Brenda has two grandchildren, and perhaps with a little direction and inspiration from the older generation, they may take up the logs and keep them burning on the levee in the spirit of generations of ancestors. Young boys were in charge of preparation for and execution of the celebration. Although adults may have been present as spectators, it appears that the younger family members and friends were the actual participants in the gala. It also appears that the continuation of the tradition was dependent upon families remaining in the original places of bonfires-the River Road. Family members who remained at Hohen Solms continued the tradition, while those who moved did not.
Differences are more subtle.
For my father's generation, it is evident that the event was certainly one of fun and joining together, but it also seems to have been a time of reflection and celebration of the daily activities that went on through the year. In my generation, bonfires served more as a guarantee that the family members who had migrated to other areas would come together and form a group once more. We shared the levee with no one but first cousins. The third generation seems to have a combination of the first two. Their bonfires pull together the family, but they also include many friends with whom they have been active during the entire year.