by Amy5918

Created on: June 17, 2008   Last Updated: November 11, 2010

Do you know the meaning of Independence Day? Do you think the average American knows that the Fourth of July is the celebration and honoring of the day that the Declaration of Independence was signed? The day we were formally ceded from Great Britain? I hesitate to say whether some even know that we were part of another country.

For most, fourth  of July is about family, barbecues and fireworks. Not a bad combination for a holiday, but still sad that the true meaning is lost and not commemorated on the day set aside for it.

There are both patriotic and pagan holidays that fall in the month of July. Lammas or Early Harvest on the 31st and even many bizarre American Holidays like the many yummy food days. For instance, did you know that like July 6th is Fried Chicken Day. July 14th is National Nude Day, but maybe not for those who celebrate Bizarre Ice Cream flavor day and Pecan Pie day. Yet the most well known to all is July 4th. Celebration, time off of work, maybe even visits to or from family members.

When I was in school, the summer holidays in July meant Summer was already in full swing and we had many long, lazy days ahead of us to celebrate. Thinking back it evokes images of playing baseball until the streetlamps came on, catching firefly's, barbeque's and picnics -driving with the top rolled down and fireworks on Fourth of July. Yep, Fourth of July was one of the huge holidays for summer. One of things we looked forward to. It combined all my favourite things of summer, food, family and fun. Catching fireflies and eating a barbecued hamburger and Cole on a blanket while waiting for the excitement of fireworks.

Not only have forgotten the true meaning of this and many other holidays but maybe even the meaning of holiday a day created by someone to honour an event or a person. Something created by someone else, established by repetition into tradition.

Do you ever feel like creating a holiday? Many of us create a holiday in the sense that holiday means a day which we set aside as exempt from work and responsibility. How many of us call in sick and give ourselves a mental health day? A day to sleep late, maybe spend time with a loved one or someone new? In many holidays, like Independence Day, a feast plays a big part...how many take that mental health day and go out for fast food that perhaps was forbidden before. Wake up late and have ice cream instead of a sandwich. Go to the movies and munch out on snacks and then go out to a Chinese food buffet.

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