Memorial Day Was Never Intended To Be A Celebration

Memorial Day was never intended to be a celebration. Memorial Day is more than just a three-day weekend marking the unofficial start of summer. Most people celebrate the day without knowing the origin of Memorial Day. Memorial Day is more than getting a day off from work and school. It is more than eating, drinking, and having a good time. It is more than going to a traditional parade or catching a sale, according to ABC.

The day we celebrate at the end of May wasn’t originally called “Memorial Day.” A few years after the end of the Civil War, May 30 was established as “Decoration Day.” The graves of those killed in action were adorned with wreaths. It was a day to decorate their graves with flowers. May 30 may have been the selected day because flowers would be in bloom throughout the country, according to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs website. The website also says that in 1971, Congress declared Memorial Day to be a national holiday and placed it on the last Monday in May.

Since 1971, many veterans groups have lobbied for a return to the traditional observance of May 30, saying the creation of the national holiday takes away from the day’s meaning by giving people a three-day weekend for parades, picnics, and nonchalantly observing a day that should be solemn in nature.

“Memorial Day was never intended to be a celebration.”

Changing the date merely to create three-day weekends has undermined the very meaning of the day. No doubt, this has contributed greatly to the general public’s nonchalant observance of Memorial Day.

Memorial Day was never intended to start the summer. Memorial Day was set aside as a day for military families to remember their loved ones who died in a war. It is not for those loved one who did not die in battle even though people visit the graves of anyone who has died whether they were in the service or not. And there is nothing wrong with that, but it is not the real meaning of Memorial Day.

The real meaning of Memorial Day is to remember those who paid the ultimate sacrifice by dying in service to this country. This might sound strange, but Memorial Day is not for all veterans either. The day was originally set aside to honor those who died while serving our country.

The real meaning of Memorial Day. pic.twitter.com/jVlgUhxXge

— Earl Dibbles Jr (@EarlDibblesJr) May 26, 2014

It is acceptable to celebrate Memorial Day, just remember why you are celebrating on the day.

[Image via Getty Images]