7 Tips to Keep Your Fourth of July Stress-Free

Tomorrow is an important day here in America. It’s the Fourth of July. Independence Day. The holiday we Americans commemorate our country’s adoption of Declaration of Independence and freedom from Great Britain.

The Fourth of July is a day of celebration. As with most celebrations, the Fourth of July brings ceremonious traditions. Family and friendly gatherings, cook outs, trips to the beach, dips in the pool, and brilliant displays of fireworks are all ways many of us celebrate Independence Day.

And, as with most holidays, the Fourth of July brings stress. Many of us have to make travel and lodging arrangements, schedules, shopping trips, and food preparations, all while maintaining a smile and pleasant demeanor so as not to upset anyone else’s good time. We feel pressure to organize an exciting time and sometimes the pressure gets to us.

Therefore, I’m offering seven tips to help keep your Fourth of July holiday stress-free – or, at least help you manage stress on Independence Day.

1. Use today to run as many errands as you can. Head to the store for your balloons, sparklers, steaks, and extra salad ingredients for your vegetarian cousin.
2. If a food dish can be prepared today, prepare it today. You don’t want to be in the kitchen slapping a dessert together while everyone else is out by the grill.
3. If your home is the celebration destination, get your lawn mowed, your deck or patio cleaned, and make sure swing sets, trampolines, and swimming pools are in safe working order. You should also go ahead and assemble volley ball nets, prepare horseshoe areas, and inflate pool rafts.
4. If you’re traveling, make sure your bags are packed and you haven’t forgotten anything. Ask your spouse, significant other, kids, or whomever to go through their own lists of stuff to bring once more, too. (Remember extra clothes; toiletries; medications, glasses, and contacts; bathing suits; emergency credit cards and IDs; and cameras and extra film.)
5. Check your oil, fill up on windshield washer fluid, make sure your tires are good on air pressure, and leave with a full tank of gas.
6. If you’re traveling with kids, pack some fun things to keep them occupied in the car. You’re bound to hit traffic tomorrow, and the repeated “Are we there yet?” is a sure fire way to increase your stress level a notch or three.
7. Finally, go to bed early and get up early. You need plenty of rest to think clearly and have a fun Independence Day. Too, getting up early allows you some “you” time in the morning to enjoy a cup of coffee, gather your thoughts, and prepare yourself for the busy day ahead.

For more information about preparing your vehicle – and your passengers – for road trips this Fourth of July holiday, check out DMV.ORG’s special section on Travel and Recreation.

Have any tips of your own? Share ‘em in the comments!