Observe Memorial Day

Memorial Day is set aside to commemorate the contributions of the U.S. soldiers who have laid down their lives for their nation. Although it is a day for honoring these heroes, people also like to spend the Memorial Day weekend Observe festivals and reunions with friends and family.

Ways to Observe Memorial Day

Given below is a list of Memorial Day ideas that can help you to observe this special day and enjoy your time together with loved ones.

Attend a Parade:

There are countless parades held in different states and cities on Memorial Day.

For example, the National Memorial Day Parade held in Washington, D.C. is one that you shouldn’t miss. You may also decide to attend a memorial service and pay your respects to the brave soldiers of the nation. 

Memorial Day Observe in New York City will include the events of Fleet Week, as well as the Memorial Day Parade organized in Manhattan. If you live in the American South, you could participate in the Memorial Day Weekend Salute, held at Stone Mountain Park in Atlanta, Georgia. This three-day event held in Atlanta, where you can pay homage to the troops and their families.

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Participate in the National Moment of Remembrance:

 

Anyone can take part in the National Moment of Remembrance, taking place at 3:00 p.m. (local time) on Memorial Day. This is a time for Americans, wherever they may be, to pause for just a moment of unity and reflection on the sacrifices of our noble soldiers.

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Thank a Veteran:

 

 Considering the significance of Memorial Day, go out and express your gratitude to those who have fought for good of the nation. Talk to any veteran, and thank him or her for protecting many lives and safeguarding the freedom of the United States. There are also certain web sites that can help you send words of thanks or encouragement to the soldiers who are currently deployed. 

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Decorate soldiers’ graves with flags:

 

This Memorial Day, you may decide to go out and decorate the graves of our soldiers with flags as a tribute to all their contributions. You can also practice this tradition at home by adorning your house or your lawn with patriotic decorations. As you might have noticed, many public locations will fly the American flag at half-mast from dawn to noon. If you happen to have access to a flagpole, you can also carry out this symbol of recognition. 

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Make Donations to Military Veterans:

 

One way of honoring our soldiers is to make thoughtful contributions for their benefit. You can donate your old cell phone to help enable military personnel to connect with their loved ones while they are far away from home. Another good idea is to sponsor a gift for the soldiers through Operation USO Care Package.

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Make Patriotic Arts and Crafts:

 

Since Memorial Day weekend gives you plenty of time to spend with your family, you may want to involve your kids by making arts and crafts with a patriotic theme. For example, your kids could create hanging decorations for your home made out of red, white and blue tissue paper. All that you would need to create such an object are:

• Tissue paper squares in the colors of red, white, and blue
• Silver stars made from paper or foil
• Rectangular pattern for the backing
• Red, white, or blue ribbons
• Glue

Another craft project that you can teach your kids to make is a patriotic flag box. All this calls for is a simple old hat or shoe box to be decorated in red, white and blue colors. These boxes are easy to take anywhere, so they’re perfect for storing baked desserts to carry along on a Memorial Day picnic!

The items you would need for a patriotic flag box are:

• Red, white, and blue tissue paper
• Hat or shoe box
• Letter patterns that spell out "USA"
• Star cutouts or confetti
• Red, white, and blue craft foam
• Glue

If you have people coming over to Observe Memorial Day at your house, your kids will be excited to help by making a patriotic door hanger to greet them! The items required to create this craft project are:

• Red, white, and blue craft foam
• Star cutouts or confetti
• Letter patterns that spell out "USA"
• Construction paper
• Glue

While your kids have a blast making arts and crafts with a patriotic theme, they’ll also be learning about what it means to be an American. Thinking about these themes on Memorial Day, while they participate in a fun activity, will help them realize that there are many brave people who sacrifice their lives so that others can live in peace. 

Attend Festivals:

 

One of the most popular Memorial Day gatherings is the Decatur Arts Festival, which takes place during the Memorial Day weekend. This festival is a community event organized in Decatur, Illinois, including such attractions as the Artist’s Market, a fine arts exhibition and live performances. The Decatur Arts Festival is an exciting event with lots of appeal for kids and teens. If you have young children, take them along and let them participate in fun activities like making arts and crafts and creating balloon designs. Best of all, attendance to this festival is free!

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Arrange a Party: 

 

If you’d rather not go out, you can throw a party at your own home on Memorial Day. Decorate with flags and balloons in red, white and blue colors, or use flowers to adorn your rooms and tables. If you’re holding the party on a beach or in an outdoor space such as your yard, try decorating the trees and bushes with red, white and blue fairy lights or mini lanterns to add an elegant atmosphere. As for food and drink, it’s hard to beat the traditional barbecue and lemonade. Just a few of the many barbecue recipes you could whip up on Memorial Day are:

• Grilled whole fish with roasted tomato-chile sauce
• Grilled corn on the cob with maple-chipotle glaze
• Grilled mini-pizza

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Get involved this Memorial Day weekend, Observe, relax, and have a wonderful time with your friends and family!