It is the thought that usually counts, but not on Valentine's Day.  On Valentine's Day, you have to shine.  You have to save all your creative juices for this occasion and wow your wife, girlfriend, or the woman you want to be your wife or girlfriend.

If flowers and candy are out – or at least not the main event – what can you get for her?

For the New Relationship

This can be awkward because you do not want to give a gift that says too much – but you also don't want to say too little.  These gifts say just the right amount:

• A fun (or romantic, cheesy, chick flick) movie night with gourmet popcorn.  It says you thought of Valentine's Day and want to spend it with her without screaming, “I LOVE YOU!”
• Donation to her favorite charity.  She'll love that you both thought of her and her interests, but again, it isn't too intimate for the new relationship.
• Tickets to an event (symphony, theater, sports, etc.).  Another way to say, “Let's spend this day together.”
• A treat for her dog or cat.  If you have just started dating, this can be a cute way to acknowledge the day without putting pressure on her or yourself.
• Make her dinner and have her favorite wine or beer.
• Hand-dipped gourmet chocolates, especially if they are homemade.
• A crafty piece of jewelry.  No, not a diamond.  If your girl wears bracelets, necklaces, or earrings, look at pieces from local artisans and on Etsy.  Choose something that she might want to wear to work or while kicking back – but nothing fancy or overly expensive.

For the Established Relationship

When your girlfriend or wife says she doesn't want anything on Valentine's Day, she's lying.  Of course she does.  She just doesn't want to have to tell you; surprise her with one of the following ideas:

• A night or weekend trip to an inn or bed and breakfast. It doesn't have to be in an exotic or expensive locale, but a change of scenery and some time together will be appreciated.
• A gift certificate to a spa.  There are only two types of gift certificates you should ever get your partner for Valentine's Day.  A trip to the spa, if she enjoys pampering or a gift certificate for...
• Lingerie at Victoria's Secret or another store.  Again, if she enjoys lingerie, this will be a fun gift, but you never want to buy it yourself.  Sizes are tricky!  Plus, make it a condition of the gift card that you will accompany her shopping for a day.  You will score big points for that, too.
• Make her dinner (and clean the place up first).  You can't go wrong with her favorite foods, drinks, and a special dessert.  Sprinkle in a liberal amount of compliments and a small gift, and you're good.
• Jewelry.  You can go with more expensive pieces for anniversary years, but a great piece of more casual jewelry will give her something to wear everyday that will remind her of you.
• Write her a love letter.  Yes, it may be difficult and seem cheesy, but it will be her favorite gift by far.

What do women not want on the big day?  Things like lotion, bath supplies, or candles are nice thoughts for random Tuesdays, but they will disappoint on Valentine's Day.  The best Valentine's Day gifts for her are not the ones that are most expensive; sometimes the best gift is just spending time together.  Just make it special and make it about her. Women tend to value Valentine's Day more than men, so why not indulge her on this day with something a bit above the ordinary?

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What Not to Serve

If you want to keep the superstitious friends in your crowd happy, don’t serve lobster. Lobsters crawl backwards and that can mean setbacks in the New Year for those who believe foods can alter fate. Also avoid serving chicken or any other bird so that any luck that does come your way won’t fly out the window. You may laugh at such silliness, but there are many cultures that still believe in traditions like these. And don’t expect friends of certain ethnicities to clean their plates. It’s considered bad luck to eat every morsel on your plate on New Year’s Eve. If you leave food on the table, either on your plate or canned foods, it’s certain to mean a year to come filled with plenty.

Serve these Happy Foods

Greens

Now that you know what not to serve, turn your attention to planning a menu that will make everyone feel happy and lucky. Go for greens like collard greens or Swiss chard. Green means money, so these leafy varieties are thought to bring luck.

Beans

Black eyed peas and lentils are two of the mainstays of New Year’s good fortune seekers. Many cultures fear that if they don’t eat at least a small scoop of beans, the New Year will be dismal. So get that crock pot out.

Pork

You can’t leave pork out of a New Year’s menu. In many Mediterranean cultures, pork is the symbol of wealth and good fortune. Since pigs push their food, it’s thought that good luck will be pushed your way if you eat pork. Many cultures even put pig statues and candy pigs on their tables at New Year’s. Pork is also very fatty, so fat wallets are thought to be brought on by eating this rich meat.

