Here are five little known facts about Memorial Day that you might not know about.
Memorial Day was originally created to honor Union soldiers who’d died while fighting in the Civil War. Because of this, southern states did not observe Memorial Day until after World War I, when the holiday was expanded to include soldiers from all wars.
It wasn’t until 1971 that we started celebrating the holiday on the last Monday of May.
On Memorial Day, we are supposed to have a Moment of Remembrance (silence for a few minutes) at 3pm.
The red poppy is a traditional symbol of Memorial Day (many veterans wear them to commemorate the day).
Memorial Day observances were at an all-time low in the 1960′s, then experienced a resurgence in the 1980′s.
We usually think of Memorial Day weekend as a way to jump start summer. This year, let’s all remember our fallen soldiers who fought and died so bravely for our country. They gave it all so that we could have life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. We should always be grateful for their sacrifices and the freedoms we cherish.
Happy Memorial Day Weekend!
