Memorial Day was established to honor the nation’s fallen soldiers, but has expanded over the years to include all veterans of the armed forces. To honor their service, attend a parade, lay some flowers and a miniature flag at a local gravesite, or invite a living veteran to your cookout; you can also probably find a veteran charity picnic in the area and lend your support. And when flying the flag, keep it at half-staff in remembrance until noon, Homes.com says, then raise it to full-staff at noon to symbolize the ongoing fight for freedom.
Tag: honoring fallen soldiers
Kids Can Help Celebrate Veterans Day
Veterans Day is Saturday, Nov. 11, and schoolchildren can honor veterans as they learn through a variety of activities, says Kids Thank a Veteran. Ask kids to write a letter to a veteran of Vietnam or another conflict, or invite a veteran to speak about their service at a school or event. Assemble a care package for a current service member, or plan a field trip to a VA nursing home or hospital, the site suggests; active troops and aging veterans alike will appreciate the consideration.
Celebrating the Fallen
One of the best ways to observe the nation’s fallen service members is to donate time, money, and supplies to (living) veterans programs. You can spend time with local veterans, buy a poppy to support the Veterans of Foreign Wars while you watch the parade, and contribute your old stuff to ClothingDonations.org to help fund veterans’ initiatives nationwide. Or—for maximum decluttering and incredible amounts of good karma—you can use the three-day weekend to stage a garage sale, give the proceeds to VVA, and donate whatever doesn’t sell.
The Origins of Memorial Day
Memorial Day has its roots in the springtime observances that began immediately after the end of the Civil War in towns throughout the war-torn country, according to the VA. The first nationwide Decoration Day—a day to honor the dead by decorating their graves with flowers and bunting—was held on May 30, 1868, with its first official observance at Arlington National Cemetery. After World War I, Decoration Day expanded to recognize fallen service members of all U.S. wars, but not until 1971 was Memorial Day declared a national holiday.