Happy 4th

This year we did the "AM" 4th of July celebrations. Childless patriots could do the AM and PM celebrations, but our little buccaneers need their beauty rest, so we skipped out on the fireworks...lame, I know.

The AM celebration begins with a flag raising ceremony. After the flag raising ceremony, a small parade proceeds from the flag area to a nearby burial ground. When I read about the parade online, I was picturing floats, loud music, lots of shiny things, and salt water taffy. Well, this parade consisted of some men in uniform carrying the flags, a small group of people dressed as colonists firing their muskets, a small band, the mayor and a few other Boston politicians, and the rest of us. Everyone in the crowd, became part of the parade. It was more like a procession.

James and I at the flag raising ceremony

The small parade

At the small burial ground, wreaths were laid at each of the graves of John Hancock, Samuel Adams, and Robert Paine (signers of the Declaration of Independence). The trumpet also played "Taps" at each grave.

The procession made it's way down to the "Old State House". There, the Declaration of Independence was read from the balcony just as it was 233 years ago.

Reading of the Declaration of Independence

After the reading, we hurried to South Boston so we could see the USS Constitution or "Old Ironsides" on it's turnaround cruise. They only sail "Old Ironsides" on the 4th. It journey's to Castle Island and shoots off it's cannons and then returns to it's port for another year. Well, "Old Ironsides" only went half way this year, so we didn't get to see the cannon shoot off. At least we got to meet up with some friends and the kids had fun just doing their thing.

Then we had a BBQ and listened to the fireworks from inside our house. Maybe next year we'll do the PM celebrations.