How To Throw A Memorial Day Weekend Party To Remember

Preparing For Memorial Day 2013Memorial Day weekend is widely regarded as the beginning of summer and many people kick off their summer plans on the weekend coming up.

We take this time to remember the brave men and women who have given their lives to protect and defend our liberty and freedom. But even while giving thanks for their sacrifice, we also celebrate the beginning of our summer with fun and (hopefully) sun!

As many people are more budget-conscious these days, holiday travel out of town may not be the best option for everyone. There are so many ways to enjoy the first long weekend of the summer, and since it is one of the busiest travel times of the year, maybe you should just plan to stay at your home this Memorial Day.

Not only do you get to skip packing suitcases and spending hours in the car, you’ll also save some money!

Below are six ideas to keep your kids smiling and get the whole family involved.

  • Plan the Menu – Memorial Day means picnics, and there are all kinds of fun and colorful dishes you can make to celebrate.
  • Make Decorations – Red, white and blue are the colors of the day. Get creative with centerpieces, balloons and table settings to make your home a festive holiday venue.
  • Invite Friends and Relatives – The more the merrier, right? And you can always ask your guests to bring a snack or covered dish to share.
  • Have a Plan B – How many times have you known it to rain on Memorial Day? Have a back-up plan in case Mother Nature makes you retreat inside.
  • Have Indoor and Outdoor Games – If the weather cooperates, water games, such as balloons or a slip-n-slide are perfect, but have some board games or crafts ready to go in case you find yourself running for cover. Don’t forget to have some games for the adults too!
  • Remember the Meaning of Memorial Day – The history behind the holiday is sometimes lost along the way. Make sure the kids realize why this holiday exists — to honor the people who fought to give us the freedom to celebrate.

So get out your address book or cell phone contact list and start calling your friends and relatives who have decided to forego the holiday traffic. With a little organization, you’ll be ready to throw a Memorial Day bash that no one will soon forget.

The Best April Fools Hoaxes

Do you have any pranks or tricks planned for upcoming April Fool’s Day?

The first of April is known as a day of playfulness and trickery in many countries around the world.  

It is not an official national holiday, but it is recognized by many people who play jokes and pranks on their family members, friends, coworkers, teachers, schoolmates and neighbors.

Also, many news networks and websites post silly and ridiculous materials on April Fools in order to prank their readers. Here are a few of the most outrageous April Fools hoaxes in recent history:

Royal Wedding Cancellation Scare

In April of 2011 the United Kingdom was focused on gearing up for the Royal Wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton.

On April 1st British news source the Guardian launched a fake website which claimed to give “live” coverage of the wedding preparations.

However, at 10am on April 1st they announced that the wedding had been cancelled!

The announcement caused an enormous panic throughout the country, and even caused Buckingham Palace to contact The Guardian and ask them to stop, claiming that the website could be contravening the Treason Felony Act of 1848. Oops!

The History of YouTube

Last April Fool’s Day, video sharing website Youtube completely changed their design to imply that the website was founded in 1911 and was celebrating its 100 year anniversary.

They even included a button on all of their videos which allowed users to change them into black and white silent films. A collection of videos which were “old-fashioned” spoofs of popular viral videos were posted.

The Swiss Spaghetti Harvest

This prank dates back to 1957 but it is still one of the most famous April Fool’s Day hoaxes as it was the very first time in history that the medium of television was used to perform an April Fool’s Day prank.

The British news show Panorama broadcast a short three-minute news clip about farmers experiencing a bumper crop of spaghetti in southern Switzerland.

The highly respected anchor of the show, Richard Dimbleby, provided the narration as the video footage showed a Swiss family pulling handfuls of pasta from “spaghetti trees.”

The news story sparked a lot of interest and hundreds of viewers phoned in asking if they could grow their own pasta at home. The BBC replied, “Place a sprig of spaghetti in a tin of tomato sauce and hope for the best.”

To watch the spaghetti farmers at work, click here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=27ugSKW4-QQ

With these pranks in mind, what do you have planned to fool your family and friends this April Fool’s Day?