I'm not really one for the ruckus of great festivities. I like parties, don't get me wrong (my friends can vouch for that, right?), but I tend to get stressed out if there's too much preparation and planning to do, too many expectations to fulfil, too many "rules" on how it's supposed to be. Christmas is a good example, our Constitution Day another. Because I have three kids now and have a lot to do on any normal day, those big events just kind of make me want to opt out. So this year, we decided that the celebration of our Constitution Day would be completely on our own terms, and that we would spend it exactly like we wanted - and not like it was expected of us. We skipped the local parade, didn't stress with getting our national costumes ready, didn't even relate to the concept of time - and yet had the best celebration of that day that I have had since I was a kid myself. It was perfect. We slept late. Planted potatoes in the field. Played. Baked a cake. Drank coffee. Showered, got ready and went over to our friends. Ate lots. Had old fashioned games like jump-racing in sacks, running with a potato on a spoon, finding a piece of fruit in a bowl of flour after having dipped your face in water, balancing on a tight rope. Had a parade around their farm, sang the national anthem and waved flags. Let the kids play in water and run around barefoot. Ate more. Stayed late and went home so happy, all of us. And for the first time in years, when driving home late in the evening, instead of thinking "phew, I'm glad that's over with", I thought "wow, that was a perfect day".
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