Memorial Day Archives | Page 2 of 2

Memorial Day is a federal holiday observed annually in the United States on the last Monday of May. Formerly known as Decoration Day, it originated after the American Civil War to commemorate the fallen Union soldiers of the Civil War. (Southern ladies organizations and southern schoolchildren had decorated Confederate graves in Richmond and other cities during the Civil War, but each region had its own date. Most dates were in May.) By the 20th century Memorial Day had been extended to honor all Americans who have died in all wars. Memorial Day is a day of remembering the men and women who died while serving in the United States Armed Forces. As a marker it typically marks the start of the summer vacation season, while Labor Day marks its end.

Many people visit cemeteries and memorials, particularly to honor those who have died in military service. Many volunteers place an American flag on each grave in national cemeteries.

By the early 20th century, Memorial Day was an occasion for more general expressions of memory, as people visited the graves of their deceased relatives in church cemeteries, whether they had served in the military or not. It also became a long weekend increasingly devoted to shopping, family gatherings, fireworks, trips to the beach, and national media events such as the Indianapolis 500 auto race, held since 1911 on the Sunday of Memorial Day weekend. (~Found here)

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I want to send a special Thank you out to all the Men & Women who have served our country proudly! Thank you so very much! I believe this Day is also about honoring those who are currently serving or who are retired (but still living!). Thank you all so much for your serving our country to make us free!

We are approaching a very special holiday, Memorial Day. It is a day that we celebrate those who have fought and fallen for our countries freedom. You pay respect to those who have passed on to heaven and you pay respect to all the servicemen and women who give us the chance to actually have the freedom to celebrate this magnificent day. Yeah people use it as a 3 day weekend and for basically the beginning of summer and to go to the lake and to have parties and whatever else, but truth be told, it is to pay respect for those who have helped make this country great.

It’s odd, I received an email a couple of different times this week with the subject title, “Remember the Reason for Memorial Day” and it is filled with cute little joke pictures that I plan on sharing with you, in case you haven’t see this particular email. The thing about this email, I’ve received it many different years, it is one I think someone just saves and restarts every year around Memorial Day but this year it hit me harder than it ever has before. The pictures refer to veterans and oddly enough, I’m going to be marrying one herein, get this 100 days.

Now in the past had you asked me what a veteran is, I know what they are, they are men and women who have served our country, but to me, they were always older than me. I guess that I’m 26 (I think, I can tell you my birthday easier than I can my actual age) I have had 8 years of veterans that are my age but to me, the generation my dad’s age or older were the veterans. When PC told me that he was a veteran, a disabled one at that, I laughed because I didn’t think of it that way, he isn’t 70… (and neither is my dad but you get the picture). So when I got this email this year it just hit me funny, I’m marrying a veteran.

I’ve always had the utmost respect for Veterans and for those who are currently fighting here and overseas for our safety and our freedom but this weekend, I hope you remember what the actual reason for the weekend is and say a special prayer for those who are away from their families, for those families that are here hoping for the safe return of their family members, for those who are now veterans of wars and service and for those who died for your freedom to celebrate this weekend!

Now without further ado, here are the cute comics that made me want to write this post: