April is here and full of joy! Hopefully, you’ve adjusted to the spring forward time change and are ready for some high fiving, patriotic, story telling. This month has us pumped at World of Liberty to spread the feeling of delight that comes when the grass is green and flowers are blooming. It makes everything seem like a celebration.
There’s nothing like a patriotic celebration! Patriotism is one of our favorite things and this month we celebrate a special time in our history called Patriot’s Day, which falls on April 18th this year. It is always observed on the 3rd Monday of April. If you live in Massachusetts or Maine, it’s actually a state holiday, that means a day off from work and school for most folks. Patriot’s Day pays tribute to the battles of Lexington and Concord in 1775, which marked the beginning of the American Revolution.
I’m sure you’ve heard the phrase “The red coats are coming! The red coats are coming!” Well, that is the shout of Paul Revere on his infamous midnight ride to warn the patriots to prepare for 
war. It worked too. Thanks to Paul Revere, the townspeople were able to assemble in enough time to fight off the British attack the following day.
These early battles are important for American history because they were the first great steps towards Independence from the British Empire and creation of what would become the United States of America. You can find re-enactments of these events on Patriot’s Day especially in Boston. For schools that remain open, which is most schools, it’s a great opportunity to learn about the beginnings of our great nation and the bravery of the people that helped form our country. As history goes, the colonists prevailed and eventually claimed victory from British rule.
One form of celebrating a victory is the high five. There’s even a day for it. April 21st was declared National High Five Day in 2002 by college students at the University of Virginia. We can only imagine how many high fives were fived that day.
Where did the high five come from…isn’t it funny to imagine a world without high fives? There’s actually a couple origin stories of the first documented high fives. Both stem back to the 1970’s and both are related to sports. The best time to high five is when you win whether it’s for a home run, a slam dunk, or a job well done. High Five Day is for everyone to high five as many people as they can and we guarantee you’ll be smiling all day. Certain organizations even try to hold high five contests to raise money for good. Check out events that might take place near you.
After all that high fiving, you might have some great stories to tell. Just in time for Tell a Story Day on April 27th. We here at World of Liberty love to tell stories or read someone else’s in a good book. Everyone has a story within them, so take the time to tell it on this day and enjoy the wonders of story telling. It can be fictional, folk lore, real life experience, mythical, fantastical, spooky, funny, you name it… we’d love to hear it.
Libraries hold a special story hour for Tell a Story Day. Ask your local librarian about April 27th to find out how to participate in the activities. You might find a new hobby. Telling stories usually leads to writing them down, so other people can enjoy your story too again and again. The wonders of a good story can transport you to a far off land or teach a lesson in a cool way. They can even be acted out. There’s no limits to the imagination 
which is why we love this day so much. Have fun creating your story. Share it with us here at World of Liberty. We’re all ears!
Better mark your calendar now for all the activities you need to check out in your local area, you high fiving patriot of stories!
World of Liberty 