People in Preston are being invited to join in with a 'stay at home street party' to commemorate 75 years since VE Day.
Because of the coronavirus lockdown, plans to mark the anniversary across the city have had to be cancelled.
But the city council says it hopes residents will celebrate at home with bunting, afternoon tea and a doorstep sing-a-long!
It has pulled together all the best hints and tips to help with everything from homemade bunting to 1940s recipes, dances and song sheets for the national sing-long.
On the bank holiday (Friday, May 8), there will also be a national two-minute silence at 11am as well as an address from the Queen at 9pm - the exact moment her father, King George VI, gave a radio address in 1945.
Hints and tips
Bunting
What's a stay at home street party without bunting?
If you're feeling creative and you'd like to design your own, there's a plain bunting template here for you to print and add your own design. http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/england/pdf/bunting_template_bbc_local_radio.pdf
If you haven't got a printer, you could copy it by drawing the template on to paper or even an empty cereal box.
The BBC has also shared a video on how to create bunting using any paper, string, ribbon, sweet wrappers, felt pens, poster paint or whatever you can find around your home. https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/4TrqYDyf4PMdLypxzyTwGDg/great-british-bunting
But, don't worry if drawing and colouring isn't your thing or you're struggling for time, you can print off an official VE Day bunting. https://ve-vjday75.gov.uk/toolkit/
Food
Why not serve up your very own 1940s afternoon tea?
While we know flour is in short supply (yes, even now in 2020 without rationing!). English Heritage has shared recipes for cheese and marmite swirls and carrot scones! You can find the recipe along with other activities as part of the English Heritage fantastic VE Day pack!
https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/siteassets/home/visit/ve-day-75/eh-ve-day-at-home-pack.pdf
Drink
Who fancies homemade lemonade or ginger beer?
In just a few simple steps, you can recreate the wartime favourites for your household to enjoy. The recipe can be downloaded at the English Heritage VE Day pack.
Let's just hope the sun will be shining and that we can enjoy the drinks with lots of extra ice and sliced lemon!
Singing
The Queen is set to address the nation at 9pm on VE Day on the BBC followed by a doorstep singalong of Vera Lynn's iconic war song: 'We'll Meet Again.'
While we will all recognise the chorus, if you need a little help with the words, Classic FM have the full lyrics. https://www.classicfm.com/discover-music/well-meet-again-dame-vera-lynn-lyrics-story/
English Heritage VE Day pack also has song sheets for 'White Cliffs of Dover' and 'Lambeth Walk'.
Spotify also has a special VE Day playlist.
Dancing
If all that talk of singing has got you in the mood for a dance, why not have a go at learning the Lindy Hop Swing?
The 'Lindy Hop' is a swing dance that originated in New York in the late 1920s and early 1930s. It gained popularity in the UK in the 1940s thanks to the American servicemen stationed here during the Second World War.
English Heritage VE Day pack has a step-by-step guide to the dance or there are lots of video guides on You Tube.