The Beginnings of Independence

Independence Day celebrates one of the most important events in American history. It signifies the day on which the colonies decided to formally break away from Great Britain and her rule. Due to this bold act, America began the journey of becoming her own nation.

At first, not all the colonists agreed with the idea of breaking away. As the year 1776 progressed, more people found they disliked Britain’s rule and wanted to strike out on their own (History.com). Other colonists fanned the flames of unrest by presenting arguments about why they believed Britain’s rule to be unjust and unnecessary. One such colonist was Thomas Paine. He posted a revolutionary-minded pamphlet called Common Sense, which served to further unite the people in their desire for separation from Britain (History.com). The fire under the colonists’ feet built until the desire for independence grew strong enough to fight against Britain’s hold on what is now America.

Deciding on independence did not happen overnight. Some colonists like Richard Henry Lee wanted independence at least a month before the events happened. Others disagreed and thought their neighbors acted too radically. Voting for total autonomy took place on July 2nd, but the founders accepted the famous Declaration of Independence on July 4th, 1776 (History.com). Hence, America celebrates the fourth as the commencement of independence from Britain.

How to Celebrate

Setting off loud, booming things has always been a tradition when it comes to celebrating Independence Day. In the 18^th century, colonists fired cannons and muskets, even honoring the thirteen original colonies by popping off thirteen cannon rounds (History.com). Today, people light up the night sky with fireworks to commemorate the holiday.

Many families enjoy barbequing or picnicking. They gather around the time of the firework show to enjoy dinner together. Some may even turn the event into a large cook-out with friends and extended family.

Some people set off their own bottle rockets or firecrackers. In nearby neighborhoods, the popping and sizzling of these small, destructive devices can be heard throughout the night, adding to the joyful mayhem of the holiday known as the Fourth of July.

Personal Experience

Every year, my family crammed into the minivan and drove to some random parking lot where we set up shop. I had no idea how my family knew where to go to see the fireworks, but without fail, we appeared at the right place. In my childish mind, my parents simply knew everything, and that was that.

We set up lawn chairs or simply sat in the car. The first fifteen or so minutes consisted of setting up dinner and passing the time with conversation. When the first firework exploded with a fizzling shower of color, we grew quiet and sat back to watch the show. Sometimes we sat up close, and the fireworks hurt our ears. Other times, we sat at a distance where the noise was more manageable. Regardless of where we were, I always loved going out with my family.

Conclusion

While the reasons behind the independence celebration no longer center around hot political topics, Americans still enjoy commemorating the day they decided to become their own country (Britannica). It’s amazing to think about how the ideas of growing colonies took shape and how those colonists fought tooth-and-nail for independence. Had the founders not decided to rebel against the rule of a distant country across the sea, America would look very different today.

Written by Joy

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Celebrating St. Patrick’s Day

The Origins of St. Patrick’s Day

Most of us can remember always being told to wear green on St. Patrick’s Day, but how did this holiday come about? In the fifth century, kidnappers took a man from Britain and brought him to work in Ireland at age sixteen (“History of St. Patrick’s Day”). Many believe he brought Christianity to the Irish and later became their patron saint. He allegedly died on March 17; hence, the Irish dedicated this day to him.

Fun Traditions

Ireland, known for their three-leaf clovers, claims St. Patrick used one to explain the Trinity (“History of St. Patrick’s Day”). To find a four-leaf clover, then, must mean one possesses luck. The idea stuck and became a notable part of the beloved holiday.

In the beginning, people associated blue with St. Patrick. During the 18^th century, shamrocks came to represent Ireland and its saint, thus changing the holiday’s color to green (Davidson). Cities created unique traditions to celebrate the vibrant color. One such city is Chicago, which celebrates the holiday by dying its river green.

What would St. Patrick’s Day be without its famous character, the leprechaun? These short creatures find their origins in Irish folklore (Davidson). Legend says leprechauns cannot see people who wear green; therefore, they cannot pinch them. For this reason, if people see their friends without anything green on, they will pinch them.

Conclusion

A holiday started for the sake of spreading Christianity became a secular favorite for cities with a high population of Irish immigrants (Augustyn). New traditions formed to celebrate the holiday and spread to different regions. Now, people the world over enjoy St. Patrick’s Day in a variety of ways.

