What Makes It a Holiday
July 4th 2009 02:17
Tomorrow is the 4th of July and like many families in the United States, my family will be celebrating by having a cook out, going to a parade and ending the day by watching a fireworks display. Since it is the 4th, there are some things that just have to be part of the day, according to my children.
There must be pancakes for breakfast. I don't know when this started. But for some reason known only to the children in our family, there must be pancakes for holiday breakfast. If for some reason we have spent the night at Grandmama's house, the pancakes must be chocolate chip.
There will be hamburgers, hot dogs and baked beans cooked on the grill. If possible there will be corn on the cob with real butter. For dessert there will be ice cream that they churn themselves.
Before the parade, they will set off those little pellets that send out a "snake" of ash. At the parade, they will collect candy that is tossed from the floats in the parade. And later, after the public fireworks, our family will set off a few fireworks of our own. No one will go to bed before midnight.
I tell you all of that to tell you this.
I am a reformed Martha Stewart wannabe. I used to spend every holiday fretting over just the right decor and just the right menu to make the day special for everyone. At Christmas, I would hand dip dozens of chocolate covered cherries and decorate armies of little gingerbread men. I spent so much time running around trying to make the day perfect for my children that I missed the fun of having a day with my children.
A few years ago, I actually listened to what my children remembered about holidays after the day was over. And I was surprised by what I discovered.
The truth was that what they remembered and cherished about the day was not things like special little plates on the table but, who was sitting around the table with them. They talked for days about the silly game they played with my brothers and their children. When they looked forward to the day they asked, "Can we do that again next year Mom?"
Children don't get all caught up in making the day "special". They are still young enough to realize that everyday is special, especially when you get to spend it with the people who matter most to you.
There must be pancakes for breakfast. I don't know when this started. But for some reason known only to the children in our family, there must be pancakes for holiday breakfast. If for some reason we have spent the night at Grandmama's house, the pancakes must be chocolate chip.
Before the parade, they will set off those little pellets that send out a "snake" of ash. At the parade, they will collect candy that is tossed from the floats in the parade. And later, after the public fireworks, our family will set off a few fireworks of our own. No one will go to bed before midnight.
I tell you all of that to tell you this.
I am a reformed Martha Stewart wannabe. I used to spend every holiday fretting over just the right decor and just the right menu to make the day special for everyone. At Christmas, I would hand dip dozens of chocolate covered cherries and decorate armies of little gingerbread men. I spent so much time running around trying to make the day perfect for my children that I missed the fun of having a day with my children.
A few years ago, I actually listened to what my children remembered about holidays after the day was over. And I was surprised by what I discovered.
Children don't get all caught up in making the day "special". They are still young enough to realize that everyday is special, especially when you get to spend it with the people who matter most to you.
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