Make Canada Day memorable with festive creations

It’s exciting to be hosting gatherings again, after missing so many celebrations the past couple of years because of the pandemic.

Canada Day is just around the corner and now is the time to start planning a simple, budget friendly and memorable celebration with family and friends.

When it comes to setting the stage with festive décor, a trip to the dollar store is a perfect starting point. They have an entire section dedicated to patriotic items, but you’ll want to check out the other aisles too. Any red and white décor items will work well – including red and white tablecloths and placemats, red and white dishes, and red and white candles and knick knacks.

Inexpensive dollar store supplies can also be turned into unique décor pieces that will impress your friends. This year, I made an adorable floral centrepiece using a can from my recycling bin. I used hot glue to attach red and white straws all the way around the circumference of a can to make a whimsical Canada Day vase. Then, I inserted red and white dollar store flowers and a couple of flags. It only took a few minutes and it’s absolutely adorable.

I also took an old glass vase I had in my cupboard and I used Mod Podge to cover it with a Canadian flag napkin. Now it’s an adorable Canada Day vase or a cute holder for a battery-operated candle. Alternatively, you could take the top of a solar light and place it on top of the glass vessel. I love how a little light adds ambiance to a gathering.

Of course, food is a necessity at any gathering of family and friends and Canada Day offers an opportunity to get creative. A red and white dessert buffet is the perfect compliment to a holiday barbecue. Grab a bunch of red and white food and display it in red and white dishes. Consider serving ketchup chips, red and white candies, strawberries dipped in white chocolate, Kit Kat bars and individual jars filled with cheesecake.

To make individual festive Canada Day cheesecakes, grab a box of “no bake” cheesecake mix and prepare it according to the directions on the box. Then, divide the graham cracker layer between several jars, add the cream cheese layer, and top all the jars with canned strawberry, raspberry, or cherry pie filling. This dessert is perfect for Canada Day picnics and sharing with friends and no one will know how easy it was to make.

You’ll also want to have a few activities planned to entertain your guests, especially if you are inviting children. I love the idea of setting up a simple photo booth. Simply fill a basket with fun props (like Canada Day hats and headbands, funny signs, and silly glasses). It’s also easy to make a large flag from a piece of dollar store foam core. Use red duct tape to make the stripes on both ends of the board. Then, trace or draw a maple leaf in the centre of the board and use an x-acto knife to cut out the leaf. Finish by tracing the outline with red tape or a sharpie. Kids and adults will enjoy sticking their head through the hole and getting their photos taken.

Adding a few unique details to your celebration will make it memorable for your guests. I hope I’ve given you a few helpful ideas for hosting family and friends this year. Happy Canada Day!