5 Fun, Safe, and Easy Steps to Celebrate Independence Day
What are you doing to celebrate your freedom?
Have your July 4th celebrations come to a screeching halt like the other previous holidays so far this year?
The virus has messed up Easter, Passover, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Memorial Day, funerals, weddings, birthdays, and graduations. What a string of duds. It’s been a bummer out there.
Maybe you’ve felt numb or angry or depressed while “sheltering in place.” You feel like you’ve missed out.
Grrr.
Time to make a change. Time to be intentional and CELEBRATE the 4th of July. Whether you feel like it or not.
Hey! We all need our lives back!
Dare to Celebrate
Yes, to deliberately celebrate the holiday, in spite of what’s going on in the world.
That means not letting the day pass you by.
You need to hold onto your culture and repeat your July 4th traditions.
Okay, so no fireworks, parades, block parties. You can celebrate at home.
I’ve put together a list of local activities to get you started.
#1 Decorate Your House July 4th Style
Or go a step further and enter a city photo contest
Cities first started Covid-esque celebrations during Easter week. Moorpark had the Easter Bunny drive by where you could track the bunny’s live route on Google Maps. That way you could go in your front yard and wave to him on his bunnymobile.
And now, during our independence day celebrations, the local cities have really stepped up to the plate. They’ve organized decorate-your-home contests where you take a photo and compete to win prizes.
Home decorating contest- Agoura Hills. Deadline is 7/4/2020. Winners posted 7/6/2020. City Link
Home decorating contest- Calabasas. Deadline is 7/4/2020. Winners posted 7/6/2020. City Link
Home decorating contest and recipe contest- Moorpark. Deadline is 7/6/2020. City Link
Of all the local nearby communities, Moorpark is all set up for fun! There’s a community cookbook drawing for best recipes contest and a Most Patriotic Decor contest where you send in a photo, whether it’s a chalk drawing, yard decorations, your dressed up dog, etc. Goofy can be fun.
The Conejo Valley home decorating contest had a 7/1/2020 deadline and the winner was posted 7/2/2020. City Link
#2 Look Up to See the Plane Flyovers
The Condor Squadron is coming to the sky above you on July 4th!
You don’t even have to leave your home. You just have to go outside.
The Condor Squadron flyovers start 2:45 pm in Moorpark. It appears that they’ll make a loop from the Palisades, over to our general area, then down to the south beaches, then back to the Conejo Valley.
Just go outside and look up!
Here are the anticipated times that you can expect to see them. And here’s their Facebook link in case they add more information. Condor Squadron Link
It’s not published, but I’m wondering if Simi Valley is in there after Moorpark???
- 2:00 pm Pacific Palisades
- 2:45 pm Moorpark
- 6:00 pm Beach cities: Huntington, Newport, Laguna, San Clemente
- 6:50 pm Westlake Village
- 7:05 pm Calabasas
#3 Tune in 10 am-12 pm with the Reagan Presidential Library
Join the virtual formal celebration with the Reagan Library
he Reagan Presidential Library has a full morning’s worth of activities. They have a flyer here. Link to Library
There’s music (the National Anthem and God Bless America), the Pledge of Allegiance (It just wouldn’t feel like the 4th without it), portrayals of national heroes (Betsy Ross, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln to name a few), and a Ronald Reagan video.
Sounds like a great way to celebrate our freedom! They have online kiddie events as well.
#4 Get Inspired by Reflecting on the Past
This is a mental exercise. Where did you celebrate? What were your favorite activities? Think back to how it USED to be…
What’s your favorite July 4th FUN PLACE?
Now think about how you celebrated. What was your favorite food? Was there a special dish you cooked every single year? Or that your family ate on the 4th of July when you were growing up? Complete the sentence:
“It wouldn’t be the 4th of July without _________.”
#5 Commit to Celebrating
Pick ONE thing that reminds you of the 4th of July and DO IT.
- Make a potato salad. Or BBQ SOMETHING.
- Or say the Pledge of Allegiance.
- Or tune in to the Reagan Library program.
- Or watch the plane flyovers.
- Or take a scenic drive down PCH to see the beach (beaches are closed, but you can look out the car window).
- Or take a walk under the blue skies and enjoy the warm weather.
- Or drive the streets near your house to see who decorated for the 4th.
- Or watch the Lord of the Rings to be reminded that you can overcome. Like Samwise said, “There is still good in this world.”
Me, I’m going to make potato salad and corn on the cob. And watch the planes fly over.
The 4th of July is our big summer party holiday. Don’t let it go by without doing at least ONE thing to celebrate.
So….what are you going to do to celebrate your freedom?
