Pioneer Day of Fun - Meaningful and Memorable Ways to Honor Pioneers

Whenever July 24th rolls around I find myself wishing I had more ways, ideas, traditions to honor and CELEBRATE pioneers. So many of my ancestors were, and current family members are pioneers. What they sacrificed, how they lived, kept the faith, and managed find joy along the way, is a legacy and mystery to me. The more I try to understand and appreciate them, the more I might be like them. 

So here it is, a guide to celebrate your first of hopefully many meaningful and memorable PIONEER  DAYS!

PIONEER DAY OF FUN

Pioneers are a big deal so Pioneer day should be a big deal. That being said, today is all about keeping things simple. Like the pioneers did. Their motto was: use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without. Don’t make it complicated, DO make it fun. (A lot of these ideas are inspired by the Early Mormon pioneers, but you can change things up to honor any pioneer from any era)

Breakfast: Make “ashcakes” “Scones”, top with butter, honey, and/or jam. Try to stick to foods they would have/could have eaten on the trail: jerky? eggs? Water? Locusts?

Choose one or more activity:

• Play outdoor games, red rover, hide and seek, or crack the whip if you have good health insurance.
• Make homemade butter in a mason Jar. Put at least 8oz. room temp. whipping cream in a mason jar and 2 clean marbles. (Remove marbles prior to “spreading).
• Watch the Parade. If you have access to Utah’s channel 5 Eyewitness News, every 24^th of July in the morning, they broadcast the Days of ’47 Parade.
• If you need to drive anyplace, use google maps to calculate trip length in walking distance. Are we thankful for our wheels yet?
• Make bread or rolls. Homemade or store-bought it still tastes great
• Go for a hike, suck on a smooth stone. Pioneers often did this to quench their thirst.
• Make homemade ice cream. I don’t think the pioneers did this, but it sounds fun.
• Go horseback riding or visit a farm to see the animals. Pet a chicken. Be glad you don’t have to kill it.
• Grown-ups, head to a shooting range to practice your aim.
• Practice or learn to braid hair.
• Visit a museum or historical site. Try to imagine yourself in their humble and amazing shoes.
• No electricity challenge: If possible, don’t use electricity for 24 hours. At night use candles or heaven forbid, a flashlight 😊 How DID they do it?
• Put away cell phones for the day. No really, how DID they do it????
• Make edible “Buffalo Chips”. https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/230427/coconut-buffalo-chip-cookies/ or you can dip original flavor Pringles in melted chocolate and allow to dry on wax paper. MMM. . . buffalo chips. Tasty. 😊

• Have the kids collect tinder: small branches and twigs that make an excellent fire starter for your fire tonight.
• Go camping or set up a tent in the backyard for the kids to sleep in.
• Watch the Tabernacle Choir on Temple Square’s Pioneer Day Concert on Mormon.org
• Watch a pioneer movie. “Legacy”, “Seven Alone”, Only a Stonecutter”, “17 Miracles”.

Dinner:

Build a campfire and cook dinner over it. Roast hot dogs and ‘smores, try dutch oven cooking or make tin foil dinners.When it gets dark sit around the fire and exchange stories about pioneer ancestors from the past or present. Try to keep them under a minute or two each. If you invite guests, invite them to be prepared to share a story.

If you have any fun traditions for Pioneer day, please share them with me at rochelleflores2@gmail.com and you may see them added to this post! THANKS!