Fish

Include fish in your New Year’s buffet and you’ll keep the good fortune rolling. Because fish have so many eggs, caviar is thought to bring fertility. If you’d rather not encourage a larger family, eat shrimp or sardines which are as plentiful in the sea as your good luck will be.

Coin Cakes

Many ethnicities bake cakes that have small coins or trinkets hidden in them. The one who finds the coin in his slice gets a heaping helping of luck in the New Year. Just be sure you don’t swallow your good fortune!

If you don’t care to serve traditional New Year’s Eve fare, you can let your party’s theme dictate the food menu. If you’re going casual, have appetizers like bacon wrapped scallops (but you still may have good luck from the pork and fish), puff pastries, cocktail wieners, and little quiches. You can now go to the big box warehouse stores and purchase entire appetizer menus by the box. All you have to do is heat up the delicious goodies before the party. No more running from store to store for hard to find appetizers. They are all there in one place. And if you want to make New Year cookies, well that's okay too.

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Here are a few to get you started:

From home to home, and heart to heart, from one place to another

The warmth and joy of Christmas, brings us closer to each other.

Emily Matthews

Christmas, children, is not a date. It is a state of mind.

Mary Ellen Chase

Good news from heaven the angels bring,

Glad tidings to the earth they sing:

To us this day a child is given,

To crown us with the joy of heaven.

Martin Luther

Love came down at Christmas;

Love all lovely, love divine;

Love was born at Christmas,

Stars and angels gave the sign.

Christina Rossetti

Christmas waves a magic wand over this world, and behold, everything is softer and more beautiful.

Norman Vincent Peale

I heard the bells on Christmas Day

Their old familiar carols play,

And wild and sweet the words repeat

Of peace on Earth, good will to men!

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Heap on the wood!

The wind is chill;

But let it whistle as it will,

We'll keep our Christmas merry still.

Sir Walter Scott

Christmas hath a darkness;

Brighter than the blazing noon;

Christmas hath a chillness

Warmer than the heat of June,

Christmas hath a beauty

Lovelier than the world can show:

For Christmas bringeth Jesus,

Brought for us so low

Christina Rosetti

If it’s a Christmas letter you are looking to write, you can make it personal and festive with just a few simple tips. Write it once and print it from your printer to include inside or in place of a Christmas card and you’ll save yourself lots of time.

• Select a festive paper that you can use in your printer. Be sure it has enough room for your words and that your words will be legible against the background. There are so many fun papers that have holiday themes. You can find them at office supply stores.
• Write generically enough so that your letter can be sent to everyone on your list. A great way to start is, “This year at the Robertson’s…” Then you can fill in details of what your family did this year.
• Add lots of pictures. You can do this right in Word on your computer. Just select “Insert Photo” and you can upload photos that are already on your computer into your letter. Don’t forget, people who haven’t seen your children in a while will love to see how they’ve grown.
• Try to make it personal so it really gives a feel of what the family did all year. Did you get a new pet? Volunteer at a shelter? Run a road race? Include it all.
• Finish up with good wishes for the recipients. Something like, “We think of you often throughout the year and consider you among our greatest blessings. We wish you a year filled with joy, happiness and peace. Love, The Robinsons”
• After you print out copies of your letter, place them in a business envelope or tuck them inside your Christmas cards and mail.

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Planning, planning, planning. Being prepared reduces anxiety levels enormously; it is when we are frazzled, harried, hurried, or torn in eight directions at once that stress overtakes us. To keep this from happening, sit down well in advance of Thanksgiving and plan your guest list and menu. If you tend to become easily stressed (and who doesn't around the holidays?), you may want to think about paring down your guest list.

If this isn't a possibility, it's time to delegate and plan your dishes accordingly. Instead of laboriously making portobello mushrooms stuffed with pine nuts and goat cheese, make a big pot of creamy garlic mashed potatoes. Guests will still love them, and you can make a large quantity easily. You don't have to write your menu from a gourmet, haute cuisine restaurant; simple favorites will do just fine. Better yet, have guests bring side dishes. You can be in charge of the turkey or ham, and your guests can bring the side dishes, appetizers, and desserts. Delegate; your local guests will be more than happy to bring food. And if you have to, buy a pumpkin pie instead of making one. It'll be fine.

