When Laura and I were married, we wanted to make our Southern heritage a part of the celebration that we shared with friends and family. At the front of the church where we said our vows, we had two Stainless Banner (2nd National) flags displayed – one on each side of the altar. When the ceremony was over and we walked back up the aisle to exit, our friends played Dixie on the piano and trumpet. People stood and clapped; both to wish us well and to recognize the culture we – and they – lived by.

Another way that we make our Southern heritage a part of our daily lives is the 25′ flagpole in our front yard that always displays one of the Confederate flags or the Florida state flag. We celebrate Confederate Independence Day (February 22) by hosting a dinner at our home where the theme is Southern culture. There are plenty of decorative items around the house with a Southern theme – from the portrait of Robert E. Lee overlooking the dining room, to the large matted and framed Confederate Seal over the fireplace in the office, to the various displays of photos of Confederate ancestors and SCV and MOS&B items.

We make a real effort to include our Southern heritage in our daily lives in a tasteful and appropriate manner. Look around a bit – are there ways that you can include Southern culture and heritage into your own daily life? We have such a rich heritage to draw from. Don’t let it go to waste.