Quick quiz: Do you know the difference between Independence Day, Memorial Day, Veteran's Day, and Flag Day?
Independence Day is July 4th, and it celebrates the day our founding fathers signed the Declaration of Independence.
Memorial Day is the last Monday in May, and it is a day of remembrance for fallen Americans in wartime.
Veteran's Day is November 11 (Armistice Day via WWI) and it is an opportunity to commemorate living veterans.
Flag Day is June 14--the day Congress adopted the stars and stripes as our national symbol. I highly recommend looking into the history and meaning of the US flag.
For more info about these and other patriotic holidays, check out this great article by the VFW.
We Americans love our patriotic celebrations (any excuse for BBQ!) but sometimes the meaning can get lost in the celebration. Here's a few ideas for how to maintain the meaning of these holidays (but still have a good time!)
1. Visit a veteran's cemetery or a National Cemetery. Take a flag or some flowers to decorate the grave of a veteran. We always used to make the rounds to all our fallen family with my grandparents every Memorial Day--it was an amazing time to hear from my grandparents about the heroes in our family!
2. Look for unkempt veteran's graves and clean it up. This one takes a little more time and commitment, but some cemeteries depend on the family to keep it up...and not everyone has family. This was something we did when we were younger and it made a deep impression on me as a small child.
3. Attend a parade or Concert. Los Alamos will have a concert on Memorial Day, and there are also various events in Santa Fe and Albuquerque.
4. Raise your flag. Simple but a great gesture of respect to our fallen heroes. Remember to keep her flying half-mast until noon, and watch out for bad weather. (More info on flag code.)
5. Honor the National Moment of Remembrance. Congress set a 3 p.m. as the moment of remembrance on Memorial Day to help maintain the original intent of the holiday. Take a minute to ponder in silence the sacrifices given to this country and honor fallen warriors.
Have a great Memorial Day!
Independence Day is July 4th, and it celebrates the day our founding fathers signed the Declaration of Independence.
Memorial Day is the last Monday in May, and it is a day of remembrance for fallen Americans in wartime.
Veteran's Day is November 11 (Armistice Day via WWI) and it is an opportunity to commemorate living veterans.
Flag Day is June 14--the day Congress adopted the stars and stripes as our national symbol. I highly recommend looking into the history and meaning of the US flag.
For more info about these and other patriotic holidays, check out this great article by the VFW.
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We Americans love our patriotic celebrations (any excuse for BBQ!) but sometimes the meaning can get lost in the celebration. Here's a few ideas for how to maintain the meaning of these holidays (but still have a good time!)
5 Meaningful Memorial Day Traditions
1. Visit a veteran's cemetery or a National Cemetery. Take a flag or some flowers to decorate the grave of a veteran. We always used to make the rounds to all our fallen family with my grandparents every Memorial Day--it was an amazing time to hear from my grandparents about the heroes in our family!
2. Look for unkempt veteran's graves and clean it up. This one takes a little more time and commitment, but some cemeteries depend on the family to keep it up...and not everyone has family. This was something we did when we were younger and it made a deep impression on me as a small child.
3. Attend a parade or Concert. Los Alamos will have a concert on Memorial Day, and there are also various events in Santa Fe and Albuquerque.
4. Raise your flag. Simple but a great gesture of respect to our fallen heroes. Remember to keep her flying half-mast until noon, and watch out for bad weather. (More info on flag code.)
5. Honor the National Moment of Remembrance. Congress set a 3 p.m. as the moment of remembrance on Memorial Day to help maintain the original intent of the holiday. Take a minute to ponder in silence the sacrifices given to this country and honor fallen warriors.
Have a great Memorial Day!
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