Friday, June 21 marks this year’s summer #solstice — the longest day of 2019. Every location north of the equator worldwide will have at least 12 hours of daylight, and a few U.S. cities — in Alaska, naturally — will see no sunset whatsoever. Celebrate the sun by making sun tea, planting a garden or making a solstice feast of fresh (yellow) summer ingredients such as lemons and summer squash, WikiHow suggests. As the sun finally sets, light a candle or bonfire and keep it lit until the sun rises again, as the ancient pagans once did to honor of the gifts of dark and light.
Tag: summer fun
Flag Day: Be True to the Red, White & Blue
Flag Day is one of the more under-the-radar (some might say forgotten) holidays of the year. Nobody gets the day off; there’s no cookout; there may not even be a mattress sale. So why do we celebrate it — and how?
The idea of a day celebrating the flag was first suggested by Wisconsin schoolteacher B.J. Cigrand, says USFlag.org, who held the first “Flag Birthday” on June 14, 1885 — the 108th anniversary of the adoption of the Stars & Stripes as America’s official symbol. Appropriately enough, Betsy Ross House in Philadelphia picked up on the idea just a few years later in 1891.
The concept continued to spread among schools and patriotic organizations until 1894, when New York State made it official policy to fly the flag on June 14 and the Chicago-based American Flag Day Association staged events for more than 300,000 schoolchildren. Flag Day was a regular observance by 1916, when President Wilson established June 14 as the day to observe it. An Act of Congress made the day official in 1949 under President Truman.
While still not a federal holiday with a guaranteed paid day off, Flag Day invites homes and businesses to fly the flag (observing official guidelines for display). People can celebrate the symbol by pledging allegiance, singing the national anthem and/or saluting the red, white and blue. Veterans’ groups often add a performance of Taps to their Flag Day observances.
To get kids involved in the event, says Everyday Health, give them craft projects such as decorating patriotic flowerpots or making red, white and blue necklaces and baked goods. You can usually find a variety of craft supplies, kitchenwares and lightly used flags of all sizes on sale at the thrift and secondhand stores supplied by ClothingDonations.org.
As you celebrate Flag Day, remember what the Stars & Stripes stand for: The blue field and stars symbolize heaven and men’s goals, in addition to the current states in the union. Red is the color of valor, and white is the color of purity; the 13 stripes represent the original 13 colonies. Stitched together, they symbolize the promise of America and the dreams of its many people — truly the fabric of our country.
The Dog Days of Summer
The dog days of summer, it turns out, have nothing to do with one’s four-legged friends according to Mental Floss. Sirius, the Dog Star, is the brightest star in the sky in August, and the ancient Greeks believed that it added to the sun’s heat. If you have kids, they’ll be getting a little bit restless in the heat with the clock running out on summer vacation. Take them to the beach or pool to help them cool off naturally. If not, string up a few water balloon piñatas, suggests Milk Allergy Mom, and have a backyard water party. The kids will have a blast while beating the heat. Water-loving dogs can join in the fun, too!
Dressing for the Hottest Weather
Dressing for the (hot) weather? Start with loose-fitting, lightweight and light-colored clothing. Clothing and hats block the sun’s damaging UV rays by providing your body with its own portable patch of shade, and light colors absorb less sunlight. Keep garments loose to allow airflow to cool the skin, NPR says; use sunscreen to protect exposed areas, but don’t forget that it can actually make you feel hotter by preventing sweat. If your closet is short on sheers, try the local thrift store for a few lightly used summer garments; shopping thrifts supplied by ClothingDonations.org helps veterans!
Helping Kids Cope With Summer’s End
Whether your kids look forward to the beginning of school year or not, they’re likely to have some wistful feelings about summer’s end. You can help ease the transition into fall by getting them on a schedule and involving them in the planning, Parents magazine says. Young schoolchildren may not realize why the end of summer makes them feel sad or anxious, so parents should not only listen carefully to what their kids are saying, but also watch their behavior. And it’s not too late to have an “official” end-of-summer cookout or bonfire to commemorate its best moments.