Good morning! 😀
I spent the last two nights staying overnight with the homeless in our community and just got home this morning to start laundry, cook some eggs, and of course reach for COFFEE CUP.
Ahh….. its good to be home. 😀
I am not a big holiday fan, I of course enjoy them when they involve a day off, but that is about the extent of it. Yesterday I had no plan, both sons are currently in town for a few days but had plans with their friends. I reluctantly went with hubby to the parade mainly because we have a group of friends that secure a nice location each year where they camp and grill. About 50 of us showed up for this event, and while I was originally tired and not feeling like hanging out with people…. as I finally relaxed sitting in the sun I think the stress of the past few days melted off me too.
Last night while driving back to where I would be staying overnight, the fireworks were going strong ending the days festivities. As I drove through town I seen people standing in their yards and outside businesses watching the sky. I had to smile at the thought of how this tradition of lighting up the sky to celebrate the fourth really brought people together.
I don’t have a lot of personal or family traditions… things I must do or experience that I carry with me year to year. Things really changed for us when my mom and step dad died and I had to develop my own ways of doing things while the kids were growing up. I admire those of you who do have the traditions that go from generation to generation…. family gatherings at certain times of year, holiday happenings, yearly events…
What traditions do you have for your own family, or that have come from your families?
I hope everyone had a wonderful and safe Fourth Of July!
Book Journey 
I think I get where you are coming from…my parents have been with me for much of my adult life and all of my holidays were with them…when they died two years ago…some holidays became more special and my brothers and sister and I fought to keep them the same…while others were just plain sad…my dad loved the fourth…adored fireworks and parades and cookouts…we live near an amazing arboretum with fabulous fireworks on the fourth…and I have not looked at them in two years…so…that is my little burdon to bear…
My kids were pretty young when I lost my parents and many traditions, what little we had, involved them. I implemented a few around Christmas, but really it changed everything as far as how we did things. 🙂
The biggest thing I learned was that you have to make your own traditions 😀
We used to have a Fourth of July get-together of my grown kids and their kids at my mom’s house. But then, gradually, things started to fall apart as people moved on to other things. Everyone had to travel too far.
Recently, my kids and grandkids have started getting together once during the summer and at Thanksgiving, for regular activities.
I still have fond memories of watching the fireworks over the trees out in the country, where we could see them from a slight distance.
That was when I was a kid….
Laurel that is cool that your kids and grandkids plan get togethers 😀
I’m like you…very few family traditions. My boyfriend has a convoluted family with remarriages so the holidays tend to stress him out. We usually have dinner with all the various families around the big holidays, but very rarely is it on the actual holiday. My family is very small, so that helps. But there’s nothing that we all HAVE to do. Thank goodness.
My family is very small too Jill – no siblings for me and my hubbys all live in Florida and d not get this way – ever. I actually like not having to do all the family running on the holidays…. our Christmas’s are just us and the kids. 😀
I need a few days to let the stress release from me. We have not lived near family in over twenty years, so it is just the 5 of us. We do not really celebrate “big”, we are a more laid back and relaxed family and enjoy the simplicity of holidays. Growing up we had big family gatherings and a lot of stress. In our small family we have no stress and a lot of quality family time. Christmas is jammies is our tradition. 🙂
I like the laid back versions Jennifer… I lie the days off… but like to keep them low key, not packed with “to do’s” 😀
Our only family traditions are spending Christmas, Thanksgiving and Easter together. We either cook and eat at home or go to a restaurant. We do spend other holidays together once in a while, but it’s not set in stone.
Thats nice traditions Vicki 🙂
When we were younger we went to family reunions on the Fourth of July, but it was with family members that only my mom knew (people I only saw once a year) so I don’t go to those anymore.
Last night we watched fireworks in the cul-de-sac with several neighborhood families. It’s one of the few times in our community when everyone is out at the same time to socialize. 🙂
I like the idea of doing that with the neighbors. Many years back we did have a neighborhood potluck and that was nice. We live in the country so the houses are not close together but we still packed up and went “next door”.
Dave and I just always go to see fireworks somewhere. We don’t go to the parade often, but we love to sit outside in the dark and oooh and aaah over the beautiful fireworks. This year we parked near friends at the high school parking lot and watched together. Fireworks are magical to me; I love them.
That sounds like a great evening Barbara!
When I was a kid, we always went to a parade and to fireworks for the Fourth. But since I’ve been out of school, working, sometimes I’ve had to work and the fireworks show has kind of been ruined for me, besides (see above, under WORK).
Thats the way I felt about Christmas when i worked at WalMart Hannah. After working so hard to keep the shelves filled from September 15 on with Christmas items, by the time Christmas came around I was tired of looking at lights and trees…. sad I know.
My family has a few traditions. My sisters and I always made Christmas sugar cookies Christmas Eve eve and we would take them over to the neighbors house and feast on all kinds of goodies and talk. Even though we are older (in mid to late twenties) we still make and decorate sugar cookies and take them over to our neighbor’s house on Christmas Eve. Even though we are no longer neighbors that is a tradition that still stands.
Kerri I love this tradition – what an awesome memory!