Enlist family or a close friend to help you clean the day before your Thanksgiving feast. Children can pick up toys, straighten out rooms, and maybe even man the vacuum. This will leave you free to cook and perhaps even enjoy your guests on Thanksgiving. This is a great time to delegate as well: just because your great-grandmother single handedly cooked Thanksgiving differ for 25 people while making crafts and warming apple cider for everyone doesn't mean you have to. Get your spouse, children, and friends to help you prepare foods and get your house ready for guests. If they're eating with you, they can very well help out! And they will probably be very happy to do so. And if not, you can bribe them with pre-Thanksgiving treats.

Preparing the meal is not stressful when you're at home with the leisure to do it yourself. But when guests start arriving and your aunt starts looking over your shoulder and giving you tips about your gravy, this is when it starts to get a little too warm in the kitchen. To avoid some of this stress, give your aunt – and anyone else who is dishing out advice – jobs. People can peel, chop, grate, slice, or wash to help you out. Every chef needs prep cooks, so don't be afraid to delegate tasks.

If there are guests who you know will be more hindrance than help in the kitchen, create other jobs for them. Maybe someone can help the kids make crafts or read them books to keep them out of the kitchen. Maybe you can set up some board games or put on the game in the living room. Maybe you could send people out to gather leaves and acorns for a centerpiece or let them paint gourds. They'll feel helpful and they will not be underfoot. Let others know that they should relax, have a drink, read, watch television, or visit with other guests without feeling obligated to do anything. If all else fails, set a tray of holiday chocolates in another room and run for the kitchen.

If you have children at your gathering, give them a break. They pick up on the excited or stressed atmosphere and act accordingly. If they cannot sit through an entire adult meal, set a kids' table. Let them get up before the adults and go watch a movie or set up a game in the living room for them. Don't be too rigid about rules today – letting it slide will help alleviate a lot of stress, and life can go back to normal tomorrow.

Most of all, give yourself a break. Remind yourself that you are thankful for all of these people in your home and for the food which you are preparing. One step at a time; you will get there, people will eat, and Thanksgiving will be a success.

America’s best loved parade, The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, is now a historical icon of American culture. Most people cannot imagine Thanksgiving Day without it. It’s easily recognized as the official kickoff to the holiday season. Americans young and old eagerly await the parade that brings larger than life helium balloons, Santa, and millions of audience members to the streets of New York.

How did this tradition get started? In 1924, Macy’s was already a leading department store in Manhattan. As a way for its immigrant workers to celebrate their new American culture, Macy’s organized the first parade that year. It was originally called the Macy’s Christmas Parade until its name was changed officially to the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. It is so well-known now that people often refer to it as the Macy’s Day Parade.

That first year there were no oversized balloons marching down the sidewalks. Instead, live animals were borrowed from the Central Park Zoo. For various reasons, including the safety issues of parading live animals, the parade began to feature balloons in 1927. Goodyear Rubber and Tire made the balloons, the first of which was Felix the Cat. Balloons are inflated the night before the parade outside of the Museum of Natural History, and the public is invited to watch.

The parade started at 145^th Street in Harlem and marched its way to the Macy’s building at 34^th Street. In 2009, the parade route was changed to eliminate Broadway, where it has marched every year, so that more viewers can see the parade. Millions line the streets to watch as floats adorned with roses and manned by celebrities and animated characters march past them. Each year bands compete to be awarded the honor of marching in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Professional athletes, starlets, Broadway stars, and ordinary people march in the parade, many of them Macy’s employees.

At the end of every parade since the first, the parade ends with a big wave from Santa.

The parade became a permanent fixture in American history after it was featured in the 1947 film Miracle on 34^th Street. Actual footage of the 1946 parade was made a part of the film which forever immortalized the festivities.

The parade has run every year since 1924 except from 1942-1944 when the parade was canceled due to WWII. The rubber and helium necessary for the balloons was needed for the war effort. The parade was back on again for 1945. In 2006, parade organizers, noting a world-wide shortage of helium, proposed excluding the balloons from the parade, but public outcry got the balloons back up again. From that point, fewer balloons have been a part of the parade.

Since 2002, the balloons and floats have made their way to Orlando, Florida after the parade where they are marched down the streets of Universal Orlando Resort. Guests are given the opportunity to be balloon handlers for a day.

Each year a different character is featured in balloon form as an older one is retired. Broadway shows are also featured complete with the stars and performers from the production.

