13 Most Festive Décor Ideas for a Successful Memorial Day

Memorial Day weekend is certainly a time to remember those who have fought and given their all for the freedoms that so many enjoy. It’s also a time that families and friends tend to gather and enjoy time together, often amidst the beautiful outdoors.

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While the prospect of simply getting together and eating delicious food might be enough for some, it might not be enough for you. If you think that a gathering = party = decorations, then you’ve come to the right place. In honor of the 13 stripes on the U.S. flag, here are 13 fantastic decorating ideas for an easy, breezy, and festive Memorial Day celebration.

13. Use red-white or blue-white gingham for a tablecloth.

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Whether you’re celebrating the holiday inside or out, gingham (aka buffalo check, plaid) provides a perfect vibrantly casual foundation for your table setting.

12. Throw down a bandana table runner.

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This one’s easy (and festive!) as pie – it requires no sewing, no prep, no nothing except a handful of red, white, and/or blue bandanas and a table to lay them down on. Oh, and your ability to form a fairly straight line along the middle of a table.

11. Plant some red and white flowers in a blue pot.

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Table flags
Table flags

Or vice versa. Welcome the weekend – and all your guests – in a bright, cheerful way without being over-the-top. Bonus: You can spread these potted flowers throughout your landscape or around your porch long after the celebration weekend, and enjoy them all summer.{found on centsationalgirl}.

10. Create a colorful garland out of just about anything and hang it just about anywhere.

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This one out of tiny red apples is a prime example – it visually frames the table and in a most cheerful way says, “Hey! It’s a party!” I love the creativity and hometown vibe of using apples here.

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(10b. Bandanas are a charmingly country garland décor tool as well.)

9. Let the food do the (décor) talking.

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Get creative with food presentation this weekend – use red from delicious strawberries or tomatoes, white from creams or breads, and blue from blueberries or m&ms to create edible masterpieces. Warning: This strategy tends to result in distant relatives’ overuse of the phrase, “That looks good enough to eat.”

8. Invest in some blue glass vases and use them with reckless abandon.

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Paired with holiday-hued fresh flowers or even as a flag stand, blue glass is vibrant enough to make itself known and a rare form of cheerfully dark blue that’s perfect for many occasions. Including (especially?) your Memorial Day picnic this year.

7. Line the drive with red-white-and-blue mason jar luminaries.

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Using tissue paper, you and your children could create these easy DIY jars to help pass the time until the fun begins. Battery-operated votives are recommended over candles when it turns to dusk…and the lights double as individual flag spotlights. Perfect.

6. Paint your grass with lawn stars.

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Yes, you read that right. Most hardware stores sell paint that is specifically formulated to not harm the grass (used for sports field lines and such). Create a stencil out of cardboard, paint some stars around the lawn, and your yard just became the most festive plot in the neighborhood.

5. Weave streamers into a tablecloth (centerpiece?!).

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If you’re of the school of thought that a party isn’t a party without some streamers, here’s a unique idea for you – grab some red and blue and weave them on top of your white tablecloth. Bam. A perfect disposable decoration.

4. Beautify your fence with paper chain.

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This idea is as simple as it gets, but what an impact on a white fence or deck railing! Even if your fence is another color, simply add some white paper chains into the mix, and you’ve got an awesome visual holiday decoration.{found on blog}.

3. Make (or buy) some tissue fans and hang from the shrubbery.

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Paired with this great white couch, the fans help to create an inviting retreat and conversational corner.

2. Tie ropes in slipknots for napkin holders.

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Create beautiful décor amidst functionality. Red and blue napkins provide a perfect backdrop for white rope, tied in slipknots, for napkin rings. Remember that some of the best decoration ideas are the simplest…which is beneficial for the host and hostess’ sanity as well!{found on lemontreedwelling}.

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1. Don’t forget the flags! All sizes, everywhere and anywhere.

Have a safe and happy (and delicious!) Memorial Day, everyone.