Without even realizing it, I have been practicing how to celebrate America’s birthday my whole life.

So, this year, when it comes time for my Independence Day festivities with my friends, I am sure to celebrate with my childhood in mind.

When I was a young whippersnapper, living on the Virginia Beach, Va. coastline, the holiday would coincide with a yearly trip to watch what I thought were some of the biggest fireworks that were going off over the ocean waves. Every shudder caused by the loud explosions assured I was frightened, but having a wonderful time sitting in the sand and enjoying the spectacle.

Since then, I have moved to Ohio, and was forced to come up with new traditions.

The events all come from the same storyboard: instead of packing up the cooler with ice-cold bottles of Bud Light and cans of Coca-Cola, we set up the backyard picnic table with the assortment of beverages. Instead of digging my feet in the sand, I set up my lawn chair over the smell of freshly cut grass. Instead of a live band under a gazebo at the beach, I turn on the radio and listen to the summer’s best tunes.

All are preshow activities for the big finale: the fireworks that would happen less than a mile from my house.

Sure, all the same clichés are happily intact; I wouldn’t have it any other way. There need to be hot dogs on the grill and potato salad on the table. And celebrating America’s 234th birthday without the loudest, brightest fireworks would be considered blasphemy.

The truth of the matter is this: No other holiday has brought me closer together to the people closest in my life. Valentine’s Day always leaves me feeling a little lonely, Thanksgiving always seems more work than it’s worth and too much stress comes from Christmas because I never know what to buy people. It’s the Fourth of July that really allows the family to get together and enjoy time together with minimal effort.

The holiday will also be surrounded by celebrating the country we live in. So, I may be doing everything considered American tradition, from driving my Chevrolet Malibu to watching baseball to eating some apple pie, just like our founding fathers would.