Another Fourth of July is just around the corner—America’s Independence Day, the one we traditionally celebrate with food, flags, fireworks and filling.

FOOD: The National Hot Dog and Sausage Council estimated that Americans will eat about 150 million hot dogs this weekend.

FLAGS: The 2011 Census said that over $3.6 million in American flags were imported in 2011, $3.3 million of which were brought in from China. Here’s hoping we’ve managed to find a few this year that were made in America.

FIREWORKS: The 2011 Census also tracked the money that Americans spent on fireworks: more than $232.5 million—$223.6 million worth of Black Cats, bottle rockets, sparklers and similar projectiles were imported from China, the birthplace of fireworks. That one makes more sense.

FILLING:  An estimate by Stateline, hosted by the Pew Charitable Trusts, said that some 40.8 million people traveled at least 50 miles away from home during the Fourth of July in 2012. The AAA puts the number of travelers expected to let the rubber hit the road this weekend in celebration of the “Fourth,” at 41 million. That means a lot of trips to the gas pump to fill the family Buick, Suburban or Prius at $3.68 per regular gallon of gas, according to USA Today. That’s a lot of filling, and there’s a chance some of those gallons being pumped will have been refined from North Dakota crude oil.

Independence Day is actually a celebration of the signing of the Declaration of Independence which permanently separated the 13 colonies from Great Britain, though most of the Founding Fathers signed the Declaration on July second (in the absence of a popular e-signature option).

For one group of U.S. residents, the separation from another country is a more personal cause for celebration. In 2011 Fox News Latino reported that more than 24,000 immigrants became U.S. citizens during that Fourth of July weekend. Chances are this year’s soon-to-be citizens will always remember July 4, 2014.

In honor of our troops, it’s worth remembering a heartwarming video from the Huffington Post on July 4, 2013:

Happy Independence Day from Oil & Gas 360®.


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