My family is big on holiday traditions. We always have been. I feel like I've blogged about a bunch of our family traditions before. Thanksgiving especially. (I did a week long look at it in 2009, here's the first post. You can follow the rest of the week.) I thought I had blogged about my May Day and July 4th traditions but apparently not. Or I can't find them easily on my blog. (Went back and looked and found this little preview here.)
I'll save May Day for the actual holiday, but I thought I'd let you in on our Fourth of July traditions. Actually a few of you have been witness to or played a part in this story. Ever since my sister and I were pretty little, we've been fans of the fireworks. As a family we'd tromp down near the river (usually to the parking lot at my dad's work) and watch the fireworks. As we got a bit older, Mom and Dad would let us venture off on our own with our picnic blanket and goodies as long as we got back to the car in time for us to actually escape the parking lot. When Manda and I were old enough to get ourselves down to the fireworks without them, my parents usually stayed behind. Somehow, the 4th was always a Manda/Becky holiday. We'd pack up a blanket, food, drinks, candy (usually Starburst, Skittles, and Swedish Fish), card games (Harry Potter Uno is the one I remember vividly), and the radio. We'd go down super early to just chill before hand. One of us would usually invite a friend or two along too. Sometimes people would just find us there and invite themselves. (Blake...that's you.) We've only missed watching the fireworks together once since before I was too young to drive. July 4, 2008 I was in Urbana-Champaign for Katie's wedding. That's it. The last 2 years we've watched them in Dubuque about 2 blocks from my apartment at one of the other colleges. We still play cards (Euchre with Nate and Apples to Apples with Anne Marie) and eat candy. The radio's been replaced with an iPod and speakers. But the essence of the holiday is still there. Simple tradition, but one I hold dear. I don't know where we'll watch fireworks this year. Maybe it's time to start a new tradition of watching them in Ripon. Who knows. I'm not sure where I'll be come July 4, but I know who I'll be with. :)
I'll save May Day for the actual holiday, but I thought I'd let you in on our Fourth of July traditions. Actually a few of you have been witness to or played a part in this story. Ever since my sister and I were pretty little, we've been fans of the fireworks. As a family we'd tromp down near the river (usually to the parking lot at my dad's work) and watch the fireworks. As we got a bit older, Mom and Dad would let us venture off on our own with our picnic blanket and goodies as long as we got back to the car in time for us to actually escape the parking lot. When Manda and I were old enough to get ourselves down to the fireworks without them, my parents usually stayed behind. Somehow, the 4th was always a Manda/Becky holiday. We'd pack up a blanket, food, drinks, candy (usually Starburst, Skittles, and Swedish Fish), card games (Harry Potter Uno is the one I remember vividly), and the radio. We'd go down super early to just chill before hand. One of us would usually invite a friend or two along too. Sometimes people would just find us there and invite themselves. (Blake...that's you.) We've only missed watching the fireworks together once since before I was too young to drive. July 4, 2008 I was in Urbana-Champaign for Katie's wedding. That's it. The last 2 years we've watched them in Dubuque about 2 blocks from my apartment at one of the other colleges. We still play cards (Euchre with Nate and Apples to Apples with Anne Marie) and eat candy. The radio's been replaced with an iPod and speakers. But the essence of the holiday is still there. Simple tradition, but one I hold dear. I don't know where we'll watch fireworks this year. Maybe it's time to start a new tradition of watching them in Ripon. Who knows. I'm not sure where I'll be come July 4, but I know who I'll be with. :)
:D this is one of my most favored of holiday traditions. yay!! :)
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