Memorial Day is a very important national holiday honoring the brave people who died while serving in the U.S. Military. Sometimes referred to as Decoration Day, this holiday is observed each year on the last Monday of May and started in the years following the Civil War. It is a somber day of mourning for those we’ve lost in battle.
According to History.com Memorial Day was originally called Decoration Day because on May 30, 1968 General John A. Logan called for a nationwide day of remembrance in which folks would decorate the graves of Veterans with flowers.
Honoring all Who Served
Visiting Military cemeteries to honor the deceased with flowers is still a large part of the modern holiday. Now there is also a moment of silence observed each Memorial Day at 3:00 pm local time. There are also parades highlighting Military personnel and members of Veterans’ organizations. Here are some other ways to honor fallen soldiers on Memorial Day:
- Wear a poppy flower on your shirt as a sign of respect
- Fly your flag at half-staff only until noon, then up to full-staff until sundown
- Playing “Taps”
- Refrain from saying “Happy Memorial Day” to “I wish you a meaningful Memorial Day”
- Visit Veterans Memorials in your area
Take the spirit of Memorial Day into the winter holiday season by volunteering with Wreaths Across America. Wreaths Across America takes donations and volunteers to place a wreath on every Veteran’s grave. This year, Wreath Day is December 16, 2023 with set-up happening the day before.
Local events and ceremonies:
- Friendswood: https://www.ci.friendswood.tx.us/380/Memorial-Day-Celebration-May
- Woodlands: https://www.thewoodlandstownship-tx.gov/Calendar.aspx?EID=10814&month=5&year=2023&day=28&calType=0
- Sugar Land: https://www.sugarlandtx.gov/921/Memorial-Day-Ceremony
- Memorial Day 10k: https://www.houstonrunningco.com/memorial-day-10k5k.html
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