Are you looking for fun and original ideas for 4 th of July decorations and gifts? Decorations are an important part of any holiday, as they create the perfect atmosphere and allow us to truly enjoy a celebration and have fun. That is why I made this list of 20 best 4 th of July party decorations and gifts in 2024.
Many of these things you can make on your own and with your kids, which makes this list of ideas especially valuable. Some of them I tried before, some I’m going to try for the first time this 4 th of July.
While this write-up is mainly about the 4 th of July, all of these decorations and gifts can be used for any patriotic holiday, including Memorial Day and Veterans Day, so don’t forget to bookmark this post for future. Having said that, I hope you’ll enjoy these simple yet super fun 4 th of July decoration & gift ideas.
Let’s go!
Why do We Celebrate 4 th of July?
So why do we celebrate the 4 th of July?
The Fourth of July has been a federal holiday since as back as 1941! However, the tradition of Fourth of July celebrations goes even further dating back to the 18th century and the history of American Revolution.
Two days after the Continental Congress voted for independence on the second of July, delegates from the 13 founding colonies adopted the Declaration of Independence. Since then and to the present day we celebrate July 4th as the birth of American independence with fireworks and parades, family gatherings and barbecues.
So are you ready to know the 20 best 4 th of July party decorations and gifts in 2024? Enough with history and introductions, let’s get to it!
1. Tissue Fans
These bright and colorful paper fans are made of lightweight tissue paper and make for a festive and beautiful decoration. They’re also relatively easy to make: prepare tissue paper in various colors, a stapler, and arm yourself with patience. Then just cut, fold, staple, and repeat ( tutorial ).
Hang them outdoors or indoors: these tissue paper fans would make lovely decorations in your patio, backyard, and dining room. You can even hang them from the hedge to brighten up the atmosphere even further.
If you don’t feel like spending a lot of your time on making these paper fans yourself, you can order beautiful American Flag paper fans below.
You may need: American Flag Paper Fans , Assorted Color Paper Fans , Tissue Paper
2. Tissue Paper Tassel Garlands
Image Source Pinterest
Another creative DIY project for an excellent pastime with kids before July 4 th . These colorful tissue paper tassel-like garlands are almost ingenious in how easy they are to make and how much excitement do they add to any room!
To make these, you will, again, need lots of tissue paper, a rotary cutter that will simplify and ensure faster cutting, some Baker’s twine for tying, and ribbon for stringing your tassels together ( tutorial ).
Try making just one of these little tissue paper knots, and I promise you, you won’t be able to stop until you’ve used up all the paper you have! This is an extremely fun project to do with kids, so don’t forget to invite them, and make sure you have enough stock to work with.
You may need: Rotary Cutter , Tissue Paper , Baker’s Twine , Curling Ribbon
3. Lollipop Centerpieces
Image Source Gluesticks
Seeing one of these centerpieces will make anyone a kid again regardless of their age. Every holiday table deserves a centerpiece, so why not make a tasty one? Or, better yet, make MORE than one?!
As the tassel garlands above, these Lollipop Centerpieces are really easy to make. Probably even easier, like you can make one in under 3 minutes! Here’s how you do it:
Get a small metal bucket and put a properly sized Styrofoam ball inside. Congrats, you’re almost done! Then just insert as many lollipops as you can in it. Be careful as you don’t want to damage the ball and ensure that all the lollipops stay firmly in place.
The hardest part about this DIY decoration is holding yourself back from eating it before the actual 4 th of July party begins. And when you’re making it together with kids, trust me, it gets even harder.
You may need: Small Metal Buckets , Styrofoam Ball
4. Wine Tumblers
What one thing is absolutely necessary to truly savor the taste of your favorite Cabernet Sauvignon under the hot July sun, besides the wine of course? Proper drinkware! The one that will keep your drink cold and refreshing…
With regular glasses, your wine will lose its cool quickly. This is why these beautiful heat-insulated metal tumblers with lids are a must for wine lovers on this 4 th of July.
