Independence day (the Anniversary of the adoption of The Declaration of Independence ) is celebrated on the 4th of July as a National Holiday. It is also a traditional holiday for family gatherings. Some families volunteer to serve breakfast in the park, others will get creative and participate in a local parade. Some will just attend the parade or gather for a barbecue lunch or dinner. For the competitive bunch, it includes a game of golf, croquet, or an intergenerational softball game. When the parades and games are over, and everyone's fingers are licked clean, the best is still yet to come—the fireworks display.

My family has participated in a small town parade for over 30 years. In the early years, we decorated our bikes and rode the horses thru this one street town. Later, my sister decorated an old hay wagon and made us all dress up real funky with banners across our chest as if we were the town’s royalty. We made a dress of newspaper for my grandmother – she was Mis Print!!! Her wave was as grand as she was! Most years, we loaded into the back of my fathers “fire engine” , threw candy to the crowd while patriotic music blared from the cab. Many times we’d later return to town to check out the street dance, the horseshoe tournament, or the scores from the ball game. We couldn’t always stick around for the fireworks display, but we had our own fun back home cranking the old ice cream maker. My children have already reminded their grandfather to purchase all the ingredients for a fresh batch of homemade ice cream.

I am sure each of you celebrates your own traditions in your own special way. In this over-scheduled world, family traditions offer stability during times of stress or transition. They remind us of our ancestors, reinforce our values, and give family members a sense of belonging. These traditions help remind us to take time for our family. Have a great holiday weekend!

Posted by Susan at 6/28/2004 02:57:42 PM | Link