1. Being really freakin' excited to be an American.

Take advantage of this one day a year that you can talk about America and how great it is all day long!

2. Eating copious amounts of cookout food.

There aren't enough hamburgers and hot dogs on the Fourth!

3. Playing water games.

Water balloons and slip and slides are always in style, even if you're an adult! The Fourth is the perfect day to have some child-like fun!

4. Waving mini flags around like a lunatic during the parade.

These used to be my favorite handout at my town's parade!

5. Seeing tons of cute animals in their best Fourth of July gear.

A fun game to play with younger siblings is to count how many dogs you see with Fourth of July swag on! Bandanas, sunglasses, collars, and anything else red, white, or blue will do!

6. Acting a fool about your excitement to be in America.

This is probably what Americans normally look like to people in other countries, but the Fourth is the day we embrace it!

7. Taking and posting cute pictures about America on Instagram.

Show that American pride on the 'gram!

8. Playing with sparklers.

I don't think it matters how old you are, there's just something so satisfying about watching sparklers light up the night sky!

9. Wearing your best America gear.

As long as you have a trace of red, white, and blue, you're safe to go, but the more decked out, the better!

10. Remembering the sacrifice of those who serve our country.

While being a lot of fun, it's also good to reflect on how lucky we are to live in this free nation, and who made sacrifices to give us that opportunity and to keep us safe.

11. Going to watch fireworks.

This one is really a classic. There's nothing that beats watching Fourth of July fireworks with the people you love!

12. Realizing that despite it's problems, America is still a great place to live.

We are afforded so many freedoms as Americans that seem so far out of reach to many others in the world. We should remember that no matter the political climate, there is still reason to love and honor our country, even if it isn't perfect.