure your hydrangea continues to stay blue, treat the soil it grows in, says Melanie Griffiths, editor at Period Living and one of Homes & Gardens' resident gardening experts. 'Hydrangeas change color based on the pH level of the soil. For blue and purple shades, you'll want a more acidic soil with a lower pH,' she says. A fertilizer with aluminum sulfate will do the trick, or try adding coffee grounds to your soil. 

(Image credit: John Lewis)

Just because Memorial Day is synonymous with the casual backyard barbecue doesn't mean you can't turn the day into an elegant affair. Forgo plastic plates and disposable cutlery for the good china or transferware with a blue-and-white pattern, set on a fabric tablecloth. Add to the atmosphere with cut crystal stemware and arrangements of red and white dahlias and carnations in glass vases.

13. Swap out throw pillows

(Image credit: Jenniy Reimold)

Break out your best grill recipes and call your friends, you're about to spend the whole day outdoors. If you're lucky enough to have a backyard that fits an outdoor sofa or conversation set, make it extra cozy for long-weekend lounging with patriotic-patterned throw pillows.

To ensure the decor looks holiday-ready, but not kitschy, play up one or two American-flag themed pillows with complementary options like blue and white solids, or striped patterns in varying scales. For bonus points, lay an outdoor rug that complements your All-American color scheme. 

14. Decorate with flowers

(Image credit: Jon Day/ Future Publishing Ltd)

Flowers are a simple, yet beautiful way to decorate for any holiday. For a look that's specific to Memorial Day, choose red and white blooms, like the combination of roses and daisies, above. Oher pairings that work well? Red ranunculus and white garden roses, or white dahlias and red gerbera daisies.

For a tablespace, pair the bouquets with simple blue-rimmed dishware, or blue-and-white striped table linens. 

15. Don't forget the backyard

(Image credit: Jon Day Photography / Future PLC)

Lawn games are a must-have backyard idea for any barbecue, so why not choose options that underscore your decorating theme? Think: croquet mallets with red and blue striped handles, a cornhole set with an Americana theme, or a ring toss game in the colors of the flag.

As a bonus, look for lawn chairs, bench cushions, or outdoor umbrellas with a red, white, and blue scheme. 

When should I start decorating for Memorial Day?

If you're decorating the outside of your house for the holiday, plan to start decorating for Memorial Day a week or two in advance. Because it's not a major holiday for decorating, like Christmas or Halloween, and the decorations are more generic, decorating any earlier might not register to passersby that your patriotic decor is meant to honor a specific holiday.

If you're decorating for a party or barbecue, decorating the day of the event, or up to a day in advance is appropriate.

Once you've decorated, however, feel free to leave your decor up straight through the Fourth of July, especially if it's on the more subtle side. Flag Day is June 14, and then the Fourth of July is just a few weeks later. 

Table setting and menus on Victory Day

May 9, in addition to parades and thundering fireworks, can be celebrated with a family feast. Victory Day is a symbol of our gratitude and memory to all those who, step by step, brought the country closer to Victory.

What dishes to cook, how to decorate the festive table and how to create a festive atmosphere?

Think of the symbols of victory, the items of soldier's everyday life and the traditions of the war years. To decorate the table and create a festive atmosphere, you can use St. George ribbons, candles, carnations, photographs of the war years, a record of the surrender of Germany performed by Yuri Levitan, songs of the war years and congratulations.

Another attribute of the holiday is a red five-pointed star. She is depicted on the Banner of Victory, on shoulder straps and caps. You can not do without stars at the festive table. In the form of a star, you can lay out salads, snacks, bake cookies or decorate a cake with cream stars. Candlesticks and balloons can be in the shape of stars.

Place a faceted glass on the table for each guest and offer 100 grams of People's Commissar's. Front-line 100 grams - a ration of vodka, a means of survival in severe frosts, disinfection of wounds, a drink from fear and a way to relax. We drink the same hundred grams for those who did not live, for those who gave their lives for our future, and for those who were able to win.

The war years are moving further and further away from us, we may not be able to imagine the whole picture of what happened, but we can still feel the smell and taste of those years with the help of preserved records of recipes that were cooked at the front and in the rear.

Baltic Pasta .
Prepared on the ships of the Baltic Fleet during the Second World War.

Ingredients:
500 grams of pasta,
500 grams of ribs,
150-200 grams of onions.

Cooking.
Boil the meat and cut into cubes. Boil pasta. Cut the onion into cubes and sauté in a pan until golden brown. In a cauldron, mix meat, pasta and onions, add a little meat broth. For 10-20 minutes, put the cauldron in the oven, heated to 220 degrees.

"Front kulesh" .
Prepared before the Battle of Kursk.

