Memorial Day, known sometimes as Decoration Day (from the custom of putting flowers on the graves of veterans), was the first warm weather holiday, and special in our house. In May, we would mix lime and water and use a whitewash brush to paint all the tree trunks in the yard up about three feet. It was said that this prevented ants and bugs from harming the tree, but I think it was also thought that it made the yard look neater. The grass would be cut and the hedges along the road trimmed.
On Memorial Day morning, Dad would carefully put out the flag, making sure that it hung just right, and we boys would all put on white slacks and gym shoes, as they were called then, and our best shirt. Mom would always admonish us to be careful not to roughhouse around and get grass stains on them. We were getting ready for the parade and memorial service at the cemetery later in the morning.
Mom would stay at home getting a special dinner ready for when we returned. With Dad, we would walk the short distance down to the cemetery gates and wait for the parade. It started in town and soon we could hear the music of the band in the distance. In about ten minutes, we could see the first units turning off Main Street onto Cemetery Road.
As the first unit with the flag came close, Dad saluted and we put our right hand over our heart, as he had taught us, as it passed by. The band followed, and as it entered the cemetery gates, it changed from military music to a funereal beat by the drummers, symbolizing the solemness of the holiday, to honor those who died in wartime for our country.
The band was followed by a large contingent of WW I veterans, some in uniform and others with just a military cap. There were always some older veterans of the Spanish-American War, and I seem to remember, that for several years, there was a also veteran of the Civil War, in his 90s, who rode in a car.
The parade was followed by spectators from town who were going to the memorial service, and we fell in with them as the parade participants trudged up a fairly steep hill to the Veterans area, about a quarter-mile walk.
The parade was exciting to us, but the service was boring to young teenagers. My recollection is that usually both the many speakers and the minister who gave the invocation and benediction were all very long-winded. After the service, we would take a short-cut across the cemetery back home. We soon changed back into play clothes.
On the 4th of July, putting out the flag was always the first thing to do. Later in the morning, fireworks going off all over the neighborhood were heard. Fireworks weren't illegal in those days, and could be purchased in most all stores. There were no large displays such as today, and rockets weren't widely available, and were too expensive. We would save up a dollar or two and purchase cherry bombs and little firecrakers on a string. The most fun was setting off the firebombs in an empty can to see how far it would be blown away.
Thanksgiving Day centered around the large dinner at noon. It was usually a chicken dinner with stuffing on the side, vegetables, and with some kind of pie and home-made whipped cream for desert.
For Christmas, we alway had a live decorated tree set up in the Empty Room. Usually we would get a few boxed games, caps for our cap guns, new tooth brushes and some clothes that we needed. There was also chocolate candy, hard-tack candy, and an orange or two was always special for us. There was always some mixed nuts to be cracked open, and especially those hard to break Brazil nuts.
During the 1930s, holidays seemed more special than today. This was before many holidays were moved to Mondays to create a long weekend. This was a time when the Blue Laws were still in effect and enforced, so that the only stores permitted to be open on Sundays were the local "mom-and-pop” stores, selling basic foods like milk, lunch meat, bread, and also Sunday newspapers.
