Let’s Celebrate the Birth of Our Country by Blowing Up a Small Piece of It!

The smell of meat cooking on the grill. The sound of children playing and adults laughing and having a good time. The thrill of watching (and of course playing with) fireworks. There is no doubt that the 4th of July captures the very essence of what Independence means and has brought to us.

There are so many things about this holiday that everyone both old and young love. It brings people together in a manner that other holidays don’t. There’s no pressure like what comes with Christmas, no hassles to make sure everything runs smoothly. Independence Day is a day for everyone to kick back, enjoy food, drinks, and the company of family and friends without any hassle. What could be better?

How about a nice 80 degree day with a clear sky? Perfect.

The 4th of July is without a doubt one of my favorite holidays and it took me years to figure out why. The simplicity of it. The complete and total fun of the day. No schedules to keep or obligations to be met. It’s one of the few days out of the year when you can just push real life aside and unwind. This year we get not just a day of it, but a whole three day weekend. Now that is something to make life worth living for if nothing else.

Let’s not forget the traditional lineup of food. Brats and burgers on the grill, potato and macaroni salad, fresh fruit, chips. Beer and lemonade, iced tea and cool aid . Brownies, pies. It’s a feast unmatched until Thanksgiving Day.

Now, no one can deny that, aside from loafing around all afternoon spending time with friends and family while eating until our stomaches explode, there is one major draw for everyone to this glorious holiday. Playing with fire.

Fireworks have fascinated us for more than a hundred years. And why not? They are explosive tubes of fire and chemicals that burst in a number of colors. What isn’t to love! We are fascinated by fire and love watching it and playing with it. This can spark some real lack in common sense as well, so I thought I would share some 4th of July Safety Tips:

A responsible adult should supervise all fireworks activities.

Never give fireworks to young children.

Follow label directions carefully.

Never point or throw fireworks at another person.

Use fireworks outdoors in a clear area away from buildings and vehicles.

Never carry fireworks in your pocket or shoot them in metal or glass containers.

Light them one at a time then move back quickly.

Don’t experiment with homemade fireworks. I know this is hard for some of you chemical engineering students….

Observe local laws and use common sense.

Sparklers, fountains and other items that many states allow for use by consumers are not appropriate when a large crowd is present.

Keep a fire extinguisher handy!

Just think twice and use common sense and your 4th of July will be a spectacular bash!

A quick edit:

I just had to throw this out there. I hope people don’t celebrate the birth of my baby the same way. I would like to keep him in one piece for as long as possible.

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