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Position:Home>History> How to Observe Memorial Day?Question: How to Observe Memorial Day!? Memorial Day was born out of the horror of the Civil War, when more than 600,000 soldiers - Union and Confederate - fell in battle!. Over the years it's become a day to honor all the men and women who have given their lives in the cause of freedom!.
So what do most people do!?Www@QuestionHome@Com Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: STep 1 Fly the American flag at half-staff!. Step2 Travel to Washington!. Tour some of the city's many memorials to fallen heroes, and attend the always-poignant ceremonies at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery!. Step3 Take in the National Memorial Day Concert on the west lawn of the U!.S!. Capitol!. If you can't make it in person, tune into the PBS broadcast of the performance by the National Symphony Orchestra and a crew of special guest artists!. Step4 Join in the observances at a military base or cemetery near you if you can't make it to Washington!. Check your local paper, or call the closest military base, American Legion or Veterans of Foreign Wars post to find out what's happening and when!. Step5 Remember those who fought and lived to tell about it: Take some flowers, books or cookies to a nearby veterans' hospital!. Step6 Continue a classic tradition: Put flowers and flags on the graves of departed friends and family ' civilian as well as military!. If you live far away from the final resting place of anyone you knew, decorate the grave of a stranger!. Step7 Have your annual beginning-of-summer barbecue, or spend the three-day weekend at your favorite getaway spot, but take a little time out from fun and games to reflect on the day's real meaning and the fact that freedom isn't free!. Tips & Warnings Many cities and towns lay claim to the origin of Memorial Day!. One of them is Columbus, Mississippi, where many Union soldiers were laid to rest far from families who could care for their graves!. Widows of Confederate soldiers, saddened by the neglected plots, gathered on April 25, 1866, to place flowers on the graves of their husbands' former enemies!. Decoration Day, as it was then called, became an annual custom in Columbus and about two dozen other communities throughout the country!. The first national celebration of Decoration Day took place on May 30, 1868, at Arlington National Cemetery!. After speeches by dignitaries, some 5,000 people, including Civil War veterans and children from the Soldiers and Sailors Orphan Home, walked through the cemetery reciting prayers, singing hymns and strewing flowers on the more than 20,000 graves of Union and Confederate soldiers!. In 1971, a Joint Resolution of Congress designated the last Monday in May as Memorial Day and broadened its scope to include all military personnel who have died in service to the nation!. This year, Memorial Day falls on May 29!.Www@QuestionHome@Com What people do and what people ought to do are two very different animals!. The original intent of Memorial Day was to honor the dead specifically the War Dead by visiting the local cemetary tendng to their graves and saying prayers!. The orginal intent is to spend the day in contemplation and prayers!. However!. Gathering at cemetaries families would reunite, old friends would greet each other and in time Memorial Day became a day to celebrate and to renew friendships & family ties!. As one of the first Three Day Weekends on the calender, provided one had Saturday off, this meant an opportunity to travel to far off places to visit with family and friends!. Since any social gathering is a good reason to grind (eat) this made Memorial Day a good reason for elaborate picnics and backyard barbcues!. This also ties into Memorial Days role as the kick off to Summer since it is often the first weekend of good weather since Winter in North America and so a good reason to break out the grill!. A final note about cemetaries and food!. Many a family back say before 1960 would have a picnic lunch at the graveside of love ones; a lovely cemetary, lush green lawns, all provided a somber yet loving atmosphere for a picnic!. Peace///////\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\////!.!.!.Www@QuestionHome@Com |