Memorial Day, May 28th this year (2012), is a day of remembering the men and women who died while serving in the United States Armed Forces.
In the US, Memorial Day is a time for visiting the graves of relatives, putting wreaths on the graves of fallen loved ones.
Memorial Day is a federal holiday in the United States, and used to be known as “Decoration Day”. Officially, it started after the American Civil War to commemorate the fallen soldiers, but in the South ladies organizations and schools decorated graves during the Civil War. By the 1900s, Memorial Day was a day to honor all Americans who had died in all wars.
Memorial Day Weekend is a long weekend with time off from work to remember and to relax. Families gather on the designated day to lay flowers on graves, and sometimes hold annual reunions to reconnect with far-flung family members.
Celebrating Memorial Day in 2012, there are many public events and remembrances as well as family gatherings. Take a moment to reflect on those lost, and those in harms way, this year.
