Independence/National Day Celebrations

StevePame

StevePame

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As today is the Fourth of July and the celebration of American independence, it has me wondering how everyone celebrates their Independence/National Day around the globe.

My celebration of the Fourth of July, I believe, is similar to what you see on TV. I head to a lake in Michigan with my girl and meet up with a number of friends. We hang out, have some beverages and eat lots of food, go boating around the lake, play horseshoes, and finish the day by watching the local town's firework display while sitting on the lake shore. One of the hundreds of other people around the lake has some sort of patriotic music blaring, a flag flying, and a few smaller fireworks of their own. Some friends with children are up early today to take their kids to the parade in town to see the fire engines, marching bands, and VFW associations. We have them pick up apple pie from the local bakery after the parade.

I know Canada Day just occurred and from talking with some Canadian friends, it sounds like the traditions are relatively similar to the US, whereas a friend from Norway was just visiting and she said that for their national day, Syttende Mai/Constitution Day/May 17, everyone is encouraged to drink as much champagne as possible, eat a lot of hot hogs (I forget what they're called in Norwegian), and eat a lot of ice cream, but do all of this while decked out in their nicest clothes. Men are in suits or the traditional rural/folk clothing (called a bunad), while women are in nice dresses or, if they have them, the traditional rural/folk clothing. According to my friend, there is a stigma associated with being an adult woman and not owning one of these bunads. But she explained they cost the equivalent of $10,000 USD to purchase, which to me might explain why not everyone has one.

Anyway, I was simply curious how people on here celebrate and if it fits in with, or deviates from, their country's traditional celebrations.
 
China's National Day is October first. China has a big parade that people watch on TV. China also has a popular music TV show at night on that day, that people watch. But for most Chinese people, National Day is just a day off with no special celebration activities.

Some Chinese people set off fireworks on National Day. Chinese people love any excuse to set off fireworks. Fireworks can be heard just about every week. By the way, it is not unusual to hear fireworks going off at seven in the morning!
 
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As a kid fireworks were special....today with them being at the end of weekend minor league ball games...not so much...that being said DC puts on a big bash... of course the rain will dampen the moment, but folks will have fun...

I just watched the video our Navy put out for the 4th...gotta say watching cruise missiles and bombs heading off to kill folks does not fuel any patriotic spirit.
 
I personally have no specific tradition for celebrating the fourth. As a kid I enjoyed seeing fireworks, but never had the money required to participate. Given the fact that we barely had enough money to put food on the table, my mom viewed fireworks as a terrible waste.

Where I live now, the fourth as well as the days immediately before and after have little to do with America's independence. The occasion has become little more than an excuses to lite things off and make a lot of noise. I'm a quiet person by nature and while I wouldn't begrudge others from having a good time, I'm ever so grateful when it rains.
 
I didn't do anything special, especially due to the fact that there was a "work stoppage" by the public transportation system. On top of that was Summerfest (the Milwaukee music festival that is rather well known, especially this year due to the Rolling Stones performing.)

Growing up in Pittsburgh, my family would go to South Park for the fireworks or we would go to Chattanooga to visit my mother's family. My older sister and brother would buy firecrackers at one of the shops while I would get a set of wind chimes (I always preferred wind chimes over firecrackers due to less noise and lasting much longer while still being used as intended.) Oh, and wind chimes won't cause a fire or any injuries as far as I know. :oops: I'm a bit skittish around loud noises and huge crowds (kinda like :kitty:s.)

Phyllis Sidhe_Uaine
 
NJ and Phyllis, I agree with you both about the excessive noise associated with fireworks. I don't mind them for a few minutes at the lake, but it drives me crazy when people are obnoxious (and usually drunk, I'm assuming) by lighting fireworks off during the middle of the night. That's complete uncalled for. I'll take quiet solitude and a good night's sleep.
 
It's even worse when along with the sounds of firecrackers/fireworks is the sound of people firing off live rounds from their guns. :confused:o_O:eek:

Then, you get those who do idjit stunts like the young man who, while under the influence, lit a firecracker and placed it on top of his head. Needless to say, he was a Darwin Award winner.

