I've decided that next only to Christmas, July 4th is my favorite holiday of the year! Not just the actual day, but the days surrounding it as well. You see, we have great traditions in my family surrounding this holiday. In Western Maryland, there is a huge battlefield called Antietam. Every year, they open this up to the public for a FREE Salute to Independence celebration. It is usually attended by close to 35,000 people, and it is a blast!
We go up in the morning to set up a tarp with our name on it, and leave a car close to the entrance. We spend a few hours playing in the pool at my parents, and depending on how hot it is, go back up around 3 or 4 o'clock. We take chairs, card games, dinner, and have a big picnic on our blankets. At 7 o'clock, the Maryland Symphony Orchestra begins their concert, which consists of all patriotic music, and is the same fantastic performance every year! One of my favorite moments is when they play the Armed Forces Salute, which includes the theme song for each branch of our military, and ask members of each branch to stand when their song is played. They play the Air Force song, and my daddy stands up, and it's one of the proudest moments for me. It gives me goosebumps just thinking about it. :) You see, growing up in a military family, I am a sucker for patriotic things. I love the music, the red white and blue clothes (yes, possibly even including my underwear for the day) and the feeling of family tradition and fun. I feel like a little kid sometimes, and think that some years, I might enjoy it more than most of them do! The last song (1812 Overture) is accompanied at the end by the cannons going off, and kicks off the beginning of one of the most amazing fireworks shows I've ever seen.
The whole day is a lot of work, a lot of walking, we get home late and sit in a lot of traffic on the way out - but it is without a doubt one of my favorite days of the year. This year was a little different, with less people there, we bought dinner instead of packed it, and it rained on us - a lot, but it was still the wonderful day that I look forward to every year.
I know it is way after the 4th now, but I wanted to share with you this joy of mine.
What is your favorite holiday of the year?
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5 comments:
At Oregon Ridge last year, they did the armed forces piece where they had them stand up. I was bawling too!! My favorite holiday is Christmas. Though I have to say and will probably get kicked out of something for saying it, but I also love Halloween. I love the fall season, so to have a night where everybody sits outside on their porch and greets neighbors while eating candy and drinking cider is a good time for me!
Ok - Now that I've finished being emotional about your blog (surprise!) I'd have to say that my favorite holiday is any time that all 4 of my children and their families are home!
Or just one or two of them....So I'm a sap, just shoot me! :^)
But in spite of the heat and the walking and effort it takes to get there, the 4th is at the top for me as well! LY MOM
This is a hard one. I love Christmas more and more every year. Perhaps because our families grow and we are making new traditions. It was always a special time as a "Turek" family, and now I love the way our extended families have changed and grown. So fun to spend the entire week with family.
Hi there! :) This is Candace from down in TN. Every once in awhile I pop onto your blog linked from Melissa's. I just wanted to officially say "congratulations" on the baby! I also wanted to hint that I'd love to see some preggo pictures of you...gotta show off that baby even before its born! hee hee! Hope you are feeling well!
Candace
I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the 4th of July!
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