Written by Joy

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Works Cited

Augustyn, Adam. The Editors of Encyclopedia. “Saint Patrick’s Day”. Encyclopedia Britannica, 17 Jan. 2021. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Saint-Patricks-Day

Davidson, Rose. “St. Patrick’s Day.” National Geographic Kids, 30 Dec. 2020. https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/explore/celebrations/st-patricks-day/

“History of St. Patrick’s Day.” History.com, 27 Oct. 2009. https://www.history.com/topics/st-patricks-day/history-of-st-patricks-day

Galentine’s Day: Ladies Celebrating Ladies

Ah, yes, February; the month of love, goodies, and precious time with significant others. It’s the month of Valentine’s Day, so there are two groups of people: couples who are immersed in the glitz and glam of the hearty holiday and single people who often think of it as another day but with candy and heart decorations. What if there were another holiday, a holiday that doesn’t require a relationship status? Luckily there is: GALENTINE’S DAY! What is Galentine’s Day? It’s the best day of the year, and I’ll tell ya why.

Galentine’s Day was invented by the fictional character, Leslie Knope, from the wonderful TV show, Parks and Recreation. Interested? Check out the episode, it’s season 2, episode 16, and I highly recommend giving it a watch. Knope’s description of the day is: “Every February 13th, my lady friends and I leave our husbands and our boyfriends at home, and we just come and kick it, breakfast-style. Ladies celebrating ladies. It’s like Lilith Fair minus the angst. Plus frittatas.” Food, friends, and quality time? That sounds like a party to me. Galentine’s Day can be celebrated in a variety of ways; eating brunch at a trendy restaurant, going shopping at cute boutiques, or enjoying a rooftop dinner! Honestly, it doesn’t matter how women choose to celebrate as long as they celebrate with your best gals. Now, guys, while this was originally intended as a female-based holiday, nobody is stopping y’all from having brunch with your fellas. Have a Malentine’s Day, if y’all must.

Most Galentine’s Day celebrations include a hostess, the best example being Leslie Knope. The hostess typically plans the gathering and provides little gifts for her friends. One of my best friends has a Galentine’s Day celebration every year. We all go out to Breadwinner’s Café, talk, and enjoy some quality brunch. She normally has our names on our seats and provides us with cute personalized presents. I love Galentine’s Day because it celebrates friendship.

It’s a beautiful blessing to be in the presence of your favorite people and to have someone who cares enough to plan a gathering that’s all about supporting each other.

The beauty of Galentine’s Day is that it doesn’t have to be extravagant; it doesn’t require a high-profile restaurant or the prettiest gown. I mean, ladies can if they want to- if the gals want to live it up in the rich life for a day, more power to them! The celebration can consist of a simple picnic at the park where everyone’s in t-shirts and sitting on blankets. This holiday, though originated through Leslie Knope and some fantastic TV screenwriting, holds some genuine value. It promotes celebration of friendship, intentionality, and women supporting other women. Most holidays revolve around family and loved ones, which is great! What makes Galentine’s Day so special is that it celebrates the people we chose as our family- our closest friends. If you don’t have a significant other this Valentine’s Day, don’t fret, just gather some of your best gals (or fellas) and enjoy each other’s company. Leslie Knope said it best, “We need to remember what’s important in life: friends, waffles, work. Or waffles, friends, work. Doesn’t matter, but work is third” (Parks and Recreation, Season 3, Episode 13). Whether you’re celebrating Galentines, Malentines, or Valentines, I hope you see the beauty of friendship and experience the intentionality of love. Happy February!

Written by Deneen

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A Labor Day Blog

Don’t Wear White After Labor Day! Why?

Have you ever heard the saying, “don’t wear white after Labor Day?” Have you ever wondered what it meant? This fashion rule was established back in the 1980s. Not wearing white after this holiday was meant to signify that summer fashion was then out of style by September. However, wearing white after Labor Day is now more sociably acceptable. Fashion and culture have changed since the 1980s as well as the way we celebrate Labor Day. In fact, even the meaning of the holiday is different for some people.

What Is Labor Day Anyway?

Labor Day was started by a man named Peter J. McGuire, who was working as a carpenter and a labor union leader. McGuire thought American workers should have a day where they were honored for all of their hard work. McGuire took his plans about Labor Day to the New York Central Labor Union in 1892, and Labor Day became a national holiday in September 1894 to celebrate American workers.

How Do I Celebrate?

In most American households that I know, Labor Day is celebrated the way many other American holidays are celebrated: with food! A barbeque is the perfect way to gather friends, family, and neighbors to celebrate each other’s hard work. A few other good ways to celebrate Labor Day are attending a Labor Day Parade, hosting a theme party, or having a self-care day.

