What was Memorial Day originally called?
…The weekly trivia question at the local dry cleaners. Written on a large chalkboard near the cash register. If answered correctly, you earned a 15% discount on your incoming order.
An interesting question, but…trivia?
I don’t think so.
Memorial Day is celebrated in the United States today: May 27th, 2019.
The last Monday of May is designated as a federal holiday…to honor and remember the men and women who have died while serving in the military. Sacrificing their lives for our country’s freedom.
Flags are lowered to half-mast. Parades are held in cities and towns. Services and solemn moments of silence are observed.
The original date for Memorial Day was May 30th. The tradition began after the Civil War, when graves of fallen soldiers were decorated with flowers and wreathes.
It’s original title? Decoration Day.
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Memorial Day earned one small front page article – below the fold – in today’s local newspaper. My iPhone Apple newsfeed?…I had to scroll almost to the bottom to spot one tiny link to a NYTimes article about Memorial Day. I found no mention of today’s holiday in my New York Times “Today’s Headlines” daily email.
However, apparently today is the best day for sale prices on large appliances and mattresses. “Red, white and blue” sales are everywhere….as enthusiastically reported on television’s “Good Morning America.”
Really?
one letter UP ~ diary 2.0 
It’s truly disturbing to me that Corporate America has in some ways stomped out all of our holidays with promises of good things to come whilst we pay interest free for six years. Disgusting.
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Such upside-down priorities.
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Sickening! It’s ludicrous. 😡
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Sad…sad…sad…! Thank you for sharing the true meaning of the holiday.
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Thanks.
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Interesting tid bit, and as far as what is on the front page of the news…these days that is up to us. Share your story. I’m reading here…not the newspaper…or any sale ads.
Perspective.
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Good point. Thank you.
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Merchandising! Sad. I remember the ladies in my family who met together at grandma’s house and made crape paper flowers for many graves. Then everybody would go out to place them on the graves. Well I have had my part in losing that tradition. I live 350 miles from where my family members are buried. All the migrating families have made the old tradition hard to follow. I did go out to the near cemetery last year jut to give thought to people who were there since I could not be with my family. It was beneficial to me. But this year I didn’t even remember! Saturday will be the 31st; I will go pay my respects to the lives represented there Well – if there is no rain and if I remember. 😀
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Such sweet family memories. Time and distance do make it more challenging to continue many traditions, but we do the best we can! Thanks for your comment 🙂
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