They keep your favorite drink cold and crispy and hold the ideal amount of it, letting you enjoy the favorite taste without ever breaking off the conversation again when you need to refill your glass.
Buy Now At 33% Off 👉 4 th of July Wine Tumblers
5. Blue Vases
Image Source Pinterest
These have been around for quite a while now and have become a staple of any patriotic holiday table. No wonder why, as the dreamy dark blue glass they’re made of stands in perfect harmony with the navy blue color of the American flag.
In fact, all you really have to do to make any room look festive and patriotic is get some of these blue vases and put white and red flowers in them. And that’s it, boom – anyone entering the room will feel the festive spirit!
You can also use these dark blue vases as flag stands, or you can even combine flags and flowers for added effect. Just make sure you take flags with plastic (not wooden!) poles so that they don’t rot in the water.
You may need: United States Stick Flags
6. Americana Mason Jars
Image Source addicted2diy
Nearly everyone loves these. And everyone has or had these at some point in time. Mason jars, the staple of modern canning, are also great decorations (as well as flatware holders).
You may have seen some blog posts or pins on how you can paint them in various colors, and stuff them with flowers and beads, and that just confirms how incredibly popular they are. Which just confirms that you absolutely need to have some painted mason jars in your house for this 4 th of July party!
The best part being it’s not hard to make these at home at all! For your next DIY project, in which you will make American flag mason jars, you will need some (guess what!) jars, acrylic paints & brushes, painter’s tape, and, optionally, acrylic primer. Here’s a great tutorial on how to combine them all together for the desired result.
You may need: Mason Jars , Styrofoam Stars , Acrylic Paints , Acrylic Brushes , Painter’s Tape
7. Paper Chains
Image Source Pinterest
Here’s another great DIY idea for you and your kids that makes for a great visual effect in any space. You can make these paper chains pretty quick, and you most likely won’t need to buy anything, as everything you will need you probably already have!
That said, all you really need to make paper chains is… paper, glue, and a pair of scissors (or rotary cutter). You won’t even need much of an instruction . This is how you make it: Cut paper in strips of equal length, glue your first link at its ends making a loop. Then thread another strip through the one you just made, and glue it too. Repeat to make the chain as long as you need it to be, and then make the next one.
And that’s it! Very simple, very intuitive, easy to teach your kids do it, and so fun to make. As you will be making 4 th of July paper chains, pick red, white, and blue paper. Hang your chains on your fence, deck railing, chandeliers, sconces – anywhere your imagination tells you.
You may need: Rotary Cutter
8. 4 th of July Shirts
Tell me, who doesn’t love a good shirt? Especially when it comes to a holiday like the 4 th of July, when you’d want something unique to wear, not your regular heather grey tee.
Luckily, in the world we live today, there are tons of unique and fun t-shirts you can get for your 4 th of July party. You don’t even need to leave your home, as all you need to do is choose a t-shirt you love in an online store and place your order.
Speaking of which, we’ve got some excellent t-shirts and tanks for you in our 4 th of July Collection . These are lightweight and breathable, which makes them perfect to wear in the July heat, and you‘ll be sure to get a lot of compliments wearing these!
Buy Now 👉 My Patriotic Heart T-Shirt , George Washington Tank
9. Gingham Tablecloth
Image Source Pinterest
A well-chosen tablecloth can transform not only the table but also the space around it. This is why you can’t go without one on a 4 th of July party. In fact, every decoration you have in place should work together, from big to small, and a large patriotic tablecloth is certainly a good place to start in planning out your 4 th of July decorations.
In my opinion, the best tablecloth design for all patriotic celebrations (Memorial Day, Fourth of July, Veterans Day) is hands down gingham (also known as buffalo check and plaid). It is a small check pattern with alternating red, white, and blue (usually) colors – which is just what you need for the 4 th of July.
It can be made either of cotton or plastic, both are good, depending on your preferences. Cotton is nicer to touch, but prone to stains and somewhat hard to clean, while plastic is your way to go for a large party with drinks and foods of all colors and types.