How Do I Celebrate in Quarantine?

Unfortunately, due to COVID-19, our Labor Day plans may not allow us to be near our loved ones this year; however, I have other plans you can try. In order to keep this tradition alive, I think you should still decorate your home, and if you have a backyard, you could even set up some cool games for you and your family to play while social distancing and wearing a mask! Cooking is a major part of this occasion, so I would suggest getting some steak filets, or if you are looking to eat on a smaller budget, hot dogs are a win! If you are celebrating this holiday alone, I have an idea for you too. If you aren’t cooking, ordering in some wings and watching a movie are great ways to celebrate!

Written by Princess

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Happy Independence Day!

As the days of summer seem to get hotter and longer, I can’t help but feel excited when the 4th of July comes around. With fireworks, hot dogs, pool parties, and all the fun-in-the-sun you can imagine, it feels like the climax of summer. It’s the time when even banks are closed, families gather around the barbeque, and everyone seems to wind down with a glass of ice-cold lemonade. July 4^th is a special holiday beloved by every American.

Most of us know July 4^th, 1776 as the day America declared her independence from Britain. With that said, here are a few fun facts you might not know about one of America’s favorite days of the year.

• To start, July 4^th wasn’t deemed a federal holiday until 1870–about 100 years after America declared independence.
• Americans consume about 155 million hot dogs on the 4^th of July, and we spend about $167.5 million on watermelon.
• Calvin Coolidge, America’s 30^th president, was actually born on July 4^th. Imagine sharing your birthday with your country!
• America’s tradition of fireworks can be traced back to our first Independence Day in 1777 when we fired 13 cannons to represent the 13 colonies.
• Last, but certainly not least, the Declaration of Independence was formally declared on July 2^nd, which was the day John Adams believed to be “the most memorable epoch in the history of America.” Turns out, he was a couple of days off, but was nonetheless accurate in the day’s description! July 4^th was the date that Congress approved the final text of the Declaration of Independence.

All fun facts aside, it is important for us to always remember those who fought before us. Our freedom to celebrate the 4^th isn’t entirely free but is constantly paid for by our faithful, hard-working military. This 4^th of July (or 2^nd—whichever you choose), take a moment to shake a soldier’s hand and say thank you or whisper a prayer for those in the line of duty. It is because of them we get to enjoy our beloved holiday, and thanks to them, we are able to call America home.

Written by Camille (NEW: Click on author’s name for more information about him or her!)

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The Best New Year Checklist

Hold on! Before you use all of your Twitter characters to jot down your half-plans to “be your best self,” take a moment and go through this checklist to really start the year off right.

□ Create a list of best-three

This list should contain at least three of your favorite things of the year. These elements can include experiences, developing habits, people, and/or items that you are grateful for. You may even add more than three items to the list as you remember all of the awesome aspects of the year. Add as many things to your list as you can, and reminisce about the best parts of this year. My list of three includes starting a blog, starting a business, and moving into my first apartment.

□ Create a list of worst-three

This list should be the opposite of the previous list. This time, note your top three fails, obstacles, bad-habits, and other unsatisfactory components of the past year. This time, only jot down those top three. The goal here isn’t to make you feel bad about what went wrong but to accept it and begin making changes. Choose the top three areas from this year you would like to improve for next year.

Now, here’s the fun part…

□ Create a Vision Board for the New Year

A vision board is simply a compilation of photos, quotes, goals, and other items that foster motivation. Vision boards can be both physical and virtual and are meant to be displayed in a location that can be seen daily. Use your list of top-three’s to find images and quotes that inspire you. Use the list of worst-three to find images and quotes that counteract those items. Then, include your dreams, desires, beliefs and anything else you want to achieve in this next year. Finally, add your favorite image of yourself in the center, enjoying the lifestyle you created. If you get tired of your board make a new one and stay inspired all year long!

□ Purge, Organize, and Shop

Nothing says “new me” like a clean home, a decluttered closet, and some novelty items to bring in the New Year. Many who purge their junk feel ‘lighter’ and more confident in what the New Year has to offer. Take a couple weeks to go through your home section by section, and remove the things you have not used in the last year. By riding yourself the things you don’t need, you free your mind and your space to collect things that serve a greater purpose in your life now.

□ Celebrate

Whether at a countdown party, hanging out with friends and loved ones, or at home enjoying your favorite mode of relaxation, celebrate the success of surviving this year and celebrate the promise of the next one.

Written by Ashley

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