Phyllis Sidhe_Uaine
 
Phyllis Sidhe_Uaine said:
It's even worse when along with the sounds of firecrackers/fireworks is the sound of people firing off live rounds from their guns. :confused:o_O:eek:
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Yikes. I'm thankful I haven't experienced that personally, although I wouldn't be surprised if one of my colleagues does that sort of thing. He loves his guns.

Phyllis Sidhe_Uaine said:
Then, you get those who do idjit stunts like the young man who, while under the influence, lit a firecracker and placed it on top of his head. Needless to say, he was a Darwin Award winner.
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Oh yeah. That man's stupidity is all over the news, although the big story in Chicagoland is that 10 people were killed, 47 shot, and 55 (total, including shootings) wounded over the holiday weekend. And it wasn't even that hot this year. So sad.
 
These days, I'm in bed before fireworks happen. Canada Day happens to be my youngest daughter's birthday, so it makes one birthday easy to remember. Until she was 4 or so, her older brother had her believing the fireworks were just for her.
 
Senthil said:
Until she was 4 or so, her older brother had her believing the fireworks were just for her.
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You raised some good children. That's such a sweet sentiment for him to tell her.
 
Senthil said:
These days, I'm in bed before fireworks happen. Canada Day happens to be my youngest daughter's birthday, so it makes one birthday easy to remember. Until she was 4 or so, her older brother had her believing the fireworks were just for her.
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Happy Canada Day to your entire family and happy birthday to your youngest daughter from the :kitty: delegation (belated blessings if y'all get this afterwards.)

Phyllis Sidhe_Uaine
 
Happy Fourth to the American delegation. I'm eyeing a fifth right now (idjits with their live rounds last night/early this morning.)

eta: Things are looking up! Capital Steps are going to be on the radio tonight!

Phyllis Sidhe_Uaine
 
Patriotism.... Owing Allegiance to the dirt one plopped out on is as silly to me as following the religion of your parents without using your brain.

If I am to be wrong on both counts...I sure can't whine about a wahabist from Saudi Arabia growing up to fly a plane into a building....as that is exactly what he did...

If it is expected of us....why should it not be expected of them?

On this day, I seek thought, compassion and peace, over patriotic fervor.
 
Capitol Steps was on earlier today (and will be later on tonight) with "classic" American rock songs in between.

Unfortunately, live gunfire mixed with firecrackers has put a damper on festivities (several "customers" for the nearby emergency room iykwim.) Then there's the BS/MS/PhD with the parade in DC along with the kvetching amongst the neighbors about who was at that parade... If I took a shot of hard liquor for every time they b!tch about something going on in either Madison or Washington, I'd be dead.

Phyllis Sidhe_Uaine
 
Happy Canada Day to the Canadian delegation from the :kitty: delegation.

Just found out that one of my Fourth of July "traditions" won't be happening this year (The Capitol Steps won't have their usual broadcast due to the virus, so I'll have to listen to past episodes) Alas, my neighbors are already kvetching about all of the other cancellations (like SummerFest, the fireworks, etc.) but there are other ways to enjoy Independence Day (The Trio can attest to that!)

Phyllis Sidhe_Uaine
 
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Happy Canada Day to the Canadian delegation from the :kitty: delegation!

I am waiting with baited breath for Sunday (the first 4th of July after the COVID-19 cancellations.) The :kitty: delegation will be busy in Milwaukee (too bad the 4th of July celebrations are curtailed on the West Coast due to drought/etc.)

Phyllis Sidhe_Uaine
 
I would rather watch a thousand drones make various shapes, colors, and fireworks in the sky than bombs bursting in air anymore.

Lots of incremental changes and thoughts indicated that...a concern for dogs, wildlife and those with PTSD among them.

But I think my biggest turning point was watching fireworks in Alaska...while the sun was still up! The amount of debris falling fast after each explosion was only topped by the amount of "confetti" floating slowly down, which was also eclipsed by the size of the smoke cloud drifting for miles after a 15 min show. My minds eye has seen that every performance.
 
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