Estimated reading time: 8 minutes
Celebrate Canada Day with a unique twist – hosting a party at home. Discover how we planned a memorable Canada Day Party with our friends and accommodated our son’s sensory issues.
Canada Day party celebrations are in full swing this summer; however, we won’t participate with the masses.
My sister-in-law loves hosting, so I thought hosting a Canada Day Party at her house would be a great idea.
I’m unsure if it’s because our son is growing up and no longer interested or because he has sensory issues, and it bothers him at significant events.
Instead, on July 2, we planned a Canada Day party with our friends at my sister-in-law’s house.
The funny part is that our son loves loud music, but only the music he wants to play.
He also struggles with mosquitoes and other bugs and doesn’t want to kill them.
We bought him a bug-repellent bracelet to combat his fears; now, he won’t leave home without them.
Today, I want to share how we organized our Canada Day party, the costs involved, and the number of guests we invited.
Canada Day Planning With Fireworks At Home
Taking the time to fill out my free Party Planning Printable, it’s easy to list what you’ll need and the costs involved.
Our Canada Day Party list included the following products from Food Basics or No Frills and a trip to the Dollar store.
Both Food Basics and No Frills are on my list of Canada’s cheapest grocery stores and where we grocery shop act, including Costco.
Charcoal BBQ Grill For Any Backyard Summer Party
Planning a Canada Day Party takes more than a tablecloth, a picnic table, and an Akorn Jr. Kamado charcoal BBQ.
The Jr. Kamado is the best BBQ I’ve ever owned, and it takes up little space on the deck.
Moving from the front to the back or into my truck is also straightforward.
Last year, we bought a black Acorn Jr. Kamado, and the price jumped from $291 to over $700 during the summer and fall seasons.
I’m convinced no other BBQ will beat a charcoal grill for taste, texture, and simplicity.
I also save money on the charcoal briquettes from Costco Canada, which costs $17.99 for a huge bag.
Since I grill year-round, I’ll stock up and buy enough charcoal for the summer, fall, and winter.
We’ll need games for the adults and children, snacks, drinks, and juicy marinated meats.
Below, I will document our Canada Day Party budget and what we plan to purchase for the event.
Our budget for the Canada Day party we attend is $175 for two adults and one child.
Fun Things For Our Canada Day Party
We optimized everything we had in the house for our Canada Day party.
- Canada Day Grocery List includes everything food-related that needs to be purchased. Condiments include ketchup, mustard, honey, salad dressing, salad items, lettuce, croutons, carrots, tomatoes, beets, eggs, dry elbow pasta, baby potatoes, red cabbage, olives, sugar snap peas, tuna, corned beef, mayonnaise, fresh lemon and limes, pre-made tuna salad or cauliflower.
- Fresh herbs such as dill, parsley, and basil for salads. Fruits like strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, watermelon, bananas, peaches, plums, pears, oranges, grapes, pineapple, and cherries are perfect for fresh snacks.
- Homemade burgers, hotdogs, steak, pork chops, chicken breasts, salmon, shrimp, potatoes, bread, hotdogs, and hamburger buns.
- Desserts can be homemade or purchased based on your time and baking skills.
- You can find all of the CBB recipes at the Free Recipe Depot.
- What types of drinks will you be providing? Fresh homemade lemonade, copy-cat Starbucks cold and hot drinks, wine, beer, pop, Gatorade, Powerade, Prime drinks, juices, drink mixes, and bottled water.
- A few bags of ice are always a wise investment for a party in a large cooler or freezer.
- The snack attack list includes chips, tortilla chips, crackers, popcorn, rice cakes, fruit leather, seaweed, pretzels, peanut butter, jam, guacamole, 7-layer Mexican dip, yogurt, mixed nuts, freezies, ice cream, popsicles, and cookies.
- Large and small plastic plates, drink cups, cutlery, serviettes, bowls, tea towels, paper towels, and baby wipes.
- Jug of white vinegar, an empty spray bottle, and other cleaning supplies.
- Extra toilet paper if you have an outhouse. Hand sanitizer and soap are also essential to have for guests.
Health Products, Outdoor Chairs, Blankets, Games
- Picnic Table or any outdoor table, foldable table and foldable chair if not provided, blankets, flashlight, small tent, etc.
- Change of clothing, towels, and any other beauty supplies,
- Laundry detergency, fabric softener, and a bra bag if staying overnight for a few days.
- Lastly, fun games include water balloons, soccer, a baseball bat, a ball, and gloves.
- Swimming pool toys and gadgets: bathing suits, life jackets, sunscreen spray, summer hats, and bug spray and repellent.
- Outdoor furniture includes foldable chairs, deck chairs with umbrellas, water shoes, and flip-flops.
- Brushes, toothpaste, floss, and hair and body products if you need to groom yourself after the swim.
- Purchase fireworks to set off if permitted in your city or sparklers for the kids to play with when it gets dark.
- Friends, family, or the kids supply outdoor dance music or live entertainment.
- Games – bean bag toss, Italian bocce balls (lawn bowling).
- Dollar Store Canada Day Party accessories, from flags to balloons, sparklers, cutlery, and food items.
I’m sure there are many other items you would want to take to a Canada Day party that I haven’t listed.
This exercise aims to bring what you will need for a Canada Day party, whether you host it or are invited to one.
If you are the guest, don’t be shy about asking the homeowner what you can bring, such as salads, desserts, or drinks.
On the other hand, if you are the host, you must budget for any summer parties to know how much you can spend.
How To Budget For A Canada Day Party
Canada Day Party Planner and Budget Estimation- Budget Binder Printable
Budgeting for any party you plan to host means you should prepare a budget.
Too often, homeowners plan a party and forget how much it costs for the food and drinks.
You can work on your budget based on the number of guests you have invited and those who have RSVP’d.
I’ve always put $20 on each adult and $15 on each child to see how much it would cost.
Although you are smart, you can do this ahead of time, shop the flyer specials, and pick up drinks at the LCBO.
You’ll be surprised to see how fast the money will add up for a Canada Day party or any party you host.
If you plan to have a Canada Day party on July 1 and know how many people you invite, you will have somewhat of an estimate.
I’ve created a simple budget party planning inventory to jot down everything you need to plan your Canada Day party.
Remember that your guests may not come empty-handed, or they will ask you what they can bring.
The choice of how to utilize food for the party that guests bring with them is up to the homeowner.
My last piece of advice is to use a projected expense savings program where you stash cash once a month.
The free budget binder printables for planning your party inventory can be found on the Free Resources page.
Discussion: If you were to host a Canada Day party at your house with a pool, what would you do to keep it frugal?
Please share your comments and experiences below and hit the Like button to support CBB.
Thank You So Much,
MR. CBB
