Traditions in America: 21 Things I Love About Sunday
Want to know why Sunday is one of my favorite days of the week?
There are actually a number of reasons that I love Sundays, but I’ll get to that in a moment. The sad thing to me is that Sunday seems to be changing. If we aren’t careful, our Sunday traditions in America are going to be lost forever. For some, I think they already are.
Traditional Sunday activities seem to be giving way to consumerism, television and even work. This saddens me. Sunday is as American as apple pie. America, let’s cling to our Sunday traditions before they fade away!
21 Traditional Things I Love About Sunday in America
Call me sentimental, but Sunday traditions in America need to be held onto for dear life! We need to continue to pass these things down to our children and our children’s children.
“A love for tradition has never weakened a nation, indeed it has strengthened nations in their hour of peril”
~ Winston Churchill
Most businesses used to be closed on Sunday to give Americans a day to rest, recoup and participate in traditional activities. Of course, now the lure of the almighty dollar has a growing number of people working on Sunday. This robs people of family and leisure time.
Also, I think losing our Sunday traditions contributes to the deterioration of our society and culture. Heck, some of us even go to church on Saturday evenings now! I’ll admit I’m guilty of this one.
In essence, many of us have already forgotten the traditions that made Sunday so special. Let me remind you of a few things in a hope that it will encourage you, America, to revive some of the traditional Sunday behavior I love and long for.
Here are 21 things I love about Sunday:
1. The complete lack of urgency that is unique to Sunday.
2. Time spent reflecting on how to be a better person after church services.
3. The sense of unity that comes from being together with your family.
4. Reading a good, old-fashioned newspaper. These will be a thing of the past before long.
5. Stuffing myself on Sunday dinner with all the fixin’s at grandma’s house.
6. Feeling the wind on my face during a Sunday drive to nowhere in particular.
7. Sleeping in as late as I want to and laying lazily in bed even after I’ve woke up.
8. Taking a long. lazy nap on the couch to avoid the afternoon heat.
9. Sitting in a lawn chair and drinking ice-cold sweet tea under a shade tree.
10. Playing catch out in the yard with my brother.
11. The sound of my mom’s favorite music wafting out the windows of the house.
12. A family picnic by the lake with a red-checked table cloth.
13. Waking up to the smell of fresh coffee and bacon frying on the stove.
14. Having time as a family to play board games together at the kitchen table.
15. Stopping for a treat at the convenience store on our way home from church.
16. Watching an old movie on T.V. from beginning to end.
17. Going for a long, slow walk and having time to appreciate the beauty of nature.
18. Dad was always less busy on Sundays than any other day of the week.
19. Two great holidays, Easter and Mother’s Day, fall on Sunday.
20. Hearing my elders tell stories from days gone by in my living room.
21. Looking forward to the next Sunday to do it all over again!
Preserve these traditions in America to save our way of life!
“Sunday is the golden clasp that binds together the volume of the week”
~ Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Sunday truly is a golden day. If we let the traditions that make it unique slip through our fingers, then it will become meaningless. I’d hate to think that my kids or grandchildren might miss out on all the special memories that I have from the awesome Sunday traditions that I grew up with. I’ll fight to keep Sunday special!
What Sunday traditions do you love?
Photo by bensonkua
Nothing beats some good football on Sundays.
You took the words right out of my mouth! My wife and I were just discussing this very topic yesterday when we realized what a hectic day we had planned. Growing up, I spent most Sundays at my grandparents’ house fishing, eating big meals and playing catch in the yard. We literally took “Sunday drives” and always spent time together as a family.
My wife and I have made the conscious decision to keep Sunday a sacred day for our family despite the pressures we face to make it just like any other day. Sundays are devoted to Church, family and relaxation (along with reading the Sunday paper and watching some football).
As it should be!
Dustin
Dustin | EngagedMarriage.com´s last blog ..Get Fit & Have a Healthy Marriage, Part 2 (The Reasons)