How to Decorate for Martin Luther King Day (Ultimate Guide)
As Martin Luther King Day nears, many people are starting to think about how to decorate for the occasion. While some may be at a loss for what to do, this guide will lead you through some unique and interesting ways to decorate for this special day.
Decorate for Martin Luther King day by putting up a sign outside your house or place of business that says “Happy Martin Luther King Day!” Many people also like to put up a flag that says “Happy Martin Luther King day” or one that is black and white with the words “I Have A Dream” written on it.
While putting up signs and pictures is a great way to let people know that you acknowledge this holiday, there are a few more things that you can do to really get into the spirit of this holiday. We’ll show you what those are in the rest of this blog post!
Here’s a Quick Pro Tip!
One great way to decorate for Martin Luther King Day is to purchase some Martin Luther King Day posters and signs from Amazon that you can put up inside and outside of your house.
There are also many great pins, banners, hats, shirts, and more that you can use to decorate for Martin Luther King Day.
What Is Martin Luther King Day?
Martin Luther King Day (MLK day) is a federal holiday that is celebrated every year on the third Monday of January. It commemorates the birthday of Martin Luther King, who was an American civil rights leader and preacher.
He is best remembered for the “I Have A Dream” speech he gave in front of the Lincoln Memorial during a march on Washington (with which he persuaded America to end segregation).
This holiday is a great opportunity to honor Martin Luther King and the sacrifices he made for our rights as Americans, but it’s even more than that. It’s an opportunity to think about how we can better ourselves as individuals and as a nation.
How Do You Honor Martin Luther King Day?
Most people honor MLK day by reciting or reading his famous “I Have A Dream” speech. If you want to do that while decorating for Martin Luther King Day, you could put up posters and pictures of him.
There are also many other ways to honor this holiday, like donating (or finding out how to donate) food or clothing to your local homeless shelter.
It is important for everyone to remember what this holiday stands for and how it came to be, so try putting up pictures of the events that led up to the creation of Martin Luther King Day.
Some great ways to do this are with:
- A collage of newspaper articles about the Civil Rights Movement
- A set of pictures from the time period that you can find on Google, or displaying an excerpt from Martin Luther King’s “I Have A Dream” speech.
- Putting up a flag that says “Happy Martin Luther King day” or one that is black and white with the words “I Have A Dream” written on it.
When it comes to honoring this holiday, the sky’s the limit!
What Colors Represent Martin Luther King Day?
The colors most commonly used to represent Martin Luther King Day are black, white, red, and green.
Here is a breakdown of the meaning behind each color and what they represent:
- Red – The blood that was shed by African Americans during the Civil Rights Movement.
- White – The peaceful means that were used to accomplish the Civil Rights Movement.
- Black – The dark days that the African Americans went through as they struggled for freedom, and it also represents the skin color of those who worked to promote freedom.
- Blue – Unity, and strength.
- Green – The hope of the future and new life.
While there are not any wrong colors to use with this holiday, using shades and tones of these colors (especially black and white) will give your decorations a very classic look.
You might also enjoy our post on How to Decorate for Juneteenth
Where Can You Buy Martin Luther King Day Decorations?
Many stores offer decorations for this holiday, especially ones that sell things like party supplies or American flags.
Amazon has many Martin Luther King Day decorations that are perfect for this occasion. They have party supplies, banners, posters, and much more!
You can even buy an “I Have A Dream” flag.
Amazon offers all sorts of great Martin Luther King day decorations, including balloons and banners with pictures on them. There are also cards with words of wisdom from Martin Luther King to be found here.
Another place to look is Etsy. This online marketplace has everything from MLK posters to “I Have A Dream” flags.
Of course, most importantly, the best way to decorate for this holiday is to decorate in your own way! Don’t be afraid to think outside the box, and don’t forget that it’s okay to do things differently.
Don’t expect your decorations to be the same as someone else’s.
Alternative Ways to Decorate for MLK Day
If you are looking for other ways to decorate, there are also many art supplies that you could use.
Black, white, red, and green are the most common colors for this holiday, but you don’t have to stick with those.
You could also use any pictures that you find of Martin Luther King, brightly colored fabrics and ribbons, or anything else that you can find.
Putting up any or all of these colors is a great way to decorate for Martin Luther King Day.
To really go all out, you could paint your walls, doorways, and windows black, white, red, and green.
You might also enjoy our post on Should You Decorate for Memorial Day?
What Can I Do for MLK Day of Service?
Many families and individuals will participate in community service on this day.
This is a great way to plan out your holiday, especially if you’re not sure what you want to do for it.
Some other ways that you could show your appreciation include:
- Bake or cook some food to give away at a local homeless shelter, soup kitchen, or anywhere else that could benefit from some delicious treats.
- Take your younger family members and go to an assisted living home. Visit with the residents there, play games with them, and really try to brighten their day!
- Give out flowers and candy.
- Put up a sign in front of your house that says “Martin Luther King We Love You!”
- Bring your family to a Martin Luther King parade in your area.
Take some time to reflect and celebrate what this day is truly about! It’s easy to get caught up in the color, clothing, and traditions of this holiday, but remember that it’s really all about peace and love.
If you want to do something small, even something as simple as writing out a letter or sending an email to someone will go a long way.
Even if it doesn’t get read right away, there is always the chance that it could be looked at later. It’s still spreading the message of love and peace.
What is one way to celebrate Martin Luther King Day?
One popular way to celebrate Martin Luther King Day is to have a “Peace Party”.
This is a great way to get people together and honor the holiday and remember the hardships that people experienced so that we can have our freedoms today.
It doesn’t have to be anything fancy, just a gathering of friends or family that want to show their support for this day. Members of your community could also come along!
A Peace Party can consist of:
- Creating a pin or headband that has the colors of the holiday (red, white, black, and green)
- Writing down their favorite kind of peace
- Dancing! There are many songs that are best listened to at parties that have “peaceful” or “happy” vibes.
This is a great way to spend Martin Luther King Day, and it’s even better if you do something like this with your friends or family.
Many other types of parties could work, but this is one idea.
You might also enjoy our post on Can You Decorate Your Car With Christmas Lights?
Final Thoughts
You can celebrate and decorate for Martin Luther King Day in many ways. What you do to celebrate should be up to you! If there are other people that want to come along, that’s great too.
Remember that it doesn’t have to be anything fancy or expensive; just being with the people around you is what this holiday is all about.
Have a happy Martin Luther King Day!