SURVEY SAYS: July 4th Celebrations

Last week, I asked NewsDash readers, How do you celebrate?

More than one-third (33.7%) of responding readers said they have a party or cookout at home with friends and/or family, and nearly one-third (32.5%) go to a fireworks show. Slightly more than 22% of readers go to a party or cookout with friends and/or family.

Ten percent indicated they do nothing, while 8.7% have a fireworks show at home. Nearly 4% go to the beach, and 1.2% visit an historical site.

Thirty percent of responding readers indicated they celebrate in ways other than what was on the list. Among those responses, several readers go to a lake and several indicated they attend a parade. Some catch up on house and yard work, and some watch fireworks on TV.

Additional ‘other’ responses include:

• Depends on where I am at; home or traveling.
• My cousin’s birthday is July 4 so we always celebrate by going to dinner with him and his family.
• Mystery Word State Spelling, and Grapes.
• Taking work home since it is quarterly report time.
• Attend a musical performance with patriotic music prominently featured followed by fireworks.
• Do volunteer work at my local zoo
• Volunteer with local Fire Department
• Play golf
• Catch up on all of the NewsDash articles that I have been unable to read recently!!!
• Stay home and comfort the dogs who think the world might be ending.
• In the afternoon, we go out to eat steamed crabs.
• Out of town guests coming, we’ll be marching in a parade as part of a Plastic Pipe playing group, then we’ll go for a sail, go to a friends for a cookout then catch the fireworks. Sunday, I’ll spend the day in bed recovering!!

Those who chose to leave verbatim comments provided more details of their Independence Day celebrations. A couple noted that they had to tend to their dogs that panic due to the fireworks. One respondent said he or she does nothing special, but responded to the survey to be counted among those working on the 3rd. Editor’s Choice goes to the reader who shared a unique tradition: “We do two specific events each year. First, a designated family member will select the Mystery Word, such as ‘camel.’ Then we have a contest to see how many names of the 50 states we can spell without using any of the letters in the Mystery Word. (For ‘camel’ only Ohio works.) Second, we each eat one seedless grape for each year of our country’s independence. For 2015 it is 239. We buy a lot of grapes.”

Verbatim 

Have many fond memories of the holiday starting from childhood.

I think the 4th of July is important to celebrate. In our hurry, hurry everyday lives, there are those holidays that are important to really celebrate - the birth of a great nation! Let's hope (and pray) that it continues!

Nice quiet barbeque at home. Usually avoid travel on Holiday weekends as much as possible, since everyone else is doing it!

Not as much to celebrate this year now that the Supreme Court has invalidated the Constitution, decided that states do not have rights, and determined that the IRS can do whatever they want without any legislative authority. Constitutional Convention anyone?

We will also go to the annual parade

We do two specific events each year. First, a designated family member will select the Mystery Word, such as "camel." Then we have a contest to see how many names of the 50 states we can spell without using any of the letters in the Mystery Word. (For "camel" only Ohio works.) Second, we each eat one seedless grape for each year of our country's independence. For 2015 it is 239. We buy a lot of grapes.

I'm in Washington state and we WON'T be doing fireworks this year for the first time in 10 years. From the lack of "practice" fireworks in the neighborhood this week, it seems that we've decided a neighborhood bonfire is not the way to celebrate our independence. I'll still be watering down my house and dead grass for the "independent thinker" who decides fireworks are a good idea.

We always watch Independence Day! It has become a family tradition. I'm pretty sure the world, and Boomer the dog, only survive for another year because of our dedication!

We have several friends with boats so we all tie up together and have a fun day on the lake and watch the fireworks from our boats. There are usually multiple cities having their fire work shows and we can see all of them from the lake. It is beautiful!!

The plan is to sleep-in, grill something, and try to watch fireworks from the backyard.

Verbatim (cont.) 

Fireworks are always involved.

LOVE THE FIREWORKS, WATERMELON, AND JUST SEEING AMERICANS STILL SHOWING THEIR LOVE FOR THIS GREAT COUNTRY THAT OUR GOVERNMENT IS TRYING TO BRING DOWN!

Used to go to minor league ballgame and stay for fireworks after but old age has made the TV with its lack of crowds/traffic and it's supply of comfort and amenities our #1 choice now.

The noise from the fireworks scares my dogs!

My best memory of celebrating the 4th was as a child. Watching my 80 year old grandmother lighting fireworks, then running and giggling like a school girl.

Fly the American flag!

In our town, the parade consists of mostly tractors (John Deere, to be exact). We joke it's not the 4th of July, it's John Deere day!

I love to watch 1776 (The Movie). If it isn't on TV, I have the DVD and the video.

At night, we need to stay home to try to keep the dogs calm. The firecrackers and other noisemakers terrify them.

When we were younger we used to always go to fireworks. Now that the kids are grown, we don't feel compelled to do that. It's not quite the same, but we prefer to watch the festivities on TV.

Nothing special. I merely responded so that I might be counted among the handful working on the 2nd, 3rd and the 6th.

It's all about the back yard get-together on Long Island, NY - The first official bar-B-Q of Summer!

As a Canadian with an American wife, I'm happy to always have Canada Day or Independence day on a weekend.

NOTE: Responses reflect the opinions of individual readers and not necessarily the stance of Asset International or its affiliates.