The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is a piece of Americana recognized and cherished by more people than any other parade.

Now that the digital age is upon us, most people have become shutterbugs. It’s so much fun to click and share your photos right away. If you’ve just purchased or received a digital camera or you want to know how to get professional-looking holiday photographs this season, read on.

Family photo greeting cards make great inexpensive holiday gifts. If you’re planning on taking a holiday Christmas card photo of the kids this year, plan early. Yes, you’ll have to buy their Christmas outfits ahead of time, but it will be worth it. No later than November, have your children dress in their holiday finery. Make sure you choose a time for your photo shoot that works for small children. If it’s just before nap time, you’re not going to get the best shots. Pick a time, like after lunch, when everyone’s happy and content.

Set up an area for your shot that’s got great lighting. It may be natural light or artificial. Just make sure there are no shadows or dark places that will obscure the little one’s face. Pick some holiday props. Even if your living room looks like a hurricane came through it, clear an area of all but a chair or bench and some lovely holiday props like christmas gift boxes or holiday stuffed toys or blanket. Depending on the number of children to be photographed and their age, you’ll want to have everything set up before you call them over. Take a few test shots to see if the area you’ve prepared looks good in the frame. Use your digital camera’s playback feature to see the shots after you’ve taken them.

Now, bring over the kids. You can also take a family photo if your camera has a self timer. Just set the camera on a piece of furniture or a tripod and click and run so you can get in the photo.

Set everyone up so that all faces can be seen and there are no distractions in the frame. Even the smallest thing can ruin a great photo. Make sure all collars are in the right place, all ruffles and fringe are flat and in place. All faces clean? Then you’re ready to roll.

Shoot a photo and look at it right away. Do the colors work? Is everyone smiling? Is the photo centered? Modern photo programs like Picasa (which you can download for free) will allow you to crop and edit, so you don’t have to go crazy trying to get it absolutely perfect. But no program will fix a photo that’s fuzzy or blurred.

Take another few frames and review. Are the expressions realistic? A phony looking card is worse than none at all. If you’ve got a whole family in the frame, be sure to check each person to make sure their eyes weren’t closed. Red eye can be taken out in a photo program so don’t worry so much about that.

If you’ve got small children or pets that are supposed to be in the picture, let them rest between takes. Chances are you’ll get a better photo if you are spontaneous. So have one person place Fido or Baby in their place as you quickly get several shots in a row. You may find that an unposed, off the cuff shot is better than anything you could have set up.

Have fun with holiday photo taking this year. Use the same suggestions when taking candids around the holiday table or at parties. Check to see what’s in the background before you shoot. Make sure the lighting is right. Turn off the flash if there’s an overload of light in the photo. Center your subject. Zoom in at concerts as close as you can to your child so you can get a good shot of their face. The audience shots of the entire group are often not as personal as a close up of the individuals.

With these simple guidelines, your holiday photos will turn out professional every time.

Halloween is a night kids look forward to all year. It’s fun for them to dress up as someone else and head out into the night in search of yummy delicious holiday chocolates. Since it gets dark so early in the Fall, children Trick or Treat in the dark. Keep some safety tips in mind so that everyone makes it home safely.

• Never let small children out to Trick or Treat alone. Even if they know the neighborhood, it’s not a good idea to send them without supervision. Not only are the decorations spooky for youngsters but with people out in costume it may be hard for your child to recognize stranger danger.

• All costumes should be checked for visibility. If you’ve dressed your little one as a ghost and they can’t see out of the eyeholes or might trip on fabric, it’s best to alter the costume so it’s shorter and easier to see out of. Same goes for store bought masks. Often they look ideal on the outside, but inside your child can’t see well enough to walk or their breathing may be impaired. Double check before purchasing anything that will cover a child’s head.

• All halloween candy that Trick or Treaters collect should be thoroughly checked by an adult before any child touches it. Pranksters have been known to tamper with candy and children have gotten poisoned or worse. The urban legend of the razor blade in the apple is a word to the wise.

• Not every neighbor is friendly. Teach your children to avoid any houses that are dark or that are unfamiliar to them. Instruct them never to enter anyone’s house, especially when they don’t know the people. They may get so excited about going in for free candy that they forget your warning. Another good reason for you to stay closely by their sides.

