July 4th Parade
Hello e-friends,
How was your Memorial Day? Mine was uber-fabuloso. I went to a Veterans’ Remembrance with my one and only hero, my grandfather. It was a somber affair, to be sure (and rightfully so). And during that somber affair, I started thinking about how Memorial Day is virtually juxtaposed to July 4th, another patriotic celebration that honors America in a very different way – with parades and fireworks! (somewhat ironic don’t you think?) Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying that one is better than the other – they are uniquely American days. It just got me thinking, that’s all.
I pointed this out to my grandfather. He gave me a kiss and said: “Lexi, I think you should put your nose to that one……but maybe lay off the free soda-pop for a while”.
So, what about parades? What is the history of the parade? There are records of religions processions as far back as 3000 B.C.E.! And the Romans held some sort of parade-esque event called a “triumph” to celebrate special events. And even Mardi Gras has religious meaning – it celebrates the last feast before the beginning of lent. Now, that REALLY is ironic. LOL.
I have to tell you at this point that this was a really hard subject for me to research – Wikepedia.com, my trusted source, didn’t have much. So, if you have information to add to this, please post a comment. I have great respect for other online readers, especially those of the patriotic flavah. 
Of the vague information I found, it is written that the first public parades were likely military or political. Other early parades were celebrated at fairs and festivals – which is why it sort of makes sense that they are a little flamboyant in nature, no? Way back in medieval Italy, they painted “carreros” in a historical motif. These carts were wheeled through town as a sort of exhibit.
In the U.S. we call our exhibits “floats” and often times, especially in patriotic parades, those floats are decorated with bunting and fans – striped fabric that drapes the outside of the float. Hmm…..wonder if Old Glory was the inspiration for that? Sorry, too much soda-pop again – I’ll ponder that question in another blog.
And today it seems, we’ll have a parade for just about anything. But my favorites are still good, old fashioned patriotic parades with 3-stripe red, white and blue bunting and fans, hot dogs (which I blog a lot about for some reason), and soda-pop (so old-fashioned – LOL). I have so many great July 4th parade memories from my childhood. Ok, now I really need a hotdog. But I’ll leave you with this fun fact I picked up here: http://www.bookrags.com/history/parades-sjpc-04/
“ Veterans of the undeclared conflicts in Korea nd Vietnam complained that their homecomings went unfeted, since most Americans were merely glad to put the controversy and discomfort behind them. In a sort of backlash effect, both public and government seemed almost embarrassingly determined to honor troops. In the next major U.S. conflict, the Persian Gulf War of 1991, the spate of parades celebrating the returning troops lasted longer than the forty-three-day war itself.”
Don’t you just love being American?
Until next time e-friends,
Lexi
