I've traveled extensively and I'd have to say the places I was most impressed with were right here in the U.S. at the sites of our very roots as a Republic - Jamestown, Yorktown, Williamsburg, Plymouth Rock, Boston, Philadelphia.
I could live year round in colonial Williamsburg and be perfectly content.
One is truly transported back in time to the colonial era.
Experiencing life as a colonialist is an eye-opener in that you realize just how brutally tough our forefathers had it. It's a wonder they survived and any of us are here to tell their tale!
My parents were born on the 3rd and 4th of July so we always had an annual party.
But I got tired of doing the same thing
every year. I wanted to break with tradition and do something different. I decided to throw a 4th of July colonial celebration.
Invitation
Front of card
Inside of card
Please join us for a colonial
Independence Day celebration
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July 4, 2023
Noon
Pat's House
Please dress in colonial costume and don't forget your swim suit!
Staging
When I first began woodworking I'd made a wooden 1776 flag, I hung this behind my sofa. I hung red, white, and blue fringe on either side of that. I drew then painted fife and drummer cardboard figures. I quilted a coffee table cover in a red, white and blue star pattern and put some patriotic pillows on the sofa.
On my lakeside wall I hung bunting from my sideboard, printed out and hung a picture of George Washington above that. I put 2 more patriotic pillows on the chairs. I found the 2 side tables at Habitat For Humanity Restore for $20.
Our summers are so short that we spend the majority of warm weather outside. My deck was always the gathering place for everyone celebrating my parents' birthdays on the 4th.
The inset photo above is of a pre-1959 flag I have that has only 48 stars on it. We hang it every July 4th.
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You can't beat the view from my deck and the best part is we don't have to fight traffic congestion and crowds to see the fireworks!
And sometimes Mother Nature stages her own 'fireworks' show...
Photo taken from my sister's dock
Tablescape/Dining area
I loved King's Arms tavern in Williamsburg so modeled my dining area and table after the decor in Kings Arms.
I dressed the windows in white lace pattern curtains and positioned one of my faux cardboard fireplaces between them. I found the painting at a thrift store, $5. The wall sconces came from Habitat For Humanity Restore, $20 each. I already had the mantle clock.
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I used plain white stoneware, white napkins and my every day flatware on the dining table in the house.
For those who wanted to eat on the deck, I furnished disposable white dinnerware.
For the table centerpiece I copied one I'd seen at Williamsburg. I had the candleholder with lamp but added greenery and faux pears from the dollar store, hot glued to a styrofoam ring that fit around the candleholder.
Food/Menu
We actually served 2 different menus on the 4th. There were the annual grilled family favorites but I wanted to duplicate one of the meals I'd had at Williamsburg at Kings Arms Tavern. They're known for their prime rib and they use actual colonial recipes to make their food.
So all of we gals made up the 2 menus and the guys were in charge of the grilling happening on the deck.
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The Kings Arms menu...
PRIME RIB WITH MASHED POTATOES & GRAVY
The actual colonial recipe:
Beef should be kept for some time before it is dressed... when you have spitted it put it to the fire & baste well while it is roasting & sprinkle with salt... put in a hot dish & garnish with horseradish.
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mashed potatoes with gravy
INGREDIENTS:
For Mashed Potatoes
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5 lbs yukon gold (or "yellow") potatoes
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1 3/4 stick salted butter
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1 cup heavy cream
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salt and pepper, to taste
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chopped parsley for garnish (optional)
For Gravy
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2 tbsp butter
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2 tbsp flour
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1 1/4 cup chicken broth
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3/4 cup heavy cream
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salt and pepper, to taste
INSTRUCTIONS
Mashed Potatoes
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Peel potatoes, then chop into large, similar sized chunks.
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Place in a large pot and cover with water.
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Bring to a boil on high, then lower temperature to a rolling boil.
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Let boil until tender when pierced with a fork (about 15 minutes).
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Drain and then return to pot (removed from heat).
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Mash with a potato masher.
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Add butter and heavy cream and mix. Add more cream if needed to get a smooth consistency.
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Add salt and pepper. Taste and adjust as needed.
Gravy
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Add butter to saute pan and melt over medium heat.
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Add flour and whisk until a thick paste forms (a couple of minutes at most).
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While slowly continuing to whisk, add in the broth, and then the heavy cream.
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Continue to whisk until desired thickness. Taking the gravy off of the heat when it's just a tad thin will ensure it's the right consistency when it gets to your table.
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Add plenty of salt and pepper, to taste.
