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Independence Day

PROMPT July 4th

Here in the United States, we're celebrating our independence today. Is this a special day to you? Will you do anything special? Have we as a country forgotten what this day really means? Yes, I know, several questions there. (If you do not live in the United States, please apply this prompt to the day your country celebrates as Independence, or a similar holiday.)
Answer as you wish please.

In Norway, we have a big celebration on the 17th of May. It's actually our Constitution day, and we celebrate it as the beginning of our independence, even though that officially happened much later. Our constitution dates back to 17th of May 1814, while our full independence wasn't offical until the 7th of June 1905. The time in between is considered a union with independent rule, although it wasn't free from conflict.

After several hundreds of years of Danish and Swedish rule, our independence was a big deal to Norway. We had to rebuild our national identity. When we were then occupied for five years by Germany during WW2, our celebratory day of 17th of May took on even more meaning. I think Norway and USA can actually understand eachother quite well when it comes to that special feeling of hard-won freedom.

Every year we celebrate with parades, happy activities for children, traditional clothes and marching bands. The day is all the happier since it usually markes the definite change from a long winter and shy spring into a green, warm season that's turning towards summer.


Happy Independence Day, Americans, I understand the feeling.