Memorial Day honors the vast numbers of men and women who have died in service to their country.

Memorial Day was officially proclaimed on May 5, 1868, and observed on May 30, 1868, when Arlington National Cemetery decorated the graves of both Union and Confederate soldiers. The symbolism of wearing a red poppy on this day comes from the poem “In Flanders Field,” which likens the splash of red color to the blood shed by soldiers on so many fields.

Possible Memorial Day activities –

• Attend a parade (or march in one)
• Have a picnic
• Fly the flag
• Wear (or sell) red poppies
• Visit a cemetery
• Attend a memorial service
• Visit a veteran
• Make a thank-you card and mail to the local VFW or American Legion or VA Hospital

Photo by R. Firman

This entry was posted on Monday, May 25th, 2009 at 5:41 am and is filed under Holiday tips. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.