RAGOO FRENCH BEANS
Here's the Wiiliamsburg recipe
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SALAT
Made of lettuces of any sort pick'd and wash'd; some candied nuts and pippins as you, please. These are eaten with Spanish vinegar dressing poured over & is very good with cheese.
(A Kings Arms original, inspired by: The Cook's & Confectioner's Dictionary, John Nott, 1723)
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Williamsburg Salat dressing recipe here
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KINGS ARMS BREAD
Get the Williamsburg recipe here
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And here's our annual picnic/grilled fare:
GRILLED BRATS WITH SIRACHA MAYO
If you're in Wisconsin for the 4th you're going to eat brats. This is a new twist on them that gives them a kick. You can boil the brats in your favorite beer to reduce the fat and give them flavor before grilling, or spread garlic butter on lightly toasted buns.
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INGREDIENTS:
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1/2 cup mayonnaise
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1/3 cup minced roasted sweet red peppers
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3 tablespoons Sriracha chili sauce
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1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
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4 fully cooked bratwurst links
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4 brat buns or hot dog buns, split
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1/2 cup dill pickle relish
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1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
Mix first 4 ingredients. Grill bratwursts, covered, over medium-low heat until browned and heated through, 7-10 minutes, turning occasionally. Serve in buns with mayonnaise mixture, relish, onion and, if desired, ketchup.
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STEAK KABOBS
INGREDIENTS:
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1/2 cup canola oil
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1/4 cup soy sauce
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3 tablespoons honey
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2 tablespoons white vinegar
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1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
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1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
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1-1/2 pounds beef top sirloin steak, cut into 1-inch cubes
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1/2 pound whole fresh mushrooms
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2 medium onions, cut into wedges
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1 medium sweet red pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
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1 medium green pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
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1 medium yellow summer squash, cut into 1/2-inch slices
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Hot cooked rice
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In a large bowl, combine first six ingredients. Add beef; turn to coat. Cover and refrigerate 8 hours or overnight.
On 12 metal or soaked wooden skewers, alternately thread beef and vegetables; discard marinade. Grill kabobs, covered, over medium heat until beef reaches desired doneness, 10-12 minutes, turning occasionally. Serve with rice.
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BARBECUED SHRIMP & PEACH KABOBS
INGREDIENTS
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1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
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1 teaspoon paprika
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1/2 to 1 teaspoon ground ancho chile pepper
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1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
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1/4 teaspoon salt
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1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
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1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
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1 pound uncooked shrimp (16-20 per pound), peeled and deveined
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3 medium peaches, each cut into 8 wedges
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8 green onions (light green and white portion only), cut into 2-inch pieces
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Olive oil-flavored cooking spray
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Lime wedges
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Mix brown sugar and seasonings. Place shrimp, peaches and green onions in a large bowl; sprinkle with brown sugar mixture and toss to coat. On four or eight metal or soaked wooden skewers, alternately thread shrimp, peaches and green onions.
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Lightly spritz both sides of kabobs with cooking spray. Grill, covered, over medium heat or broil 4 in. from heat 3-4 minutes on each side or until shrimp turn pink. Squeeze lime wedges over kabobs.
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SMOKY BAKED BEANS
INGREDIENTS
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1 pound bulk spicy pork sausage
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1 medium onion, chopped
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2 cans (15 ounces each) pork and beans
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1 can (16 ounces) kidney beans, rinsed and drained
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1 can (16 ounces) butter beans, rinsed and drained
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1 can (15-1/2 ounces) navy beans, rinsed and drained
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1 can (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained
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1 can (10 ounces) diced tomatoes and green chiles, drained
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1/2 cup hickory smoke-flavored barbecue sauce
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1/2 cup ketchup
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1/2 cup packed brown sugar
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1 teaspoon ground mustard
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1 teaspoon steak seasoning
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1 teaspoon liquid smoke
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In a large skillet, cook sausage and onion over medium heat, breaking sausage into crumbles, until meat is no longer pink; drain.
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In a 5-qt. slow cooker, combine the beans, tomatoes and sausage mixture. In a small bowl, combine the barbecue sauce, ketchup, brown sugar, mustard, steak seasoning and, if desired, liquid smoke. Stir into bean mixture.
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Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours or until heated through.
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HERBED GRILLED CORN ON THE COB
INGREDIENTS
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8 medium ears sweet corn
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1/2 cup butter, softened
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2 tablespoons minced fresh basil
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2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
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1/2 teaspoon salt
Place corn in a stockpot; cover with cold water. Soak 20 minutes; drain. Carefully peel back corn husks to within 1 in. of bottoms; remove silk.
