This post is also available in:
Spanish
Casa de Campo has become “home” to many American families that come to this island country to live or vacation. But our Casa Americans are no less patriotic than those in the “mainland”, and when the 4th of July, or American Independence Day, comes around, Casa de Campo gets festive as well!
Considering that some of our readers may not necessarily be familiar with the 4th of July celebrations, let’s provide a little background before giving you a How-To Guide for joining in on the celebrations!
The United States celebrates July 4 as Independence Day because it was on July 4, 1776, that members of Congress, met in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and adopted the final draft of the Declaration of Independence which declared the United States independent from Great Britain.
The American population has increased from 2.5 million people living in the new nation in 1776, to more than 311 million people today, and so have the festivities commemorating this special day! Today, “The Fourth’s” celebrations have become a grandiose affair, and we are sure John Adams, the second US president, who first discussed how the 4th of July should be celebrated, would approve of what it has become, “I believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival,” he wrote his wife, Abigail. “It ought to be celebrated by pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations from one end of this continent to the other…”
President Adams’ wish has become the US’s command, as the 4th of July is often filled with parades, barbecues, fireworks, watermelons, hot dog eating contests, trips to the beach, and impromptu baseball games. Families, friends, and neighbors often get together to enjoy scarfing down good food, talking, and lighting off colorful fireworks.
More than 41 million Americans will spend the holiday at other people’s homes, eating more than 150 MILLION hot dogs over the weekend (enough to stretch from Washington, D.C. to Los Angeles five times – with a few dogs to spare), while watching over 14,000 professional fireworks shows all across the nation! Now that’s a party!
Given that our Casa de Campo community is always excited about hosting or attending a great party, we encourage you to host one yourself! Don’t worry, there is no need to get fancy. Just host it at the pool nearest you! If we have sparked your interest, we provide a handy – dandy “How-To” Guide to host this impromptu affair:
How to host a 4th of July party
Step 1: Get a BBQ – This is an absolute requirement! No great 4th of July party happens without one.
Step 2: Get the food – hot dogs, hamburgers, watermelons, and an American Flag desert (any will do!). But if you want to stick with a healthy dessert after all that BBQ, a “Patriotic Berry Cake” is a great option – click here for the recipe!
Step 3: Red, White and Booze – Get some beers or summer cocktails. If you are able to whip up some cool tri-colored cocktails, you can officially graduate from “4th of July School”… click here to see how!
Step 4: Play some music – This Red, White and Blue Spotify playlist will have you covered: https://play.spotify.com/user/spotify/playlist/3kt5kS8Xqjfh8olOS24HX4
Step 5: Enjoy the fireworks – While we are not sure if there will be any Casa de Campo fireworks show, sit back, relax, and enjoy yourself with family and friends. Any excuse is a good one to hang out and have a great time. And if you’re really craving a fireworks display – go online and watch whats going on in the US!
Let us know how the parties this weekend turn out using #cdcliving on Facebook or Instagram! We won’t reject any invitations if they come our way… “wink wink”!
HAPPY 4TH OF JULY!
