This time last year, Taylor Swift was hardly in the mood to let her hair down.

Taylor Swift was performing in Amsterdam during her highly successful Eras tour, which consisted of 149 shows and drew in 10 million devoted fans worldwide.

Her decision to spend the Fourth of July weekend in Europe deviated from her usual practice of hosting extravagant parties for her celebrity friends at her luxurious $18 million property in Rhode Island.

Despite being 35 years old, Taylor Swift’s primary concerns revolved around safeguarding her immense $1.6 billion wealth and maintaining a level of fame that few in her generation can rival.

So when the tour did, at last, come to a final triumphant climax in December, sources told the Daily Mail that the singer was looking forward to enjoying a well-earned ‘gap year’ — time off dedicated to hunkering down with her boyfriend Travis Kelce, also 35.

After the Super Bowl in February this year, the NFL star was also in his off-season — it was the perfect time, in other words, for months of shared quietude and relaxation.

But it wasn’t to be. Swift’s hopes for a gentle 2025 were quickly dashed as she was dragged headfirst — and unwillingly — into the legal furor surrounding her longtime friend, actress Blake Lively.

It’s a drama that ultimately ended with the total destruction of the two women’s 10-year relationship. And, as we shall see, it wasn’t the only heartache to befall Swift this year.

It’s little wonder then that, as an impeccably placed source has revealed to the Daily Mail, Swift has no plans for a big star-studded bash this July 4.

Though that’s not to say she won’t be celebrating.

‘She is eager to celebrate and unwind, and she is going to have something go down party-wise with Travis, family and some good friends,’ the insider said. ‘But she isn’t looking to broadcast that she is having a big get-together or party. And there is good reason for her not to.’

After all, ‘Taylor has had quite the year,’ the source added.

At first, it seemed Swift’s wish for that peaceful ‘gap year’ would be granted.

‘She is happy laying low, working on music, hanging out with Travis, hanging out with family, catching up on life since she was on tour for so long,’ an insider told the Daily Mail earlier this year.

‘[Kelce] gives her massages,’ the source added, sharing how the lovebirds were filling their time with baking and shared morning work outs.

But, that homebody bliss didn’t last long.

In January, Lively’s bombshell legal filing — accusing her It Ends With Us co-star and director Justin Baldoni, 41, of sexual harassment — sparked a countersuit.

Baldoni fired back at Lively, 37, and her husband Ryan Reynolds, 48, accusing them of defamation.

All parties denied the allegations against them, and Baldoni’s suit has since been dismissed by a judge.

But the damage was done; contained within Baldoni’s filing were communications, allegedly sent by Lively and naming Swift.

In one particularly embarrassing set of text messages, Lively allegedly referred to herself as the character ‘Khaleesi’ — from the TV show Game of Thrones — and to Swift as one of her ‘dragons.’

Swift — who habitually goes out of her way to avoid public controversy — was reportedly left feeling ‘used.’

In a nightmare twist, Baldoni then subpoenaed Swift in May only to withdraw it weeks later — after her father, Scott Swift, reportedly waded into the row by allegedly offering Baldoni’s legal team evidence that Lively’s team had threatened to leak personal texts between her and Swift if the singer didn’t publicly support her against Baldoni.

Lively’s counsel vehemently denies the suggestion. Nonetheless, the whole mess aired Swift’s dirty laundry in a manner never before seen — and it all came at a deeply personal cost.

Swift lost her relationship with her best friend — and the mother of her three goddaughters.

The previously inseparable pair haven’t been seen together since Lively filed her suits against Baldoni in December. And Kelce has even taken the step of unfollowing Lively’s husband, Reynolds, on Instagram.

But just as that row — sticking stubbornly in the headlines for months — began to quiet down, another shock emerged.

After a six year battle to get the rights to her music catalogue back from record executive Scooter Braun — after his company acquired them in 2019 against her wishes — Swift dramatically announced, on May 30, that the buy back was complete. All her original masters, videos and artwork were hers — for a jaw-dropping reported price of $400 million.

But if that wasn’t enough madness for one year, Swift was also privately battling a terrifying threat to her safety.

Last month, Swift was forced to obtain a temporary restraining order against Brian Jason Wagner, after the 45-year-old allegedly appeared at her home multiple times – once with a glass bottle that could have been used as a weapon. It is also alleged that he tried to change his driver’s license to her Los Angeles address and bombarded her with ‘hundreds’ of emails.

Despite the restraining order, which a judge extended last month, sources say the incident has left Swift understandably anxious — and has had a big impact on her decision to keep her July 4 plans small.

‘She doesn’t want any photographers or, let’s just put it out there, any stalkers to know her location,’ our insider said.

‘What’s more, with the string of recent celebrity break-ins, if she is at a certain location and she tells everyone about it, that opens up people to go to her other homes,’ the source added.

Since her first bash in 2013, Swift’s Independence Day parties, usually thrown in Watch Hill, Rhode Island, have become a key event in the celebrity calendar.

Staple attendees in years past included Lively and Reynolds, as well as a host of famous female friends, from models Karlie Kloss, Cara Delevingne and Gigi Hadid, to the pop star Haim sisters.

The weekend-long affairs would include raucous games of corn hole, rides on inflatable waterslides in American flag-print swimsuits and long nights of dancing — and singing.

One year, Ed Sheeran serenaded attendees.

So what about this July 4?

‘She also doesn’t want to make a big deal of a party because she doesn’t want to look like she is out of touch,’ our source said. ‘Just look at all the recent fallout from the Bezos wedding.’

Amazon founder Jeff Bezos tied the knot with Lauren Sanchez in Venice, Italy, last month with a multi-day extravaganza believed to cost an estimated $50 million.

The lavish celebrations — that attracted an eclectic who’s who of A-list guests, including Leonardo DiCaprio, Bill Gates, Oprah Winfrey, the Kardashian clan, Orlando Bloom, Tom Brady and Sydney Sweeney — drew highly negative backlash.

Venetian protesters even took to the streets to vent their outrage.

‘At that wedding, so much money was spent,’ our Swift insider said. ‘So many celebs went to the wedding and were bashed because they were carrying on, having fun, doing their thing. But ordinary people are struggling, losing their insurance, losing their jobs. People are getting deported. It isn’t the most fun time for people, and some of those people are Swift’s fans.’

‘She never would want to look like she is partying, having a grand old time at the expense of others who might be struggling,’ they added.

In recent days, fans have been hot with fevered speculation that Swift would be marking her favorite holiday with a big announcement. Whispers included talk of a potential new album, or even a long-awaited engagement to Kelce.

But our source tells the Daily Mail those rumors are likely premature.

‘If she is about to drop any new music, she hasn’t told anyone, even people who are very close to her haven’t been made aware of anything new coming out,’ the insider said. ‘She has been very tight lipped. Many close to her would be very surprised if this weekend had any announcements about new music.’

And, in what will surely be an ever disappointment for fans, the insider added: ‘Travis isn’t going to ask for her hand in marriage this weekend.’

‘He is likely going to pop the question, but it is going to be when he isn’t playing anymore and not getting ready for a big NFL season,’ they added.

Fans will just have to wait a little while longer then. And, if Swift finally gets that hoped-for period of relaxation, perhaps there will be more than just fireworks to celebrate next Fourth of July.