You may need: Gingham Plastic Tablecloth
10. Bandana Table Runners
Image Source Pinterest
Bandanas (or kerchiefs) are head covers that have been around for a looong time, favored by bikers and musicians of all sorts: from rock stars to hip hop artists. And while it’s quite common to see someone wearing a bandana, you wouldn’t necessarily think of one when it comes to creative ideas for a table runner. Yet, they’re excellent for that!
First, they are cheap. Then, they come in all colors and it’s easy to find the one you’re looking for. And last, unlike some of those fancy and intricate table runners, bandanas are washer friendly.
For the best effect, make sure to iron them before use so there are no creases left. Then just throw as many as you need onto a table. My favorite way to make a bandana table runner for a patriotic event is to use same color, red or blue bandanas. Which one do you prefer?
You may need: Paisley Bandanas
11. American Flags
Image Source Pinterest
The Star-Spangled Banner, Stars and Stripes, Old Glory… are just some of the names the flag of the United States is known under. Its gorgeous design inspired many traditional decorations we use today including some described in this blog post, and it’s no wonder its miniature copies are widely used in various celebrations.
Whether you’re going on a 4 th of July parade or spending the weekend at home with your family and friends, you can’t really do it without these small handheld American flags.
Put them in vases, combine with holiday-hued flowers, insert them into flag holders – there are so many creative ways to show your patriotism with flags!
You may need: American Stick Flags
12. Tea in the Harbor Mugs
The Boston Tea Party of 1773 may actually be considered the beginning of the end of the tea culture in America. After the last chests with tea sunk in the Boston harbor, tea drinking has gradually gone out of favor as John Adams and many other Americans considered it to be an unpatriotic habit.
In the following years, coffee took place of the preferred American hot drink, and has remained so to this day.
This is why it’s patriotic to drink coffee, and even more so if you are drinking it from the right cup, just like this Tea in the Harbor Mug. It says “I like my coffee black and my tea in the harbor”. Some of our customers say coffee even tastes better when drunk from this mug. What about you, care to try?
Buy Now 👉 Tea in the Harbor Coffee Mug
13. Mason Jar Lanterns
Image Source Pinterest
As I wrote above, you can make many beautiful decorations with Mason jars by painting them and combining with flowers and other elements. However, if you want to take this idea to a whole new dimension, why not put some candles inside and make lanterns out of them?
And while it may be tempting to use real candles, I would strongly recommend that you use flameless LED votives for safety reasons. Another benefit that comes with LED lights is you don’t necessarily need to paint your mason jars. Just put some good-ole tissue paper inside (red, white, or blue, of course!) and watch how it colors the candle light coming through.
These Mason jar lanterns are a great outdoor decoration (especially after sunset!) and look excellent with stick flags. Very easy to do, they are another great Fourth of July DIY project for you and your kids.
You may need: Flameless Candles with Remote Control , Mason Jars , Tissue Paper
14. Ball String Lights
Image Source eHow
If you liked the Mason jar lantern idea above, you will certainly love this one as well! These exciting ball string lights will brighten up any setting.
Making these popular string lights that look like miniature rattan balls is another fun DIY project, that may take a bit more time to do, but is nevertheless an easy and engaging activity that you and your kids will enjoy.
You will first need to use small balloons of the desired size to shape a ball. Take blue, red, or white yarn and dip it into glue, then wrap around your balls and let them harden for 48 hours. After the yarn hardens, pop the balloons, and put string lights inside ( tutorial ). Takes some time but easy, try it! Or buy via the link below.
You may need: Rattan Ball String Lights
15. Lawn Stars
Image Source Hometalk
Did you know there is such a thing as grass-friendly paint, one that doesn’t harm grass? If huge red, white, and blue stars on your lawn sound look an exciting idea, then you’re going to need some very soon!
Here’s how you paint stars on your lawn without harming the nature. Get some grass-friendly paint (it may be called grass paint or say that it’s harmless for grass) in your local hardware store. Then make a large star stencil out of cardboard and use it to spray stars on your lawn. Simple!
