We’ve all heard the story of the Boston Tea Party and the boycott of British tea by the colonists. What we may not know is that budding patriots of that day also turned against British cloth.
In a letter, John Adams declared, “Silks and velvets and lace must be dispensed with [as] Trifles in a Contest for Liberty.”
His wife Abigail agreed wholeheartedly, writing to her husband, “As for me I will seek wool and flax and work willingly with my Hands.”
Even some well-to-do wives and mothers took up spinning wool into cloth.
Soon, “homespun” moved beyond the loom and the spinning wheel and became a metaphor describing republican virtue—a badge of honor marking simple, down-to-earth values. As ambassador to France, for instance, Ben Franklin wore no wig and dressed in plain, homespun clothing, much like the Quakers of his native Philadelphia. This eccentric dress among the fashion-conscious French not only set him apart but also added to his reputation as an unpretentious genius from the backwoods of America.
Few Americans now act as their own tailors, yet we can take that word homespun in its broader application and make our celebration of this year’s Independence Day a homemade holiday.
Treats
In 1975, a young woman I knew who had grown up in poverty in Maine told me about eating popcorn as her breakfast cereal. Years later, I was surprised to learn that popcorn with milk and a sweetener, often maple syrup, was a common breakfast dish in colonial times. If you want that experience on the Fourth—I would recommend air-popped corn—you can easily serve this dish up with some blueberries and chopped strawberries to give the kids a taste of long ago.
During his time as ambassador to France, Thomas Jefferson tasted that era’s version of ice cream. He was one of the first to bring that confection to America and helped popularize it by having it served to guests while in the White House. You can dish out a Fourth of July treat to family and friends by purchasing your favorite ice cream or, if you have the equipment, by making it yourself. Decorate each serving with red, white, and blue sprinkles, add some blueberries and sliced strawberries, top it off with some whipped cream and maraschino cherries, and you’ll bring some patriotic sparkle to any meal.
Beer, wine, and cider were universal drinks among the Founders. Serve these beverages at your celebration, giving the kids nonalcoholic cider, of course, and raise a glass to America.
Games
Think of play and games on the Fourth, and usually activities carried out under blue skies and a bright sun pop to mind: bike rides, hikes, canoeing or tubing down a river, a cornhole championship in the backyard, or turning on the lawn sprinkler for the kids. Families and friends gather for barbecues, and on this no-cloud day, many also like to take a blanket to a park and enjoy fireworks under the stars.But what about those Independence Days when thunderstorms and rain wash away your plans for outdoor fun?
Here are some suggestions that, regardless of the weather, will help you keep the spirit of the Fourth alive and well.
Trivial Pursuit: The American History Version
The first one works best if you’ve invited guests to your house. If you have enough people, divide them into teams with no more than four players per team, appoint a moderator, and put on a trivia contest focused on American history. Teens and adults can test their knowledge with somewhat challenging questions found online, such as “A Capitol Fourth: American History Quiz” on PBS.org, while the younger set and those who need a refresher course can swing away in contests like “101 History Trivia Questions and Answers for Kids” on CollegeTransitions.com. If you prefer, you can blend these questions together and conduct a contest for everyone.Create your own rules, such as restricting players to three guesses. Whatever rules you establish, keep them simple. Keep in mind too that the aim is to have some fun while learning some history.
The Gratitude Game
Americans were once known for their can-do attitude and upbeat approach to life. These days, many people both here and abroad point out the warts and blemishes of the American experiment while ignoring the beauty and goodness of our country’s past.Maybe it’s time to tackle a version of the Glad Game, and what better day to do so than on the Fourth of July?
In 1913, Eleanor Porter’s “Pollyanna” became a best-seller and is now considered a children’s classic. The central character, Pollyanna, learned how to cope with life’s mishaps and tragedies from her father, who taught her to play the Glad Game. The game is simple enough: When faced with disappointment or disaster, we can meet trouble by finding some bit of happiness or good fortune, however small, to carry us forward. We can do the same, recollecting our blessings in the middle of a bad day or even a major crisis. That simple, affirmative nod of gratitude for the good in our lives can stiffen the spine and gladden the heart.
This is a great game to play with your family or friends and even the younger children on the Fourth. Explain to all those participating to take a few minutes, cut through the negative news of the day, and write down two or three reasons they are glad to be living in America. Then go around the room and have each person share what they wrote.
In this version of the game, everyone comes out a winner because of the hope and gratitude shared. Collect these notes, put them in a jar, and look at them from time to time when the headlines get you down.
Music
On a recent beach gathering of my kids, their spouses, and the grandkids, one of my daughters-in-law put together a karaoke night. Her enthusiasm and good humor brought the adults to their feet, dancing and blasting out the songs with some help from the teens, while the younger set watched our grand foolishness, gape-mouthed and laughing. That evening was a major highlight of the week.We can easily do the same for the Fourth, particularly because the songs are familiar to most of us. If you don’t have your own “Queen of Karaoke” in your group, you can put the lyrics up on a big screen and have your family and guests sing along. Online resources, including UDiscoverMusic.com’s article “These Patriotic Songs Are Celebrations of America,” mix new and old popular songs, with most of them just waiting for voices to join them.
Singing is not only of great benefit to your physical and mental health, but it also builds community and, as it did with my family, creates laughter and memories.
Homemade fun costs little in terms of money and time, but the rewards of bonding with others and ridding ourselves of stress and anxiety are big-time benefits. This Fourth of July, add something homespun to the holiday for a dose of pleasure and a dash of patriotism.
