A Fabulous Picnic

A picnic decked out in America’s favorite colors makes the Fourth of July fun. Set a grand old table with red, white and blue paper plates, paired with rolled-up napkins in red and blue picnic plaids. Use plastic knives, forks and spoons, and you can ditch the dishwashing!

Summer’s all about simplicity, so keep the decorating low-key. Tape small paper flags around the edges of a white paper tablecloth with hook-and-loop tape. If someone spills, no worries – it’ll all be pitched after the party, anyway.  Make the punchbowl your centerpiece. Fill it with sea blue party punch, crowned with a silver-blue waterfall “sparkler,” a sure way to start the day off with a bang. Attach mini “sparklers” to drink straws to reinforce the theme. Ice soft drinks in red metal tubs, heat up the grill and let the fireworks begin.

Three cheers for the red, white and blue – and a quick cleanup, too! Making a tablescape pop is a snap with these timesaving tips:

• Keep it casual with paper plates in mix and match colors. To dress things up, serve drinks in plastic goblets. It feels festive, but they’re all throwaway.
• If the party's outside - or even inside - try plastic silverware. It comes in all colors and makes cleanup a breeze.
• Mix your punch to match your colors. (It's easy with food coloring.) Here, the blue hue is refreshingly patriotic.
• Place a glass punchbowl in the middle of your table for a showy centerpiece. If you don't have a punchbowl, borrow one, or buy an inexpensive acrylic one from a party warehouse.
• Show off your creativity. Add silver and blue "sparklers" to the punchbowl and glasses to give your table extra sizzle. Spray paint small terra cotta pots white and fill with red candies for an outdoorsy treat.