Ingredients:
500 grams of spare ribs or stew,
250-300 grams of millet,
2-4 peeled potatoes,
2-3 ​​onions.

Cooking.
Cut the meat and cook the ribs for 15 minutes. Add to them millet and peeled potatoes, cut into large cubes. Fry the cut meat with onions in a pan and add to the pan. Cook until tender about 10 minutes.

Buckwheat pie .
Prepared by residents of the rural areas of the Urals.

Ingredients:
1 kilogram of yeast dough,
250 grams of buckwheat porridge,
200-300 grams of mushrooms,
200 grams of onions.

Cooking.
Boil buckwheat porridge until almost done. Fry the mushrooms with onions and simmer until cooked, then cool and mix with porridge. Make a cake with a thin top crust and bake in the oven.

Rzhevsky bread (1942 recipe).

Ingredients:
1 kilogram of potatoes,
200 grams of bran,
salt,
oil.

Cooking.
Boil potatoes in their skins, cool, peel and mince. Pour part of the bran onto a baking sheet, lay the potatoes, sprinkle with bran, salt and knead the dough. Put the resulting mass into a greased form and bake until tender.

Children's holiday table setting: ideas and tips

Serving a children's table for a birthday is a crucial stage in preparing for the celebration. Here it is important not only to show imagination, but also to take into account the age of the birthday man, his hobbies.

Festive table decoration

To beautifully and tastefully decorate the festive table, follow the recommendations below.

Determine the theme of the holiday

Children can imagine. It is for this reason that the theme party is definitely doomed to success - the birthday boy and his guests will be happy to plunge into the festive atmosphere of magic. When choosing a design, focus on popular topics for a children's celebration:

• cartoons or fairy tales - Frozen, Harry Potter, Cinderella, etc.
• historical eras and cultures of peoples - medieval knights, pirates, Indians, etc.
• hobbies - sports, music or maritime topics, etc.

Please note that the setting of the festive table for children should be decorated in the same style as the interior of the room. When choosing holiday decor, remember moderation. Do not act on the principle of "all at once", trying to place as many decorations on the surface of the table as possible.

Consider the age of the birthday person

When choosing a table decoration for a child’s birthday, be guided by the age of the hero of the occasion. If the baby is 1-2 years old, decorate the room and furniture in a single concept and delicate colors. Let the little one from childhood join the beautiful.

For preschoolers and schoolchildren, prepare the most colorful decor. To decorate the space, use improvised materials or purchased decorations. When buying decor for a teenager, check with the child about the wishes for the design of the event, so as not to get into a mess.

Features of choosing dishes for children

Buy a set of utensils made of thick paper with a laminated finish. Disposable tableware for a child's birthday is ideal for table setting. It will not break by accident, thereby spoiling the mood of the birthday man or his guests. Disposable dishes do not need to be washed.

For serving, choose bright dishes and creative accessories. Buy unusual cocktail straws, colorful cutlery, shelves and mini dessert coasters. Prepare tongues and party hats for guests. Such accessories will delight guests of any age.

Pick up a plastic tablecloth to match the dishes. Such a tablecloth is more practical - unlike a fabric cover, it can be quickly put in order by simply wiping it with a damp cloth.

Don't forget paper napkins. When choosing napkins, focus on the quality of their performance. It is important that the napkins are made of a material that is pleasant to the touch. For a children's celebration, buy two-layer napkins - they are of high quality and do not tear immediately.

Decoration of the dining area

Remember, table setting for a children's party should be done in accordance with the theme of the celebration. Hang paper pompoms from the ceiling, and decorate the chairs with garlands.

Decoration for a girl

For a girly table, choose decor and tableware in soft colors. Many girls like the following color combinations: pink and white, purple and yellow, silver and gold. Decorate the space around the dining area with flowers, garlands, fun figurines and glitter paper stars. Decorate pieces of furniture with bows.

Decoration for a boy

When decorating a festive feast for a boy, use the following colors: blue, gray, green or brown. Prepare paper blanks to decorate the festive table: stars, images of cars or weapons. Decorate the space around with bright balloons.

Festive menu

Think over the menu for the holiday, look on the Internet for ideas for a children's holiday table. Do not overdo it with the amount of food: remember, this is a holiday for children, not a feast for adults. Prepare simple, light meals. Keep in mind that most children are wary of everything new and unknown, so choose foods that are familiar to everyone.

Serve canapes on skewers or sandwiches. Cut up a couple of salads. For hot, cook chicken skewers, nuggets or cutlets. Garnish with French fries, rice or mashed potatoes. To decorate the festive table, use fruits cut using the carving technique.

Organize a "candy bar" on a separate table. Decorate it with balls, garlands or colorful tinsel. Place cupcakes, wafer rolls, candies and cookies on the table. Place small boxes right there so that guests can take treats with them.

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