Using Your Country's Flag As A Festive Decoration
@danishcanadian (28733)
Canada
June 30, 2018 4:40am CST
Anyone who is from Denmark, or who has Danish reliatives will understand how special flags are to us. In Denmark we view the Danish flag as more of a festive decoration and a way to show love for Denmark, than as a Political syumbol. As a Danish-Canadian living in Canada, I apply this thought to the Canadian flag as well. Then when I married an American, I found another flag to decorate with. I mean, look at the American flag! Red, white, blue, stars, stripes... isn't it just the most festive thing you've ever seen? LOL
The first time I decorated our house for the 4th of July, my very political husband thought I was absolutely NUTS! He saw it as a political statement. I introduced him to my Danish relatives, and we explained how we do flags in our family. He understood pretty quickly after that. There were even flags on our wedding cake! That too, is an old Danish tradition, and of course all of our flags were on there.
We are entering into my favourite holiday season of the year, with Canada Day on July 1st, and the 4th of July, a few days later. Flags galore!!! I've ordered special cupcakes for both holidays, and we are going to celebrate here with picnics on the balcony, and a swim in the pool. I need to pick up some wine today, since the stores are not going to be open on the first.
How do you feel about flags as a festive decoration? To me loving my country doesn't just mean engaging in political issues, but also just being happy to be Canadian. As for the current political situation in the USA, there's much more to being an American than that. Love the politics or hate them, Americans themselves are wonderful people, and so are Danes and Canadians.
How do you feel about your country's flags?
3 people like this
3 responses
@owlwings (39752)
• Cambridge, England
30 Jun
We use the British flag (the "Union Jack") as a decoration all the time and we see nothing wrong with putting it on all sorts of things - the roof of a Mini, t-shirts, underpants, mugs, eggcups, teddy bears ... just about anything you like (yes, even doormats and toilet paper) which can say "I'm Bristish" (or, more often, "I've visited cute little Britain and I've got this piece of tat to prove it!")
The English flag - the cross of St. George, red on a white background - is, unfortunately, reserved for (a) supporters of the England football team, (b) demonstrations of solidarity with the hard right-wing parties who want to "Keep Britain British" and send any immigrants packing, (c) flying at the top of those churches dedicated to St. George and on St. George's Day (23 April).
We tend not to display the flags of other countries unless it's at an occasion or place where members of those countries are likely to be present.
We don't pledge allegiance to our flag or 'worship' it in the same way as the Americans do and we see nothing particularly wrong with using it on underpants, doormats or even toilet paper!
2 people like this
@Corbin5 (115945)
• United States
30 Jun
I love our country's flag. I have small ones and one that is large that flies proudly in front of our home on all those special days that we honor our country and its people.
