Star Wars Day!

I was quite surprised today to see something about today being Star Wars Day on Twitter, so I went to the ever-faithful Google to check it out. Wikipedia quickly informed me that May 4th, 2008, was the first Star Wars day. I thought it must be the anniversary of the first Star Wars film, now called A New Hope but back in 1977 when I stood in a long line that snaked around the huge movie theatre in Mission valley on a hot Saturday in June, it was merely called Star Wars.

But as I read the Wikipedia article, a very different reason for celebrating May 4th as Star Wars day was revealed. And it's quite funny. And PUNny.

It's a play on words: "May the 4th" becomes "May the 4th be with you." Punny indeed.

With three boys between the ages of nine and fourteen, we practically live and breathe Star Wars around here, and they are excited about this celebration of their favorite movie series. Besides having all six DVDs, the boys own nine Star Wars X-Box games, plus two more Star Wars games for their Nintendo DS systems. I can't count the number of Star Wars Lego sets they own, plus about thirty Star Wars action figures and at least six ships. Star War posters hang on their bedroom walls, and they each have an assortment of light sabers; J's collection numbers ten different light sabers. And they often try "force persuasion" on each other and even on me: ("We are done with school today. We will play X-Box instead to doing grammar." Doesn't work, but it is amusing.) Obviously, Star Wars is serious stuff around here.

So "May the 4th be with you" fans on this Star Wars Day. (And keep your "force persuasion" to a minimum, please.)