Isn’t it strange how countries differ when celebrating? The Irish drown the shamrock on St. Patrick ’s Day. The Chinese New Year is celebrated with lots of fireworks while in Jersey they have the battle of flowers.
Some things are the same though whatever the country and whatever their reason for celebrating. One of those things is atmosphere. There is an air of expectancy and excitement. Flags and bunting flutter in the breeze and everyone is in good spirits and enjoying the occasion. Another thing they have in common is parades. Whether it is
the excitement of the Mardi gras or the Marksman’s parade in Hanover in Germany, people march past, often dressed in colourful clothing or aboard wonderfully decorated floats.
Military parades often take place on patriotic occasions. The sound of marching feet or the drone of aeroplanes as they do a fly past capturing the attention of a sometimes silent crowd. They are not as colourful as the others but they can be awe inspiring and they evoke a feeling of patriotism and pride.
Children love festivals and parades and it is traditional to see fathers hoist their offspring on their shoulders for a better view. A parade wouldn’t be a parade if young boys did not climb up every statue along the route to ensure that they saw everything. Bands play and crowds cheer and clap. So whether you are celebrating Workers Day or Independence Day enjoy it and be part of that crowd.

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