Independance Day USA

Every July fourth the United States celebrates a holiday commemorating the formal adoption of the Declaration of Independence. This day is celebrated publicly with parades, pageants, patriotic speeches (like reading the Declaration of Independence) and fireworks. Private celebrations are usually picnics/barbecues (commonly eaten foods are smores, watermelon, corn on the cob, hamburgers, and hot dogs), displaying the flag, and using fireworks. This day was first celebrated on July 8th, 1776 but celebration did not become common until after the war of 1812. It became a legal holiday in 1941.

I do not go to fourth of July parades, nor do I have a picnic/barbecue. I do occasionally like having a picnic but the parks are overly crowded on that day so I do not go to them. Some places may read the Declaration of Independence but the only place I've ever heard it read out loud at was in elementary school.

I was a lot more interested in fireworks as a child than I am now. I still go and see at least one fireworks display (can go to multiple because different cities have them on different days). People use fireworks at home even though they are illegal to use by ordinary citizens in my state. Only legal kind are smoke ones and sparklers. You can easily buy the other type like bottle rockets and m-100's since there are firework stores in my state, you just have to sign a paper saying that you won't use them in the state. I used to launch my own fireworks when I was a teenager but I do not anymore. Making/obtaining fireworks and the like illegal has never stopped anyone who really wanted to do them. When I was 13, I had no trouble purchasing/obtaining firecrackers and bottle rockets even though my parent never purchased them.

I go to firework displays and sit in an area surrounded by people. The firework displays are around 30 minutes long but spend end up spending more time waiting for them and waiting for the cars that have congested traffic to leave. I don't mind being around other people or waiting, actually I prefer to be around others specifically children since they enjoy the fireworks displays the most and I like seeing people happy. One thing I do not understand is why so many people take pictures of the fireworks with their flashes still on.