10 ways for Catholic families to celebrate 4th of July

From prayers to fireworks, here are 10 meaningful ways your Catholic family can celebrate Independence Day this year.

Two hundred and fifty years into the great American experiment, despite all kinds of highs and lows, the U.S. is still here and going strong. Countless people have found freedom and opportunity here in the U.S., and this weekend, it’s time to celebrate the past 250 years in a giant birthday party.

Ready to celebrate? Here are our favorite ways to honor Independence Day on this extra-special Fourth of July.

Prayer is the strongest force in this world. Let’s put that force behind our love for our country and send up some heartfelt prayers for the good old U.S.A. We suggest offering Mass, a Rosary, or this Catholic prayer or this one for the United States on Independence Day. We've created a printable image you can use for your home celebration, perhaps coming together to pray it before heading out to see the fireworks:

Mini flags in the planters, bunting hung from the railings, a homemade paper chain or a handmade flag painting on the fridge — kids love decorating for a holiday, so let them go wild with this one.

Today is the day for all the red, white and blue foods you can think of! Strawberries, blueberries and whipped cream are an easy and delicious delight. We love Ina Garten’s flag cake if you’re feeling up to a baking challenge, or keep it simple and pass out red-white-and-blue popsicles to delight the crew at the potluck. 

Our bishops consecrated the nation to the Sacred Heart of Jesus in a beautiful and powerful ceremony at a special Mass. Join your prayers to theirs with this Act of Consecration to the Sacred Heart for families, and be amazed at how it transforms your home.

This weekend is when we all happily walk around looking like American flags, or wearing one on our shirts! Who doesn’t have an Old Navy flag shirt stashed away just for this day?

If you’re celebrating with kids, you might want to explain to them what this day is all about. Check out a movie, show, or book for the occasion. Some holiday-themed movies include Liberty’s Kids, National Treasure, and An American Tail. For a book, check out The 4th of July Story by Alice Dalgliesh — you can find a video of it being read aloud on YouTube!

As a Catholic mother, I believe it's a beautiful gift to our children to keep a treasury of saint stories in our minds so that we can share them naturally, woven into the fabric of ordinary life. Hearing these stories told and retold helps our children grow up feeling close to our brothers and sisters in Heaven. 

While only one saint in history was born a U.S. citizen—and that’s St. Katharine Drexel—we do have an incredible constellation of saints and blesseds from the Americas, plus those who immigrated here, including St. Frances Xavier Cabrini, Ven. Augustus Tolton, St. John Neumann, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, and many others. 

What better way to celebrate the Fourth than with a fun craft project to display as a decoration? My kids can’t get enough of the free drawing lessons on Art for Kids Hub, and there are plenty themed around the Fourth, from the Statue of Liberty to a birthday cake for America to a very cute fireworks folding surprise. 

We also love the look of this chalk-pastel “fireworks show” tutorial from You ARE An ARTiST. 

Have you heard about the bishops’ beautiful initiative for each parish to undertake 250 works of mercy in honor of the 250th anniversary? Talk with your kids about what it means to do a “work of mercy,” an act of love and kindness to help someone else. 

Check out our 10 Ways to practice the works of mercy with young kids and see which of these might make sense to do this week. Our family’s favorite work of mercy is taking dinner to a family in need—a meal train is such a great help in a rough season!

It just wouldn’t be the Fourth without the magic of a fireworks show, would it? As you “ooh” and “ahh” and bask in the beauty of this yearly spectacle, send up an extra prayer for America—in gratitude for all the good that’s happened in these 250 years, and in hope and faith for the future to be even better than what's come before.