• Cars are a hazard on Halloween night. Children often head out for Trick or Treating right about the time people are driving home from work. A tired or distracted driver may not expect a child to be walking down the road in the dark and may not see them until it’s too late. Have your child wear reflective clothing and carry a flashlight. Make sure they stay on the sidewalks and never cross the street alone or when a car is coming.

• Older siblings may offer to take younger ones out on the big night. Depending on your level of comfort and your neighborhood, you might consider driving them or walking along. While an older sibling will often be a perfectly fine babysitter at home he could get distracted by a fancy light show at one house or a ghoulish display at another. One distracted moment and your younger child could get lost or worse. On this one night you may want to insist that you chaperone.

• Check your child’s costume not only for warmth if you live in a colder climate but also for mobility. That dog suit may seem fine in the house when your child tries it on, but out in the 40 degree night, your child may end up miserable and shivering. When in doubt, add layers under the costume so you can still see the costume but your child will stay warm. Also, have your child test walking outside in his costume. It’s one thing to try a costume on in a store aisle and another to have to walk in it in the dark. Any clunky shoe covers (paws) or oversized gag shoes (clown) will have to be monitored.

• You want your child to have a good time, but Halloween often brings out the zanier people. Don’t cave in if your child insists you’re being overprotective and unfair by coming with them. If they’re whining about you being there, they’re not mature enough to be out on their own at night.

else. If you have children, it is fun to dress them up and see them happily trick-or-treating, and if you don’t have children, you can indulge in some trick-or-treating of your own. Whether you’re hosting a Halloween party for children or for friends, you’ll need some scary, fun invitations. Here are some ideas to get you started. Remember, it’s halloween: go wild, be crazy, and above all, have fun.

If you need to get invitations out in a rush and don’t want to spend money on pre-made ones, you can pop online and find plenty of free templates. These come in various themes and for various ages. If you are inviting older friends, for instance, a vintage invitation can be a fabulous idea. One example, available at Make-Your-Own-Invitations.com has a creepy black cat and a skull on either side of a giant pumpkin. On the pumpkin is written:

Timid? No. Then on Halloween

At _________ of the clock

Let your highness be seen at:

(your address goes here).

It is fun in that melodramatic old horror movie way. Simply copy these for your guests, write in your party info, and send.

Another great idea that is perfect for children or adults is the Moonlit Halloween card. For this, you will need black cardstock, white or cream cardstock, glue, and foam cat shapes. Onto the folded black sheet of cardstock, glue a circle of white for the moon. Simply glue the foam bats (available at craft stores) so they look like they are flying in the moonlight. Inside, write with silver gel pens to give guests the party information. You can do similar cards using a witch or a black cat in front of the moon.

Purchase a package of brown paper lunch bags at the grocery store. For a very cute children’s invitation, fold the bag in half firmly. Trim a white piece of paper or cardstock so it will be about a half inch to one inch smaller than the paper bag on which it will be glued or stapled.

Write the party information on the white paper, either using your computer or printing it yourself. Adorn with Halloween scrapbooking stickers and staple or glue it to the inside of the folded bag. Cut out five or so orange construction paper pumpkins, writing “Boo” or another Halloween message on one of them. Glue three to the front of the bag and two on the inside cover. On the pumpkin with the message, use a length of green ribbon as a stem and staple or glue into place. Tie a length of black ribbon down the spine of the card, which creates a nice border look. Put the party information inside, and you’re done.

Buy blank cards or cut cardstock in half to make your own for this chic web and spider invitation. Around the edge of the front, draw a thin border and outline it with black felt tip marker. Draw a swirl, either with pencil first or just your felt tip marker, starting at a central point and looping further away from the center. From the center of your swirl, use a ruler to draw straight edges that extend all the way to the edges of the card. These will be like spokes from a wheel. Draw a little dot at the intersection of each point with your black marker. From a point in the swirl, draw a thin line straight down with a spider dangling down. A simple circle for the body, smaller circle for the head, and creepy legs will do it. Color the spider’s body red for contrast – and for blood, of course. On one of the web’s strands, write “Happy Halloween,” in very subtle handwriting. Inside goes your party information.

Happy Halloween!

Direct delivery of a corporate gift has a host of benefits, not the least of which is freeing up the time of whoever coordinates them. The internet has made the process faster, and delivery makes it easier still. Other benefits:

• If you are ordering products, you will likely have to pay shipping. Why not just pay for it to be shipped to the recipient, instead of handling it yourself and then packaging it up again for transport? And if the vendor offers corporate gifts on sale or free shipping, even better. You can increase savings here.

