Why Do We Celebrate Memorial Day?
We celebrate Memorial Day to remember the cost of American freedom. Americans have the wonderful privilege to live in a country that provides its citizens with freedom. Freedom of expression and religion are just two of the freedoms that the country was built on. The United States Constitution provides Americans with all kinds of freedoms and guarantees citizens numerous rights. There are no other countries in the world in which the citizen’s have so many rights and freedoms guaranteed by the basic foundational documents of the country.
Memorial Day is one day each year that is set aside to remember those that have laid down their lives for all the citizens of America. Memorial Day is a holiday designed to honor those who paid the ultimate price to protect and ensure the freedoms that Americans enjoy.
The freedoms that Americans enjoy are protected and ensured by the men and women of the armed services who put their lives on the line to protect the country and what it stands for. The armed services protect America from invasion and from acts of aggression from other countries around the world. They know that they may be called upon to lay their lives down to protect their country and still they volunteer to form that line of defense.
The United States has been involved in many wars and military operations around the globe. These actions have led to some soldiers losing their lives for their country.
History of Memorial Day
The first occurrence of the observation of Memorial Day was in 1886 in the state of New York. In particular, the birthplace of Memorial Day was in the town of Waterloo, NY which celebrated it on May 5. 1866. This was just following the Civil War and the day was meant to honor and remember those that had died in the war. In the next few years, the rest of the northern states followed suit and recognized the holiday of Memorial Day. The southern states didn’t follow the northern example until just after World War I.
Started as Decoration Day
The holiday didn’t originally begin as Memorial Day but as Decoration Day. The first observance of Decoration Day occurred at Arlington National Cemetery on May 30, 1868. The first observance service in Arlington National Cemetery was a procession through the graves that involved placing flowers and American Flags on each grave to remember the soldiers lost. This service also was accompanied by the singing of hymns and songs. Some communities still observe the holiday in this way.
Modern Memorial Day Celebrations
The official recognition of Waterloo as the birthplace of Memorial Day was made by President Lyndon Johnson on May 26, 1966. In 1967, Congress officially changed the name of the holiday from Decoration Day to Memorial Day. When the change was made, Congress scheduled Memorial Day for the last Monday of the month of May each year.
For many, the Memorial Day weekend has become just another three-day weekend to have fun, BBQ or picnic. It has lost some of the meaning of its original beginnings. As a result, there has been a movement to fix the day of observance as May 30th, regardless of the day of the week it falls upon. Some believe that changing the date to a specific day, rather than a day designed to provide a three-day weekend, will remind people what it is all about.
Take the time every Memorial Day to give thanks and gratitude to those that died for your freedom and ability to live life as you see fit. It was important enough to these brave soldiers that they gave the ultimate price: their lives.
If you have a relative or friend that has died in the service of their country, remember them and show it in some way. Either way, take a moment to remember all the soldiers who have died for your freedom. Something as simple as placing some flowers on a soldier's grave will ensure that you don’t forget what the day is all about.