Memorial Day — 25 May

Memorial Day, May 25, for many Americans, conjures up images of hamburgers, hot dogs, swimming pools, and summertime . But the last Monday in May serves, most importantly, as a time to honor those who died while fighting in the U.S. Armed Forces. It’s a holiday steeped in somber American history and tradition. The day actually began as “Decoration Day,” following the Civil War, when mourners placed flowers on the graves of Union and Confederate soldiers. Yes, Memorial Day has also come to signify the “unofficial” start of summer, but let’s remember the heroes who made it all possible.

5 Creative Ways to Decorate for Memorial Day

Red, white, and blue. Stars and stripes. Flags and flowers.  There are so many ways to adorn your home over the Memorial Day holiday.  Here are some patriotic ideas:

  1. Unfurl those flags. Often times people store their American flags and raise them only during patriotic holidays. This is definitely one of those days.

  2. Line your walkway with mini flags: Nothing honors our deceased veterans like dozens (or even hundreds) of flags in your front lawn and entry way.

  3. Red, white, and blue layer cake. It’s a decoration you can eat.

  4. Stars and Stripes windsocks. Festive, fun, and patriotic.

  5. Even if you haven’t lost a loved one who served in the military, you can still honor the fallen with flowers at home. Red, Navy, and Blue Dahlias combined with white rose silk flowers can make a stunning visual combination.

5 Memorial Day Vacation Ideas

What will you do with your long Memorial Day weekend? Whether you’re a pack-the-minivan kind of family, or looking for a big airplane getaway, here are some great ideas to consider:

  1. Find the nearest beach, claim your spot, and sit there all day. It’s still early enough in the summer where the temperature could go either way. So remember layers! (Also, remember your portable grill.)

  2. If you’re interested in staying true to the intent of Memorial Day, but want to avoid the massive crowds in our nation’s capital, cities all over the country honor our fallen heroes with parades, concerts, and commemorations. New Orleans, for instance, hosts a day of events, including a concert and observance of the National Moment of Silence. Of course, there are two other days that weekend. And there aren’t many better places to be with a couple of down days than The Big Easy.

  3. For a relaxing weekend away from crowds, consider a bed & breakfast tucked away on a quiet mountain road. We hear that the forests north of Winterfell are beautiful this time of year.   

  4. Road trip! If you’ve never driven the Pacific Coast Highway, you have no idea what you’re missing. The views of California’s Highway 1 are endless, and there is no better place to feel awe-struck than seeing the mountains meet the ocean at Big Sur. 

  5. Camping, Glamping, or Lamping? Camping is always a favorite long weekend activity. Camping plus a few creature comforts like luxury tents has been popularized under the name “glamping.”  But if you’re looking for something quirky to do this holiday weekend, we might suggest a new pastime: Lamping. It basically consists of visiting a bunch of antique stores to find odd or unusual lamps. Think of it like a treasure hunt for tchotchke nerds.

The Civil War ended in the spring of 1865 when Robert E. Lee surrendered the last major Confederate army to Ulysses S. Grant at the Appomattox Courthouse onmApril 9. Over 620,000 soldiers died in the four-year conflict. Gen. John A. Logan of the Grand Army of the Republic (an organization of Union veterans) would eventually select May 30, 1868 as a day to pay tribute to the fallen:

“The 30th of May, 1868, is designated for the purpose of strewing with flowers, or otherwise decorating the graves of comrades who died in defense of their country during the late rebellion, and whose bodies now lie in almost every city, village and hamlet churchyard in the land…”

Logan apparently chose May 30 because flowers would be in bloom all over the country. By the end of the 19th century, Memorial Day ceremonies were being held on May 30 throughout the nation. States passed proclamations, and the Army and Navy adopted rules for proper observance at their facilities.

The crowd attending the first Memorial Day ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery was approximately the same size as those that attend today’s observance, about 5,000 people. Then, as now, small American flags were placed on each grave — a tradition followed at many national cemeteries today. In recent years, the custom has grown in many families to decorate the graves of all departed loved ones.

By 1890 each Northern state had made Decoration Day an official holiday. Not so for the South, where states continued to honor their dead on separate days until after the first World War.

The May 30 date held for decades. But in 1968 Congress passed the Uniform Monday Holiday Act, which established Memorial Day as the last Monday in May in order to create a three-day weekend for federal employees. The change took place in 1971. The same law also declared Memorial Day a federal holiday.

When?
1 month from now
25 May
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