• Whether or not the products are to be shipped in from a merchant or vendor, they still have to be transported from the work place to the home. Skip this step and just send them to their front door.

• This eliminates the “What did you get?” question that will inevitably surface around the office if you are giving employees or associates gifts. Comparing gifts is not great for morale – but getting a great gift at home certainly is.

Here are some tips for making your gift and its delivery smooth and thoughtful:

• Think about the recipient. Sending a “blanket” gift can backfire. Say you want to send fresh steaks to your clients and employees. This is wonderful! It has a high value and can be enjoyed by the entire family. But there are sure to be vegetarians and vegans on your recipient list. This gift is not only inappropriate, it shows a lack of interest or knowledge about the recipient. You can choose more general gift baskets, such as those with gourmet foods, fruit, or teas and coffees.

• Think about cost. Fruit baskets are wonderful – but they’re heavy! They will cost more to ship. You can either choose a vendor that offers reasonable or free shipping, especially with bulk orders, or you can choose a smaller, lighter object, such as a box of exotic holiday chocolate truffles.

• Think about freshness. There’s a reason why coffee and biscotti baskets are popular; they stay fresh for a long time. When you opt for things like fruit, you have to worry about the speed of delivery and hope the vendor is prompt and the products arrive in top condition.

• Choose a vendor that you trust and which has a reputation for excellence. Choosing a no-name company may seem like a cost-saving measure, but it can backfire if arrangements are poorly done or shipping is slow.

• If you are assembling your own corporate gift bags or baskets, look into flat rate shipping, which can save you money and time.

• Include a personalized note in your package. This is important in helping the recipient feel more valued and appreciated.

Corporate gift giving can become much more efficient when you have the shipping and delivery taken care of outside the office. Choose a trustworthy vendor who, in turn, uses a trustworthy carrier, and your gifts will arrive in tact and much appreciated.

When you have a birthday girl or boy with a summer birthday, you have a ready-made party! Summer lends itself to casual parties and you don’t have to do much to make it festive. The pool is always a fun place to host a party. Or have a party on the sand at the local beach. Your job is just to get the food and drinks there. The rest will take care of itself.

A beautiful backdrop like the ocean or a poolside deck is perfect for a party. If you’re at home by the pool, all you really need to do is bring out sandwiches, coolers full of icy cold drinks, some chips and dip, and watermelon. When the time comes, bring out a birthday cookie cake and sing Happy Birthday. Make it ultra casual so everyone feels they can just lounge around. Bring a stereo outside so you can play dance music and have extra towels on hand. Serve treats that are easy to grab on the go like Rice Krispy treats and cookies as well.

If you’re going beach side, have everyone join you at the beach at a certain time. Bring coolers of cold drinks and foods that don’t require much preparation and are easy to eat. You might make up individual boxes for each guest so they have a lunch all set to go. Get boxes for take out from a craft store and include an apple, a sandwich, chips, and cookies. Let guests grab their own drinks out of the coolers. Instead of having a messy cake at that beach, bring a tray of cupcakes which are easier to eat and don’t require any cutting. Have lots of extras on hand like extra bowls of chips, different types of cookies, and even a cheese and crackers tray if you like. The food should be simple as most of the party will be spent in the water or lounging on the sand. Have extra beach towels or spread out a big blanket or two.

Set up a beach volleyball net and bring a few balls. Get a friendly game going. Offer sunblock to those who may have forgotten it or give out little tubes of sunblock as favors at the beginning of the party. You can also do personalized water bottle labels that say “Happy Birthday Dave” or whatever you’d like. They are easy to print off your computer. Just glue them over existing water bottle labels.

If you plan on having a nighttime event, bring materials to build a camp fire. Check to make sure you’re allowed to have a fire on the beach first, of course. If your party is in July, bring some sparklers or other fireworks as a patriotic gift for your guests. Then toast up some s'mores and make it a real cookout. You can even do a clambake if you make a large enough fire. Many companies will deliver an entire clam bake to you in tins for cooking, so all you have to do is set it on the fire. You’ll need more durable plates and napkins. So set up a table that can house utensils, napkins, and plates. You can have each item in baskets so they are easy to transport and serve from on the table. Bring garbage bags so clean up is really easy.