1. Sleep in. It’s the start of a long weekend, and it’s been a long week at the office. You’ve done enough.

2. Fold red and white paper aeroplanes. Your son says his paper aeroplane flew the furthest in his class, and he wants to prove it to you. Might as well pull out the colouring set while you’re at it.

3. Put on a red shirt. You finally give in to your son’s pleading. You tell him the last time you wore red on 8 August, you were his age. The colour red feels duller than you remember.

4. Visit Fort Canning Park. All your father had to do when you were younger was set you and your sister loose on the hills while he napped in the car.

5. Buy dinner home. Preferably something relevant to the country’s heritage—you decide on Peranakan tonight.

6. Watch the parade on television. This was how your family used to celebrate National Day. Just the telly and some food on the table. You wonder when this started becoming a tradition.

7. Observe your neighbours. Some are cross-legged, playing board games on the floor. Others sit alone in front of the TV. Most are eating dinner. You notice the family on the 29th floor no longer has a flag out this year and wonder why.

8. Catch the fireworks from the void deck. You find a good vantage point where the crowd is and enjoy the first burst of paint in the sky. Your kid leans against you, and you ruffle his hair.

9. Pull out the sparklers. Your son’s face lights up. You remember your father surprising you the same way on some long-forgotten National Day.

10. Tuck your son into bed. It’s 12:45 in the morning. The city feels quieter than usual. The breeze that ruffles the curtains is quiet and kind. You won’t know it yet, but your kid will remember this day for years to come.