Family Traditions for Shavuot

It's Spring - the weather is nice. Folks are looking ahead to summer. In the midst of this, here comes a Jewish Holiday - and a major one too - Shavuot marking the giving of the Torah.

How do you observe the holiday as a family ? Does everyone like blintzes ? Does the family stay up late ? Are there any special family traditions ? Or is it a Jewish version of Memorial Day which seems to be losing its impact each year, except as an unofficial start to Summer ?

What does Shavuot mean to you and your family ? For you is it is a major Jewish holiday ? Is it major for you ? For that matter, is it different being Jewish during the Summer ? Do you observe Shabbat any differently ? Is being Jewish different for you during the Summer ? More meaningful ? Or in some small way do you start to "take the Summer off" and pick up again in the Fall ?

Tell us what you do - what works for you and your family ? What would you like to work for you and your family ?

Finally, back to Shavuot. What kind of blintzes do you like best ? If you don't do blintzes, are there any other special Shavout foods ?

We welcome your thoughts.