Fourth of July essentials for your middle-of-the-week festivities

This year, the Fourth of July falls on a Wednesday, which is unfortunate for those who crave three-day weekends. That is, unless you’re willing to take a five-day weekend or if the boss suddenly decides to do so.

Regardless of what day it falls on, the Fourth of July is the one day out of the year that is filled with enough POW, BANG and KAPOW to make you feel like you’re in a fight scene straight out of “Batman.”

Hopefully, the day doesn’t end with OWWW, CRUNCH or KERPLOP.

Aside from the obvious “Don’t light a firework in your hand” warning, here are a couple of pointers on how to make the best out of this year’s Fourth of July.

First, if you’re going to have a giant family outing or even just a party with your friends, make it a barbecue. The weather is perfect for hamburgers and hot dogs, something that’s rare during Easter, Thanksgiving or Christmas outings. If you make more than you need, it will work out because there will be leftovers for the rest of the week.

It’s not too smart to get loaded on alcohol before you leave the party, even if you’re drinking light beer. Not only is there the hangover to think about, but police checkpoints are common during this holiday and a DUI is not an easy mark to live with on your car insurance.

If you’re on a tight budget this year, try not to rationalize a purchase of an excessive amount of fireworks just for the sake of entertaining your family. A little can actually go a long way and bigger doesn’t exactly mean better. The last time someone thought they could outdo their town’s fireworks spectacular, they ended up with a charred tree.

The best deals are the closing deals, so it’s best to wait until the day of July 4 to start buying fireworks. The sellers are typically trying to clear out their inventory by the end of the day.

So even though the Fourth of July falls during the middle of week, it doesn’t mean you can’t have as much fun as if it was the weekend. Just keep the safety of yourself and others in mind, because nobody would like to spend their holiday at the burn ward.

Also, try not to forget about those founding patriots who pledged, “Our lives, our fortunes and our sacred honor” to make our country worth celebrating each year with the most spectacular of events. Here’s to you, Old Glory.