In a small bowl, mix remaining ingredients; spread over corn. Rewrap corn in husks; secure with kitchen string.
Grill corn, covered, over medium heat until tender, 25-30 minutes, turning often. Cut string and peel back husks.
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JUICY WATERMELON SALAD
INGREDIENTS
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8 cups cubed seedless watermelon (about 1 medium)
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1 small red onion, cut into rings
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1 cup coarsely chopped macadamia nuts or sliced almonds, toasted
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1 cup fresh arugula or baby spinach
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1/3 cup balsamic vinaigrette
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3 tablespoons canola oil
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Watermelon slices, optional
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1 cup (4 ounces) crumbled blue cheese
In a large bowl, combine watermelon and onion; cover and refrigerate until cold, about 30 minutes. Just before serving, add macadamia nuts and arugula to watermelon mixture. In a small bowl, whisk vinaigrette and oil; drizzle over salad and toss to coat. Serve over sliced watermelon if desired. Sprinkle with cheese.
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BIRTHDAY CAKE
Because it was my parents' birthdays we always finished off with a birthday cake as dessert.
Activities
Colonial days were rough. If you wanted food, you had to slaughter it or spend a year coaxing it out of the dirt. You could die from an infected hangnail. Not to mention King George was all up in your business. Booze was a favorite way to ease the stress of being a Revolutionary. But fun came in non-liquid varieties, too. Many of the better colonial games are explained in the book Colonial Games, Pastimes and Diversions, for the Genteel and Commoner
Below are a variety of popular colonial amusements to give you an idea of how our forefathers entertained themselves.
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Ring Taw
We all had marbles, but not many of us knew what we were supposed to do with them. But marbles, as indicated in countless Norman Rockwell paintings, is an actual game—and it’s really quite fun!
There are many ways to play marbles, but the most popular marble game in Revolutionary days was Ring Taw. It’s kind of like playing pool: You use your big Shooter marble (or Taw) like a cue to knock your friends’ marbles out of a drawn circle of dirt. You get to keep all the ones you knock out, even if it means taking some poor kid’s entire stash.
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Ninepins
Most cultures bowl in some way, shape or form. You know, some version of throwing a rolly-slidey thing with the intention of knocking down a group of standy things.
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In colonial times, folks mostly used the version favorited by the Dutch settlers, called “Ninepins.”
It was remarkably similar to modern bowling, complete with beer and abuse heaped on competitors that starts out fun and becomes hostile by the end of the night.
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If you’ve read old books, you have some idea of the long attention span of our forefathers, and their willingness to slog through baffling, mind-numbing detail. This sometimes applied to their party games, too. Some of them are creepy, their rules rather mysterious...
THE SIMPLETON
To play The Simpleton, all guests form a circle around another player and pretend to engage in different careers (painting walls, writing books, smelting … that which ought be smelt). Then, the player in the center pretends to play a flute, and sings a song about Margaret, who does not love him. And then … well, the original text can explain it better than I can:
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“When he ceases to sing, to take up the trade of one of the players, that player must play in his turn on the flute, moving his fingers, as if holding one, but without being obliged to sing; and when the conductor of the game takes up his song again or takes another trade, the player on the flute must quickly return to his: if he mistakes, he gives a forfeit to the master of the game.”
You got all that? Now stop badmouthing television. It may be the only thing keeping you from playing a pretend flute while your in-laws milk an imaginary cow in your living room.
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King of Morocco
Or perhaps you’d rather trundle your way through the always-popular pastime, King of Morocco? It was one of the games of the era that helped unmarried couples cope with the seething undercurrent of sexual tension that gnawed the seams of civilized society. It involves a man and woman walking solemnly across from opposite corners, holding candles. They meet, and recite the following:
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The Gentleman: Have you heard the frightful news?
Lady: Alas!
Gentleman: The King of Morocco is dead.
Lady: Alas! alas!
Gentleman: He is buried.
Lady: Alas! alas! alas!
Gentleman: Alas! alas! alas! and for four times, alas He has cut his throat with a piece of glass.”
Then "both end their walk with a solemn air, and ... run gayly to their places."
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Phew! Let me…let me just catch my breath for a second. That was hot.
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Just don’t do it. Channel your sexual tension into something else.
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Kinda makes one wonder how they managed to write the Declaration of Independence, Constitution and Bill of Rights, doesn't it? And all with correct spellings, sentence structure and punctuation!
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Cockfighting
This was big back in the day. With human beings dropping left and right from either sickness or war or … a good stiff breeze, they weren’t about to worry about a couple lentil-brained chickens scratching and pecking each other to death. Nowadays we prefer our senseless bloodshed to result mostly from zombie interference. Let’s keep it that way.
