holidaze
An ongoing blog on the holidaze of
2018 - 2019 + how we celebrated them.
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UNIVERSAL INTRO.
Gosh, holidays are so important to me. They are one of the best examples of an experience that is wholly shared, and yet still so individual. Yourself and you alone. You and your family. You and your country…, so on and so forth…
They are very powerful memory makers, loaded with music, symbology, tradition, and eats that help to influence our histories, forge our identities, and shape our futures.
The paradox of the relationship between holidays and those who celebrate them, is that very rarely are they leisurely for all.
Holidays are loaded – they can be both a relief and a burden, affecting every human differently, evolving from year to year (or when they re-occur).
Sometimes tragedies coincide with these dates, and we can thank society for that annual reminder of certain pains and sorrows.
But the intention is that they’re always a revelry.
This post is an ongoing collection of the ways we celebrated certain holidays. A little insight into the mood of the time, the emotion through a few words, and how I saw it through the lens of my camera.
This is where I lionize our holidays.
– THE FOURTH OF JULY –
Celebrated July 4th, 2018
No real traditions for the Fourth of July. Been to the esplanade with Krystin twice, that turned into a zoo real fast. But memories are usually born without plans, and without a plan to recreate them.
Everything, lately, seems like an allegory
for some version of America....
We stayed home, stayed in the pool, and pooled our resources for a cookout on the fourth. Mfrank made a beautiful strawberry shortcake – although the heat was hell-bent on melting it. And Maggie looked on as happy as ever.
Just me, Billy, our brother, sister, dad, mom, our aunt, cousin, and grandma. No concrete plan, or expectation – and so it turned out relaxing and wonderful.
Everything lately, seems like an allegory for some version of America…This version was one of gratitude.
Grateful for the camera that was gifted to me, and my constitutional right to capture and share what I see, without fear that my government will censor and assault me.
Grateful for the water we drank and swam in, lucky to have the infrastructure, lucky to have it clean, lucky to have it cold, and in copious amounts.
Maggie girl has that grateful mindset 24/7:
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Oh, and did you know I’m family with sirens that feel the same?:
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Grateful for the company, our health, and togetherness.
Grateful for our country, all it’s flaws, and all it’s promises – on the day we celebrate it’s birth.
Family in this series:
Billy, Maegan, Sarah, Jon,
MFrank, and Maggie.
– Halloween –
Celebrated October 31st, 2018 | shot on iPhone
– Halloween –
Celebrated October 31st | Shot on iPhone
just clowning around
We had this awesome idea two halloweens ago (yep, 2017 as of this writing,) that we would read It before the remake dropped. We being me, and buying huge paperback copies for Austin and Ali. Well, that didn’t happen (on pg. ___ of ____), it’s a masterpiece, but it’s still ongoing.
I don’t usually do a good job at dressing-up. Basically all of my friends freaking rock that ish out. But 2018 I channeled Pennywise, and decided to clown it up.
Don’tchu worry, didn’t try to Pennywise forreal. But I did get a DOPE rainbow wig from Amazon and decided to have some fun. Yea, I was the only person to dress-up at work…and yea it was heavy, colorful, and a lure for stares, but real harlequins are apathetic to such criticisms.
You play, but on Halloween, you never say you’re sorry.
Family in this series:
Austin, momma, and pop.
– Billy’s Bday –
Celebrated November 10th – 11th
– Billy’s Bday –
Celebrated November 10th – 11th in Portland, ME || Shot on iPhone
Thirty bottles of buch on the wall...
It’s official. Billy is 30. My expert non-expert opinion is that he is aging backwards. Depending on the mood he’s in he’ll tell you otherwise. Either point out the smallest of silver hairs on his temples (gray forever), or he’ll let out a raucous ‘that’s right!’ and end the conversation. It was no different this time around, hitting the road to celebrate in Portland, ME.
It was freezing. I’m talking bitter, bitter windy-ass cold. I was of course underdressed, (yea I’m from here I know how cold it is), and stupid, and yea in-case you had any doubts, writing this with a backwards posture in my current attitude yields no self-kindness. But regardless, we laughed, Billy, Jonny, Maegan, and myself. We shot pool. We drank dranks. We did what good little millenials do, we watch Netflix. And til this day, that Johnnie Walker Black Label reminds me, in a scary good way, of, ‘The Haunting of Hill House.”
Happy Birthday, Habibi.
Family in this series:
Billy, Maegan, and Jon (not pictured).
– Thanksgiving –
Celebrated November 22nd 2018
– Thanksgiving –
Celebrated November 22nd 2018
What are you thankful for? For me, it’s always my family. They know just what to say, or do, when I’m in the wrong headspace, and help build me up when my own brick and mortar just falls short. Thankful for an uneventful day, full of love, food, and football. This was Thanksgiving 2018 shot on iPhone.
– Christmas –
Celebrated December 25th 2018 | Shot on iPhone 8 +
– Christmas –
Celebrated December 25th 2018 | Shot on iPhone 8 +
So Christmas was a gas. It came and went so quickly, and left me full of love.
Writing, Photography, + Design by
BRITTANY COLETTE
Brittany is a self-taught media maker, an admin. + communications professional, and cat mom based in RI. She is the founder of the Black Swan District, an online blog, part portfolio, part collective, that showcases her quirky work + and endeavors to show the work of anyone and everyone who has something to show or say. Learn more about the founder and/or how to share your stuff on the BSD.