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Veterans Day 2011 |
Veterans Day is observed in the United States of America to honor and appreciate those who’ve served in the military services of the nation. It marks the anniversary of the day when the World War I between Germany and the Allied nations came to an end in 1918, after an armistice was signed.
When is Veterans Day 2011?
This national holiday is annually observed on November 11.
History of Observance
On November 11, 1919, Armistice Day was observed for the first time in U.S. There were parades, events, and public meetings held on this day with business activities being suspended for a short time period after 11 am. In 1926, the U.S. Congress announced that the anniversary of Armistice Day should be observed with prayers and thanksgiving. They wanted the national flag of United States to be displayed on all government buildings on that day. The U.S. Congress also wanted the people of the nation to celebrate the day with an observance in schools and churches where they would create friendly relations with others.
In 1938, an Act was approved, which declared November 11 or the Armistice Day as a legal holiday when people would honor veterans of World War I. In 1954, veterans service organizations demanded that the word “Armistice” should be modified as “Veterans”. By that time, thousands of US servicemen have fought in World War II in Korea. The US Congress accepted the proposal after which it was declared on June 1 that November 11 would be known as Veterans Day when all veterans serving their nation at all times and places should be honored.
However, in 1968, an initiative was taken through the Uniforms Holiday Bill to hold the observance on the 4th Monday of October. The bill came into effect in 1971 but it created a lot of confusion with several states deciding to hold the celebrations on November 11 itself. In 1975, President Gerald R. Ford signed a law according to which Veterans Day should be celebrated on November 11 from 1978. Since then, this important occasion is observed on November 11 itself.
Veterans Day Events 2011
Every year, this day is celebrated with a number of events to honor and thank those who’ve served U.S. in all wars, especially the living veterans. Here’s a list of some events that will be organized on Veterans Day 2011 in different areas of the nation.
Celebrations in Washington, DC
Arlington national Cemetery: A wreath-laying ceremony will be held at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at the west end of Memorial Bridge in Arlington, Virginia. The seats in the amphitheater are limited, so it is better to reach there at 10.30 a.m., half an hour before the event would begin.
Vietnam Veterans Memorial: At around 1 p.m. in Constitution Avenue and Henry Bacon Drive, NW Washington, DC, color guard speakers will pay their homage to veterans who served the U.S. military during Vietnam War. The memorial is a black granite wall where the names of those who lost their lives or went missing in the Vietnam War are inscribed in a chronological order of the time when the casualty took place.
World War II Memorial: A wreath-laying ceremony will be held at 9 a.m. on Veterans Day 2011 in World War Memorial II. The venue is located at the 17th Street between Constitution and Independence Avenues.
Air Force Memorial Washington, DC: At 11 a.m. on November 11, there’ll be a wreath-laying ceremony to appreciate veterans. In addition, a moment of silence (2 minutes) will be observed in honor of those veterans who were killed in wars.
Observance in Other States
Veterans Day Parade in New York City, NY: This parade will be held at 23rd Street on Fifth Avenue. It will proceed until it reaches north to the 59th Street. It will start at 11 a.m. and end at 2 p.m. The parade is preceded by a wreath-laying ceremony held at the Eternal Flame in Madison Square Park at 10.00 a.m. The parade includes marches, marching bands, as well as floats. Not only active military personnel and veterans groups participate in the parade but also the families of veterans are encouraged to be a part of it.
Parade in San Diego, CA: November 11, 2011 will witness a parade in honor of those men and women who served during the Desert Storm. Officers of the army, navy, air force, and U.S. Coast Guard, in addition to air marshals, are expected to participate in the event.
Veterans Day Activities
Given below are some of the activities that can help you celebrate with the true spirit of this occasion.
Veterans Day Crafts
Help your kids indulge in crafts and let them understand why this occasion is so important.
Star wreathe: This is one of the Veterans Day activities that kids may love to participate in. You’ll need the supplies as mentioned below:
- Red, white and blue construction paper
- A pair of scissors
- Glue
- A paper plate
- Glitter for decorations
Instructions:
- Make a large hole in the paper plate.
- Use construction paper (red, blue, and white) to cut out pieces of stars. Use star templates available online so as to draw and cut out the stars.
- Glue the stars to the paper plate.
- Adorn the stars with glitters.
- Have the names of veterans engraved on the stars.
National flag: You can teach your kids how to create the U.S. national flag and spread the spirit of patriotism on Veterans Day. The U.S. flag actually displays 13 red and white stripes in addition to 50 stars (representing the 50 U.S. states). The supplies you’ll need are:
- 9 craft sticks
- Brushes
- Red and white acrylic paint
- Blue construction paper
- White gel pen
- Glue
Instructions:
- Let your kids apply red color on 5 craft sticks.
- Paint 4 craft sticks white.
- Let the craft sticks dry.
- Glue the red and white sticks to the right side of a long craft stick in an alternating pattern.
- Cut out a small square-shaped piece of blue construction paper.
- Encourage your kids to draw white stars on the blue paper with white gel pen.
- Turn the flag over when the red and white craft sticks have been glued perfectly.
- Glue the square-shaped construction paper.
- Glue another craft stick at the back of the long craft stick.
- That’s how you create the national flag!
Cascade of stars:
This craft item can be used for home décor in your Veteran’s Day party. You’ll need the following supplies for it:
- Cardstock or thick construction paper
- A drinking straw (one straw for each project)
- A printer
- Yarn (about 1 and 1/2 feet of yarn for each project)
- Scissors
- Paint, markers, and glitter
Instructions:
Draw 6 stars on cardstock and cut out the pieces from it. Make sure the stars are of different sizes. You may look for star templates online.
- Thread the yarn through the stars to make a tiny hole at the center of each star.
- Adorn the stars with markers, paints, and glitters for a special touch.
- Cut 1 and 1/2 inch long pieces from a drinking straw. You’ll need 5 such pieces for each project.
- Cut a piece of yarn having length 2 feet.
- Tie a thick knot at one of its ends.
- Thread the smallest star through the end of the yarn, which is not tied with the knot.
- Push the star down to the knot.
- Thread one of the pieces cut out from the drinking straw and push it down to the star.
- Keep on threading the stars and pieces cut out from the drinking straw, one by one.
- Once you thread the last star, tie a loop at the end.
That’s how you can help your kids create a cascade of stars.
Other Activities and Celebrations on Veterans Day
Veterans Day coloring pages: You’ll find patriotic-themed pictures available online. All you have to do is get printouts of such pages and hand them over to your kids for painting. They’ll not only enjoy coloring the pages but also learn about the people and events associated with this important day.
Worksheets and printables: There are online worksheets and printables like word search puzzles and word jumbles which are fun activities for kids and older children. So, encourage your children to spend some time working on these printables on Veterans Day.
Flag-hoisting ceremony: Flag-hoisting ceremonies are often held in schools and government office buildings on this special occasion. The U.S. national flag is often hung at half mast. This is followed by singing of the National Anthem and a moment of silence (2 minutes) observed at 11 a.m. in honor of living veterans who’ve served the nation.
Musical concerts: Musical programs and concerts are organized by schools, colleges, and other institutions so as to celebrate the spirit of this important day. You can attend these programs in addition to exploring the events held by your state.
Sharing ecards: While you indulge in various activities on November 11, share the spirit of patriotism by sending Veterans Day ecards to your dear ones.
On Veterans Day, Federal Government offices remain closed whereas schools may declare a holiday or celebrate with special events and activities for children. State and local government offices may not be closed; they may operate if they want. Just in case Veterans Day falls on a Sunday, the following Monday is chosen for the observance.
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