At the end of the month, Memorial Day weekend marks the beginning of summer for many of us. An important holiday, Memorial Day honors the men and women who sacrificed their lives while serving the country. Beginning in the years following the Civil War, this holiday was originally titled, “Decoration Day.” In 1971, this holiday was recognized as a national holiday. This holiday weekend is a time to visit the cemeteries or memorials, attend parades, and to spend quality time with your loved ones. It’s important to remember that this weekend is not just a time for a party but a time to appreciate the company of your loved ones in your life. Today, we would like to give you some guidelines for throwing the perfect gathering for your friends and family members:

Clean Up Your Yard

Memorial Day festivities are meant to be celebrated outside, so make sure that your yard is up for the task. Pick up any toys, items, or debris that are cluttering your lawn. Once your yard is cleared, mow the grass so that it looks presentable following a long winter.

Make Sure To Have Enough Tables And Chairs

Depending upon how many people you might have coming over to your place, keep in mind that it’s difficult to hold a beer and eat grilled food while standing up in someone’s backyard. Make sure that your guests have plenty of chairs to sit in as well as a table or two for eating. If you do not have enough chairs to accommodate your guests, ask them to bring some camping chairs to the shindig.

Clean Your Propane Grill

No matter how much of a grillmaster you may be, your guests will not want to eat food off of a dirty grill. Before you cook, preheat the grill and scrub it thoroughly with a grill brush and some vegetable oil.

Plan Your Menu Before The Party

If you decide to throw a potluck barbecue, ask your guests to bring their favorite side dishes and drinks. If you decide to take on all the food and drinks yourself, do the prep work the night before so that you can enjoy yourself as much as possible during your gathering. Although many people tend to focus on meats for barbecues, make sure that you have plenty of delicious side dishes to complete your fare. This also helps to accommodate anyone who may not eat meat or people with food allergies as well.

What About Dessert?

Assuming that you don’t stuff yourself with delicious meats and side dishes, you might want to break out some ice cream sandwiches for dessert. You could even utilize your grill for dessert by making banana boats, which are bananas stuffed with chocolate. Banana boats are absolutely delicious and they’re nutritious because there’s fruit involved, right?

We hope that you have a wonderful time at your gathering of family and friends this Memorial Day. At DiSanto Propane, we would like to express our gratitude and respect for the men and women who have dedicated their lives to serving our country.