A casual observation from the UK

[THUNDERLORD]

Well, my other thought on the historical custom remark:

Getting technical about celebratory customs in modern days???
IIRC EVERY modern observations involve technology electronics, broadcasting, satellite transmission, vehicle technology, (just a few for example.)
...basically nearly every modern application originated from Americans
(although a lot of that was "borrowed from captured Germans a few decades back)...
Hmmm...Looks like it's gone full circle then?

[jrrdw]

So Rag, when is Brittens birthday and how do you brits celebrate it?

[mark.f]

Erm..after reading the highly informative 4th of july guide on instructables..

It's a celebration of:
Cheeseburgers, BBQ sauce, bikinis, sweet tea, salad, picking things up off of beaches, sorbet, BBQ, icecream, water, fireworks, fireworks, fireworks.

But that's just instructables.. What do you actually do?

Actually, we four-wheeled for a bit and then went to watch Transformers.

And we ate Lo Mein...

[Ragnarok]

Britain doesn't exactly have a birthday - it's been inhabited since long before the concept of dating systems was even conceived.

There is no British or UK national day - although there is the proposal of starting one (with both proponents and opponents of the idea)

However, each of the countries that make up the UK has the national day of their own. In England this is April 23rd, St George's Day - at least that's when it's celebrated in most countries.
It doesn't come with any particular celebration. People might go down the pub and get boozed up in the evening, but it's not a public holiday - that is, people still go into work.

In terms of the manner of celebration, the closest annual thing to what Americans do for July 4th is Guy Fawkes Night (November 5th). Again, not a public holiday, but lots of burning things and setting off explosive devices in the evening.

Even so, it's a big step down from your July 4th.
- Firstly, given it's the middle of the British autumn (That's "fall" to you Yanks), there's no walking around in scarce clothing, and not exactly much in the way of barbecues and beer - might find some of both though in some places.
- Secondly, it's not particularly patriotic, and people aren't exactly hugely motivated to get involved. It's neat, but not a particularly vigorous celebration. More like coordinated fireworks, because we don't get a lot of other excuses for it (New Year is about the only other time).
- Thirdly, the organised celebrations are normally moved to the nearest Saturday/Sunday for convenience, the actual date doesn't really concern people.

If you're counting anything, last time anything like that happened was in June 2002 for the Queen's Golden Jubilee. Concerts, fireworks, national holidays, the works. That kind of thing doesn't exactly come around very often though.

[spudmanb3]

We went to our baseball park and took in a game, then watched the fireworks. (the home Team won Whoohoo)

[suburban spudgunner]

Personally each year on the fourth I get a cool vibe that "We the people" are sort of taunting the oppressive gov'ts with random pyrotechnics toys as if "try to stop us they will only get BIGGER" ...hence my duty to participate (in noise making flashy colorful freedom/liberty display)... 8)

Yep. that's about it.

I live in Illinois, where it is illegal to own or light fireworks (save for sparklers); therefore, every year, my family makes a trip to Indiana to purchase contraband public disturbances. The cops can't do sh!t on the fourth.

[mark.f]

I live in Illinois, where it is illegal to own or light fireworks (save for sparklers); therefore, every year, my family makes a trip to Indiana to purchase contraband public disturbances. The cops can't do sh!t on the fourth.

Depending on where you live in Illinois, why not head south into Missouri and stop by Boomland. Every time I pass through Missouri into Illinois we have to stop there.

[suburban spudgunner]

Depending on where you live in Illinois, why not head south into Missouri and stop by Boomland. Every time I pass through Missouri into Illinois we have to stop there.

I've got some favorites of my own. I go to Boomtown every year for the loud stuff (silver salutes, noisy boys, etc.), and stop by Phantom Fireworks later for their larger sets (the only things that are priced sensibly). I shall look into this "Boomland..."