Remember When We Celebrated Holidays ON Holidays?

Today's rant is brought to you by communities who feel the 4th of July should be celebrated on a day other than the holiday's namesake. 

It isn't called the 3rd of July.  It isn't called the 2nd of July.  It's called the 4th of July because it's commemorating an important event - my birthday.  ;) 

Yeah, my birthday is on July 4th, which pushes Independence Day over into the realm of greatest holiday ever.  When I was younger I thought July 4th was the greatest day to have a birthday because there's built in fun - parades, fireworks, cook outs, who doesn't love the 4th of July?!  Nobody*.  That's who.  This year I'll be 24 and I still think July 4th is the coolest day evah to have a birthday. 

I like to associate with people who also have birthdays on July 4th.  Like my husband.  That's really the only reason I married him.  We discovered the night we met that we shared a birthday.  We were clearly meant to be.  That's right, I have to share my most awesomest birthday day with the hubs.  It's okay though because he doesn't care about his birthday as much as I do so I can be a special day hog, which I am. 

Thank goodness Jack was a February baby.  A whole family filled with July 4th birthdays would have been just weird. 

But what's the deal with communities celebrating July 4th on a different day?  When I was younger the holiday was actually celebrated ON the holiday.  Crazy, I know.  The last few years I've seen a disconcerting trend in communities who have their celebratory activities on a different day.  Not because of weather, but just for the heck of it, it seems.  Odd. 

This year, I'm not sure if all of the U.S. just doesn't feel that holidays are sacred anymore, or if July 4th falling on a Sunday gives people the vapors for some reason, but it seems like every community in the area is having their festivities on any day, but July 4th.  Some fireworks are tonight, some festivals are tomorrow afternoon/evening, but I'm actually unaware of any local area who is having fireworks on the 4th so they are certainly not in the majority.

Am I alone in thinking that celebrating on a different day than the actual holiday undermines the importance and original meaning of the holiday?

I think I'll just start celebrating all holidays on random days.  For example, henceforth, my birthday shall be celebrated on the 1st Saturday in the month of July.  Why?  Because I like Saturdays.  Christmas will be the 3rd Thursday in the month of December.  Why?  Because it maximizes holiday time off from work as most employers will give you a pity day off for the day after Christmas if it falls on a Thursday.  I'll just go ahead and re-write when I'll celebrate holidays with no regard for what the holiday stands for or when it's meant to be celebrated.

*Excepting Canadians of course. My condolences**.

**I kid!  I kid!  Some of my favourite (<- eh?) people are Canadian.  True story.