Memorial Day
Around 1865 decorating soldiers’ graves started in the north in Waterloo, New York and by 1890 most of the northern states joined in the official holiday then known as “Decoration Day”. It was a day that all religious beliefs were put aside and everyone joined together for the Blue and Gray.
“Decoration Day” was renamed in “Memorial Day” 1882. On June 28, 1968, Congress moved Memorial Day to the last Monday in May. Even Canada recognizes Memorial Day but one week earlier and they call it Victoria Day. As Americans we observe Memorial Day by visiting cemeteries and memorials, flying our American Flag and enjoying a meal with our loved ones and friends.
I remember when I was a little girl on Decoration Day by 3 pm my father, mother and grandmother would go to the graveyard in on our small New England island. We would clean around our family graves and those of any soldiers that my parents remembered or saw their marked graves. Not only did we observe soldiers but our own family members who had passed away and had lost loved ones in the wars. We planted flowers and said prayers sometimes we even shed tears. It was not a bad day it was a day to remember those passed on.
Souls that had made the way for us to live and love and make a better life for ourselves. I remember my dad wanting to make sure this was a tradition that was to be carried on for his family.. I hope I have made this a priority in our family. Celebrate May 30, 2011 and remember those that came before us and today and have gaven their lives for all of us as Americans and Canadian.
It’s funny how traditions start going.
Whilst we do not do this directly in the UK it has become a tradition to mark a relatives birthday by placing a poppy cross on the local war memorial.
All over the Cities, towns and villages of the UK are special places, memorials sometimes a cross sometimes an obelisk. Many of these display the names of the people from that place which fell in WW1 and WW2.
It has become a tradition to pay a poppy cross on the displays on the loved ones birthday to remember them.
Our nations remembrance day always takes place on the second Sunday in November and are well attended everywhere.