Would you like to know how to host a Memorial Day block party? If so, this page will describe the steps you'll need to take to plan a great party for your neighborhood to commemorate Memorial Day. While planning and hosting a block party may sound daunting, you can do it yourself easily if you take the time to prepare well.

Memorial Day is traditionally held on the last Monday of the month of May. The holiday was created to serve as a remembrance for American soldiers and armed forces that have died while serving in behalf of their country. The first record of its observance dates back to May 30, 1868 when flowers were placed at the graves of Union and Confederate soldiers at Arlington National Cemetery.http://www.usmemorialday.org/backgrnd.html

Along with the traditional meaning, Memorial Day has also become known as the unofficial start of summer. Even though the season actually begins in the month of June, most school children begin their summer break around the end of May. So, some people may have a Memorial Day block party as a celebration of the school year ending.

There are three things that you will need to do to host a Memorial Day block party. First, you must make your guest list and send out invitations. Then, you need to create the party menu. Finally, you need to put up your decorations.

To start preparing for your party, the first thing you should do is decide who you will be inviting. A "block party" is usually held in the neighborhood for all of the residents, but if your neighborhood is very large, you may want to restrict it to people on your street to keep the size manageable. Whoever you invite, make sure to keep it open to your nearest neighbors to avoid any unpleasantness.

Once you make your guest list, you need to begin inviting people. Make sure you give them plenty of time before you require a response. You may want to send out invitations at least three weeks before the party. Then you can give your neighbors two weeks to respond with how many people are coming. Be sure to note any dress code restrictions on the invite. You may also want to ask about any possible food allergies.

If you are busy preparing for the event, you may want to order custom party invitations from a stationery store. To highlight the Memorial Day theme, you can select from a variety of patriotic designs. Once you find a template you like, you can have the time, date and any other essential information printed on the invitations.http://www.myexpression.com/prodBrowse.cfm?ProdCategoryID=14&ProdSubCatID=18

On the other hand, if you're looking to save money or if you prefer to make your own invitations, you can find printable Memorial Day party invitations online by performing a web search. You can then download the picture and print the number of copies you need from the Internet.http://www.internetfamilyfun.com/holidays/invitations/memorialdayinvite.htm

When your neighbors respond to the party, you can begin planning the recipes you will use. If you already know the kind of food you would like to make, you can start shopping for the supplies and ingredients about a week before the event. A good rule of thumb is to select simple dishes that can be prepared easily and that appeal to most people.

If you will have a mix of adults and children, be sure to include foods that children like. You may also want to avoid heavy seasonings and fancier foods to keep the menu child-friendly. Grilled meats and vegetables are a good choice, since they can be prepared on an open grill during the party itself. There are many recipes for hamburgers, hot dogs and grilled corn on the cob that you can find online.http://www.delish.com/entertaining-ideas/parties/barbecue-grilling/burger-recipes-0509

For side dishes, cold salads are a good choice to serve in hot weather. Try serving a variety of salads, such as tossed salad, potato salad, pasta salad, or ham salad.http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/Layered-Ham-and-Spinach-Salad http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/Patriotic-Pasta You may also want to serve appetizers and finger food that can be served easily. Dips, spreads and salsas make good party foods.http://www.delish.com/entertaining-ideas/holidays/labor-day/quick-healthy-dip-recipes

When it comes to desserts, you can continue the patriotic theme with a Red, White and Blue Salad made of gelatin.http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Red--White--n--Blue-Salad Be sure to include a variety of cold drinks for the adults and children. You may want to invest a cooler to keep the beverages on ice during the party.

The last step to hosting your Memorial Day block party is to decorate for the party itself. Start putting up decorations the morning of the party to avoid any weather problems. If you want to put up elaborate trimmings, you can order patriotic decorations online from a number of retailers. These can include: buntings, chair covers, wreaths and picnic supplies.http://www.countrygoldusa.com/pat_hol_sumr.asp

If you prefer to make the decorations yourself, you can do so by browsing for "memorial day party decorations" on the Internet. Some decorative crafts can be made using supplies around the home, such as patriotic party wind streamers. These can be hung from trees on your property or from your front porch to serve as a welcome to guests.http://www.marthastewart.com/article/paper-wind-streamer Consider making Memorial Day pinwheels for the party. You can pass them around to the children afterward.http://www.marthastewart.com/photogallery/patriotic-crafts#slide_13

You can also add a patriotic theme to your place settings by using red, white or blue plastic plates, napkins and flatware. Plastic plates are preferable to paper plates, since they can be rinsed and recycled after the party. If you will be using cloth napkins, consider getting some in patriotic colors. Put out a flag tablecloth on the picnic tables or use toothpicks with American flags to hold the appetizers.