Happy Memorial Day! By now, you’re either already enjoying your holiday weekend, or gearing up for it.

Are you kicking off summer with a trip to the beach? Planning to take advantage of holiday sales at car dealerships and furniture stores everywhere? Or just enjoying a family Memorial Day barbecue?

If you're hosting a party, or just attending one, Patch has collected some great entertaining ideas to wax patriotic in style! 

Free printables – Beverage labels, hot dog wrappers, cupcake-topper pinwheels, paper snack cones – all of these red, white and blue printable projects are free! Enlist the kids to help with the cutting and pasting. 

Patriotic treats – Strawberries are red, blueberries are blue, and so the American-flag inspired dessert possibilities are endless. (Apologies if you were looking for a poetic end to that last sentence.) Go healthy and layer berries between vanilla yogurt or low-fat ice cream, or take a break from your diet and top pound cake with berries and whipped cream.

DIY RWB Wreaths – Whether you’re hosting your own party or going as a guest to someone else’s, these inexpensive wreath projects are sure to impress.  And since all of the materials for all of the projects are non-perishable, you can hang the wreath not only for the other upcoming patriotic holidays (think Fourth of July, Labor Day), but also for years to come! (If you’re heading to the craft store, don’t forget to hit up the store’s website first and print yourself a money-saving coupon, like this one!) 

Candy rockets – Martha Stewart’s plans for this project include expensive heavyweight paper, but I'll bet you could make these by wrapping a cardboard toilet-paper or paper-towel tube with scrapbook paper, or print the Rocket Crackers Clip Art on computer paper. 

The meaning of Memorial Day - Last, but certainly not least, let us remember the true reason for this holiday, honoring those who gave their lives to preserve our freedoms and our American way of life. Talk to your children and make sure they know this three-day holiday weekend is about so much more than red-white-and-blue popsicles and time off from school.