As a kid, I remember going to the 4th of July parade, seeing the floats, the horses, the veterans, the marching bands, the candy (oh, the candy!), and the mini-cars speeding up and down the street. All were in celebration of America's Independence.

What I don't remember is watching the parade with my father. It's not that he didn't want to spend some quality time with his kids; it's that he was too busy prepping for the big picnic that our family hosted after the parade. He fired up the grill, cooked burgers, brats, and hotdogs, set up tables and chairs, and made sure the drinks were good and cold.

I'm glad to see the tradition of the 4th of July cook-out hasn't faded away. In fact, it's as strong as ever according to a National Retail Federation (NRF) survey that found that "more than 160 million people, or 67.6 percent of Americans who intend to participate in holiday festivities, will celebrate the 4th of July by hosting or attending a cookout/barbecue and/or picnic – the most in the survey’s history."

Take a look at this infographic put together by BigInsight and NRF to see what we'll be buying this 4th of July (and notice that we'll be paying a little less).

Enjoy this 4th of July. Appreciate all the sacrifices made by so many over the last 236 years to ensure our political freedom and our free enterprise system.

Stay safe and have fun.