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Dueling
It’s wrong to say the colonials considered the structured murder of one another over a disagreement a “game.” It was more of a sport. The rules (the ones put forth here are from a code used in 1777) were extremely important, as they elevated the activity, making it civilized instead of barbaric.
In truth, death wasn’t necessarily the goal in dueling—the general idea was that the violence could be stopped after serious blood was drawn, suggesting that it was perfectly acceptable to fire for a foot or drive your sword into a shoulder. However “children’s play,” or firing in the air, was strictly forbidden.
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Other Rules:
- The challenged has the right to choose his own weapons, except if the challenger doesn’t know how to use that weapon. The challenger cannot argue with the second choice no matter what.
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- “Any insult to a lady under a gentleman’s care or protection to be considered as by one degree greater offence than if given to the gentleman personally, and to be regarded accordingly.”
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- The challenged chooses the place, the challenger chooses the distance, and the seconds (friends roped into this mess) fix the time and details of the shooting.
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There are many, many opportunities during the preparation for a duel that apologies are allowed, even urged. A simple, “All right, dude. I’m sorry. I was just mad she dumped me for you,” could have saved countless lives. Remember this at your party.
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Don't despair if none of the activities above appeal to you. Some colonial things just shouldn't be replicated.
more sensible activities
Bear with me a moment while I climb on my soapbox...
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How can have we allowed our future generations of kids to know absolutely nothing about the nation they live in? After I watched the video below, I watched one featuring a middle school HISTORY TEACHER.
She was asked what year America became a nation. Her answer? 1770.
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I'm sure our forefathers are rolling over in their graves...
Not that some adults in this country are any more knowledgeable. I'm sure all of you have the words of the Star Spangled Banner memorized. But how many of you know the story behind Francis Scott Key writing the Star Spangled Banner and the truly miraculous event it's based on? You'll need a box of Kleenex for this one. Even foreigners from several different countries cried watching the video below.
As one of your party activities, share the above story and video with your guests. I did with my guests and not a single one of them knew the story behind the writing of our national anthem.
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AMERICA TRIVIA QUIZ
Free Printable 4th of July Trivia Cards - Hey, Let's Make Stuff (heyletsmakestuff.com)
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The downloadable quiz comes with both questions and answers.
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PATRIOTIC JENGA
Everyone will want to get in on the fun with this giant patriotic stacking game.
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Both the adults and the kids loved this game.
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PATRIOTIC CONNECT 4
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The red, white and blue colors are ideal for 4th of July and Memorial Day BBQ's. This durable indoor or outdoor game is a life-sized version of the classic ring-dropping game. Simply be the first to connect four pieces in a row in any direction to win.
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BALLOON POP
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We do this for the little ones. Get some red, white and blue balloons. Fill them with candy or some other small trinkets.
Tip: Cut the bottom off a small plastic soda bottle, attach the uninflated balloon to the top of the soda bottle to act as a funnel to get the goodies inside of the balloons. Then blow the balloons up and tie them shut.
Thumbtack them to a fence of piece of plywood, forming a flag.
Let the kids toss darts at the balloons to break a balloon and claim the treat inside. Until the game is played, your balloon wall can be used as a decoration.
4TH OF JULY SCATTERGORIES
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This Independence Day themed Scattergories game is perfect for your 4th of July festivities. If you are familiar with the original Scattergories game, this version features 7 categories that spell out the word FREEDOM down the side. Across the top are the letters U,S, and A. Whether you are having a BBQ party or just getting together to watch the parade and fireworks, this is easy and fun to play anywhere while waiting for things to kick off.
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Give players a specific amount of time to write a word for each category that begins with each of the three letters. I recommend 5-10 minutes. Once the time is up players
take turns calling out answers. Any player that has a duplicate answer of another player must cross it off. After all answers have been shared the player that has the most original answers WINS!
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Game is instantly downloadable here for $1.99 or you can make up your own game.
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SLIDE GROAT
This is another actual colonial game that you and guests can easily play in your home on a table or kitchen island. This was a miniature shuffleboard type of game, also called shovelboard. Players used a board, often the top of a bar. They slid pennies along the length of the board, trying to get them to stop inside a defined target area to score points.
Quoits is thought to have been similar to a game of horseshoes. Players would toss rings made of various materials onto a set of small poles called hobs. Points were assigned depending on which hob the rings landed on, and whoever had the most points after all rings had been thrown was declared the victor. Many different versions of the game made it to colonial Virginia, including a small set which could be played on a table.
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