More Than Fireworks: Reflections on July Fourth's Deeper Meaning
Why your Independence Day rituals matter more than you think.
Jun 29, 2025
Written by our Founder and Chairman, the Celebrations Pulse letters aim to engage with our community. By welcoming your ideas and sharing your stories, we want to help you strengthen your relationships with the most important people in your life.
For me, the Fourth of July has always been a celebration for the senses and the soul. There’s the sound of grandchildren playing in the backyard, the smell of burgers on the grill, and fireworks lighting up the night sky. But what really sticks with me are the feelings those moments evoke.
As a kid, the Fourth felt like pure magic. I remember our family heading to the local parade to wave flags and watch marching bands. Back home, we’d fire up the grill, and as the sun set, my siblings and I would play with fireworks. (I still have a scar on my ankle to remind me!)
It all just felt like fun at the time. But looking back, I see those rituals for what they were: celebrations of connection and belonging. These activities, repeated year after year, grounded my family in something greater than ourselves. And that’s what makes this holiday so meaningful.
However small they may seem, rituals have a way of sticking with us. They turn into the stories that tie generations — and the country — together. They remind us that we’re part of something larger and enduring.
The power of community rituals
Over the years, many of you have written in to share your own July Fourth stories in the Celebrations Pulse. Some are about family recipes passed down through generations. Others describe small-town parades where everyone knows your name, or the joy of celebrating a first Independence Day as a new U.S. citizen.
Every story is different — rooted in its own people, place, and tradition — but they all seem to bring up the same powerful emotions. It’s a reminder that while our experiences may vary, the meaning behind them often runs in the same direction.
One reader, Patricia, told me about her July Fourth family tradition of serving creamed salmon and peas, a dish handed down from her grandmother. “Some of us love it, others tolerate it,” she wrote, “but we all look forward to dessert: angel food cake with strawberries, blueberries, and whipped cream. Now we finish the salmon quickly just to get to the good stuff!”
Another reader, Joan, shared how her family gathers every year at a lakeside cabin. They grill outside, watch a parade of decorated boats, and light fireworks from a pontoon boat. “It’s a great time on the Fourth of July,” she said simply — but that one line says so much.
Each of these stories is different, but together they weave the fabric of America. They remind us that the Fourth isn’t just a day we mark on the calendar, but something we pass along.
Looking ahead to 250 years of independence
As much as the Fourth of July is about personal stories and rituals, it’s also a time to step back and reflect on the bigger story that brought us here in the first place.
Next year, we’ll mark the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. While 1776 is the year that lives in our national memory, many of the events that made it possible happened the year before. This year, 2025, marks the 250th anniversaries of key turning points in the forming of this nation: the first shots fired at Lexington and Concord, the formation of the Continental Army, and the convening of the Second Continental Congress. These early moments of unity and courage laid the foundation for everything that followed.
All across the country, preparations are underway for next year’s milestone celebrations. But I think there’s something powerful about reflecting today on the courage, decisions, and even disagreements that shaped the journey to 1776. There’s a lot we can learn from the way our founders wrestled with big ideas and hard choices, especially in a time when unity wasn’t easy — and still isn’t.
Every Fourth of July is not only a celebration, but also a reminder of the bold decision to chart a new course. It’s an invitation to keep moving forward with that same spirit. It’s a chance to ask what it means to be American today, and how we can keep striving toward the ideals first put to paper nearly two and a half centuries ago.
Celebrate, share, and reflect
This Friday, as you fire up the grill or watch fireworks with family and friends, I hope you’ll take a moment to reflect on where we’ve been and how far we’ve come. Think about what was happening 250 years ago, and how those early decisions still shape us today.
On a personal level, take the time to enjoy your rituals and pass them along. Share what this holiday means to you with your children and grandchildren. Whether it’s a recipe or a backyard tradition that’s stood the test of time, these are the things that keep the spirit of the Fourth alive — just as much as any history book ever could.
All the best,
Jim
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AUTHOR
Jim McCann is the founder and chairman of 1-800-FLOWERS.COM, Inc. as well as a business leader, author, and philanthropist with a passion for helping people deliver smiles. Devoted to helping others, he also founded Smile Farms, a 501(c)3 organization that provides meaningful jobs in agricultural settings to young adults and adults with developmental disabilities.
