Memorial Day

Most people (and I used to be one of them when I was younger), considered Memorial Day, which falls on the last Monday of May, as the unofficial start to summer. There is so much more to this important national holiday. It’s our country’s remembrance and tribute to our fallen heroes, the men and women who died defending our country. Because of these brave American Soldiers, we are able to live as a free nation. Good and bad, America is still the best country in the world, thanks to those who gave up their lives to defend its freedom.

On June 28, 1968, the United States Congress passed the Uniform Holidays Bill, which moved three holidays from their traditional dates to a specified Monday in order to create a convenient three-day weekend. The holidays included Washington's Birthday, now celebrated as Presidents' Day; Veterans Day, and Memorial Day. The change moved Memorial Day from its traditional May 30 date to the last Monday in May. The law took effect at the federal level in 1971. Correction - Veterans Day was removed from this list of always-on-Monday holidays when it was moved back to its traditional date of November 11, by act of Congress in 1975, effective 1978. Thank you Heather at Pixie Dust for bringing this to my attention. Today, honoring soldiers on Memorial Day often takes the form of special ceremonies, speeches, and laying a wreath on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldiers at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia. Many Americans observe Memorial Day by visiting cemeteries or memorials, holding family gatherings and participating in parades.

The tradition of the red poppy has become a formality of Memorial Day which is often overlooked. Inspired by a poem entitled, In Flanders Fields, the poppy has become the flower symbol for the Memorial Day Holiday. From the poem, written by Canadian physician and soldier John McCrae, we develop a sense that the poppy represents the blood shed by soldiers during times of war. After World War I, many women began selling red poppies in honor of Memorial Day, to raise money for families affected by the war.

Thank you to all the Military men and women who have served and are serving our country, sacrificing their lives for our freedom. Thank you E for all you have sacrificed and keeping our country safe. I love you so very much!!