The Colors of Patriotism

Fourth grade math taught me about the commutative property: 3+2+1 = 2+1+3. Pretty simple, and I like to think that the commutative property works with flags too: red, white, and blue = blue, white, and red.

And that is why we celebrate the American and French Revolutions in the same month.

(Texas was a republic once.)

It seems that inventing traditions runs in the family. It is my personal tradition to celebrate Bastille Day, the grand kickoff to the French Revolution!

Since 2006, Bastille Day celebrations have included:

• A rousing game of vingt-et-oeuf. Yes, that does translate to "twenty-and-egg."
• Making Bastille Day t-shirts
• French food of course: peach galette, French onion soup, croque monsieurs et mesdames, French toast
• Adding "le" in front of everything you le-say
• Yelling both "Vive le France!" and "Liberté, égalité, fraternité!" as often as possible
• French braiding hair
• Building a fort (bastille) and watching Amelie

Other ideas that have yet to be completed:

• Recreating the storming of the bastille
• Knitting with the fervor of Madame Defarge
• Building the Eiffel Tower out of K'nex
• Letting them eat cake

This year, I have bought this amazing toy to help us celebrate our patriotism. It's a pretty genius action figure: royalty to peasant, head-on to head-off with just one click of a button. Just my kind of push button world.

Additionally, we are going to the market! Chicago's French Market is celebrating Bastille's Day Eve (Genius! I hope Santa Claus is there) with food, wine, and music...for free!

And as we might recall, "French" and "free" also fall under the commutative property.

"Liberté, égalité, fraternité!"