2012
Independence Day Fun
The Fourth of July – patriotic gestures, foods, and more. Independence Day, or the Fourth of July, is a federal holiday that celebrates the adoption of the Declaration of Independence by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776. The Declaration of Independence proclaimed independence from Great Britain and set the 13 colonies on the road to freedom as a sovereign nation. In 1870, Congress made the Fourth of July a federal holiday; however, it wasn’t until 1941 when a provision was expanded to grant paid holidays to employees. Celebrations surrounding the Fourth of July are rooted in the tradition of political freedom. Fourth of July celebrations come easily to many – picnics, barbeques, parades and fireworks – and so do the friendly gestures of a neighbor, the patriotic displays of the American Flag, and the changing of an ordinary recipe to an Independence Day-themed treat. Elyse Kaner and her family are one of many Americans with an inspiring story, celebrating the Fourth of July this week. Kaner and her family have had annual traditions that included fireworks, sparklers, parades and family picnics. Though no one in her immediate family had served in the military, Kaner’s mother always showed her devoted … 
