Family. Grilling. Swimming. Parades. Fireworks.

This is what 4th of July is made of – right?  Well – we all make sure to (and I believe it is mostly heartfelt, so I am not criticizing) make a statement on some social media forum about thanking those who have provided the wonderful freedom that we experience in these United States. But then we turn to the fun stuff.

Over the years, I have observed this holiday much like the rest of America. I have gathered with family, gone swimming, attended parades, grilled burgers and dogs and capped off the day watching fabulous fireworks displays.

As a child, living along the shores of the Atlantic Ocean, I had the great fortune of living on a street with a very large number of children.  During the rest of the year, we all lived in a city of some form, in New Jersey or Pennsylvania, where we attended school and our dads worked endless hours.  But in the summer, all things changed for us – the children.  These were the days when most moms stayed at home with their families and dad’s worked a crazy amount of hours to make ends meet.  This street was populated with moms and kids all week and the dads joined us on the weekends. As you can imagine, the kids were always up to something.  Fourth of July was no different.

For a number of years, we organized our own neighborhood parade. We had floats, decorated bikes, candy to throw – you name it, we had it!  It took us days to decorate the bikes and organize the red, white and blue outfits as well as who walked where and who did what.  Days.  And our parents never said no to our request to purchase the decorations and bags of candy that we needed.  

Finally, July 4th would arrive and we would all meet in the street in front of our houses and line up for the big event! We started off with great excitement and anticipation, and walked the entire route of our parade, throwing candy, waving our flags, ringing our bike bells and waving to the bystanders!  We were so excited and we did our best  – all the way around the block!!

Fast forward to my 30’s and 40’s.

4 kids. Pastor’s family. Limited income. We were not living in a neighborhood that could spawn it’s own kids parade. Enter a new July 4th memory maker..

Old Navy.

$5.

You know where I am going with this!

I saw a great opportunity – a way to celebrate the 4th with a red, white and blue outfit for 6 people AND have a shirt we could all wear the rest of the year. OK – for the next 5 years. So, for $30 (often times on a credit card because I didn’t readily have cash) everyone of us – EVERYONE – got a new shirt!! We all loved it! We all matched and celebrated the 4th in style.

Every year – for many years. To the local parade, cookouts and fireworks displays.  And, if we were on vacation, to their local events as well.

 

Fast forward to my 50’s…..

Apparently – only 2 of us loved it. The other four (ahem – our offspring) did not love it. They smiled politely said “thanks!” and wore them. But they did not love looking alike every year. They did not love the shirts.

What?

Who wouldn’t love this family look alike contest?

Fast forward to today.

I was successful in raising one child. This child reminds us each year that this is our family tradition – and even though I no longer buy this shirt, this child has purchased these matching $5 shirts when her brother and sister-in-law began their family – so they could carry on the “family tradition”. And now this year, she has purchased them, and pictures prove it, for herself and her boyfriend.  I am a proud mamma!

Due to distance, we no longer gather on this holiday as a family.  Not gathering on holidays with my small family is always hard for me – but I know that it is the reality. However…. I am thinking that we MIGHT need to return to this t-shirt tradition in the upcoming years. We can be family look alikes even far away from each other! And now the shirts are only $4 each!! What item becomes LESS expensive with the passage of time?

And just so you know – pictures will be required – or it didn’t happen!!

Whatever you do today, and everyday, build your family tradition. Make each moment count.  Make memories with the ones you love, so that when you are unable to spend time with them, for whatever reason, you will be able to recall those memories and share them with others.

                                                           Happy Freedom Day! And happy memory making!