If your lawn is big enough (or the stencil is small), you can even take this stunt a step further and paint all fifty stars! Uber-patriotic!
16. Cutting Boards
I can’t imagine a good 4th of July party without a generous barbecue. So how about a big new cutting board with a patriotic touch?
Take this Change in America board, for example. It features one of the most prominent Ronald Reagan quotes from his Farewell Address to the Nation: “All great change in America begins at the dinner table.”
The board itself is made of high quality bamboo and while its laser etched design adds patriotic character for decor & presentation, the other side works wonderfully as a fully functional kitchen utensil.
Buy Now 👉 Change in America Cutting Board
17. Edible Masterpieces
Image Source Pinterest
Another way to impress your family and guests by means of food would be to use a lot of red, white, and blue in the food you prepare. While this is mostly related to desserts and salads, you can certainly come up with creative ideas for the main course.
Just to give you a few examples, you can take strawberries or tomatoes for red, M&Ms or blueberries for blue, and whole wheat bread or sour cream for white. The key here is to experiment and have fun, so don’t restrain yourself and let the creative juices flow.
18. American Flag Metal Buckets
Image Source Amazon
Here’s another idea how you can turn simple metal buckets into a gorgeous 4 th of July decoration. Just paint them like the American flag and add (or better yet plant) some white and red flowers in!
To paint on metal, you will need acrylic paint and primer, painter’s tape to make accurate stripes, and a cardboard stencil for the stars.
The best thing about this metal bucket decoration is that you will use it long after the party is over and the flowers you planted will bloom every year.
You may need: Small Metal Buckets , Acrylic Paints , Acrylic Brushes , Painter’s Tape
19. 4 th of July Wreath
Image Source The Krazy Coupon Lady
Welcome and greet guests of your 4 th of July party with this 4 th of July Clothespin Wreath! One of the main advantages of this artificial wreath compared to those made of flowers and leaves is that it never withers and can be used for many years to come.
This is another thing you can easily make at home with your kids. You will need a wreath frame, clothespins (60 to 100), spray or acrylic paint, and foam stars. Here’s just one of the many elaborate tutorials that shows in detail how you can make one.
You may need: 12-inch Wreath Frame , Acrylic Paints , Styrofoam Stars , Multi Colored Clothespins
20. Patriotic Signs
I love wall art. It’s one of these things that you see all the time and that reminds you of something that is important to you. It can even be just something eye-pleasing without any special meaning attached to it, I don’t care. But when it’s both, I love it even more!
This is why I wanted to show you this Land Of The Free canvas sign. It has a simple and lovely design with a rustic vibe and says “United States. Land of the Free because of the Brave.” Simple and elegant, huh? And perfect for the 4 th of July.
It will blend in with any exterior or interior, reminding you and your guests of the valor of our forefathers.
Buy Now 👉 Land Of The Free Sign
How to Stay Safe on 4 th of July?
With so much going on around us today, it’s easy to forget about simple things that can make a big difference. Safety is always important, and even more so when it comes to big celebrations and large gatherings of people.
So how do you stay safe on the 4 th of July? Here’s an incomplete list of some key points (for the full list click here ):
- Be careful with fireworks, don’t point them at people or yourself, don’t disassemble
- When boating, always have enough life preservers on hand
- Keep your barbecue grill at least two feet away from any branches, decks, siding, and outdoor equipment that can catch fire
- Keep your social distance, try to minimize your guest list this year
Conclusion
This is about it for the 20 Best 4 th of July Party Decorations & Gifts in 2024. Of course, there are many other wonderful decorations you can make for this Fourth of July and I’m curious to hear your ideas! Please share them in the comments below.
Happy Fourth of July!
P.S. Did you like this write-up? Do you wish to thank me for the effort it took to prepare it? And finally, do you also believe in sharing good things with others? Then I'd appreciate you sharing this article in your social media and/or blog . Thank you!
Thanks for putting this list together! I hope this summer we’ll have a back-to-normal celebration at last.
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