What Are You Doing for Memorial Day (U.S.)?

[AmateisGal]

It's Memorial Day weekend starting tomorrow. I know, as LizzieMaine would say, the "big boys" of marketing want us to believe it's just a day for sales, but it's always been a time of reflection for me, especially of remembering our military dead.

So I plan to go to our local Memorial Day ceremony at our Veterans Memorial Garden here in town and probably watch "The Longest Day" - which has become a Memorial Day tradition for me.

What are your plans?

 

[LizzieMaine]

I'm going down to my hometown to help my mother clean off the family graves. We have two WW2 vets -- both great-uncles of mine. One was an Army sergeant in Europe, the other a Merchant Marine captain whose ship was sunk off the coast of Africa by a U-Boat, and who spent three weeks on a raft with a group of survivors before they reached Guiana. We'll especially deal with an enormous anthill on my grandfather's grave -- he was overage for service, but was an air raid warden and an AWS spotter.

We will not, under any circumstances, have any kind of a barbecue.

 

[Fading Fast]

Growing up and now, neither my girlfriend's family nor mine treated(s) Memorial Day as a "fun" holiday. We might have done something on the Saturday or Sunday before it, but that day was always a low-key one. Growing up, we might have gone to the cemetery (but that would entail multiple state travel now) or simply spent a quiet day at home, with the message being this is a solemn moment to respect those who have fought for our country.

When / if we watched a war movie, there was a feeling of respect (war movies hadn't become video games back then) and my father would reference why we should feel grateful for what those men (different time, even though, many women had sacrificed all for the country though out its history) had done. I don't want to exaggerate, it wasn't a funereal feel, but a quite respectful one - definitely different than say July 4th which was celebratory.

Without much thought, my girlfriend and I still treat it that way. Saturday and Sunday are normal weekend days, but Monday will be low key.

Edit add - and we would watch the news coverage of the ceremonies at Arlington (and sometimes, if on, the ceremony itself).

 

[AmateisGal]

Monday has always been a somber day for me, as well, and I think that's as it should be.

 

[tonyb]

Our little household will do what I suspect most others will do -- enjoy a three-day weekend and do very little that involves memorializing our war dead in any meaningful way. I'm not boasting about that, but rather just stating the plain truth of it. I know of no parades or other functions we might attend it we were of a mind to.

Back when I was a kid marching in a Boy Scout drum and bugle corps it seemed that most settlements of any size hosted parades on patriotic holidays. On the "big" holidays we would do three or four parades in cities and towns within fairly short bus rides of one another. Back then, though, holidays in general were a much bigger deal than they are now. Most businesses -- retail stores among them -- shut down for holidays. Better have gotten your gas and groceries the day before, or you might well have been out of luck. These days, a once holy and/or somber holiday is just another opportunity to have a "sale."

 

[pawineguy]

Four baseball games in the next 24 hours, then hopefully a relaxing Sunday and Monday. (I'm sorry, but yes I'm hoping we don't advance in the tournament) Monday morning is the local Memorial Day parade, which we will attend, then we will walk over to a neighbor's house for a BBQ. This will be the second year that my boys will watch old war movies because: 1. I love them and 2. It's a way to get them interested and educated in history. My older son just returned from Gettysburg so he'll be the most receptive as his class has been studying the battle for over a month now, and it's piqued his interest in learning more about all of our wars from the Civil moving forward. Watching together allows me to comment and reinforce the meaning of this weekend.

 

[AmateisGal]

Four baseball games in the next 24 hours, then hopefully a relaxing Sunday and Monday. (I'm sorry, but yes I'm hoping we don't advance in the tournament) Monday morning is the local Memorial Day parade, which we will attend, then we will walk over to a neighbor's house for a BBQ. This will be the second year that my boys will watch old war movies because: 1. I love them and 2. It's a way to get them interested and educated in history. My older son just returned from Gettysburg so he'll be the most receptive as his class has been studying the battle for over a month now, and it's piqued his interest in learning more about all of our wars from the Civil moving forward. Watching together allows me to comment and reinforce the meaning of this weekend.

So wonderful that your son is interested in learning about history. And what a great opportunity to bond together over old war movies.

 

[Harp]

It's Memorial Day... it's always been a time of reflection for me, especially of remembering our military dead.

So I plan to go to our local Memorial Day ceremony at our Veterans Memorial Garden here in town and probably watch "The Longest Day" - which has become a Memorial Day tradition for me.

What are your plans?

Some time to reflect, take stock of the past. Time has been kind and helps place a certain distance for thoughtful remembrance.

 

[Frunobulax]

Well, the barbecues are over, as I'm one to enjoy a three day weekend as much as anybody - unapologetically, I might add. My Monday off has been spent much as other Memorial Days. Got up, cut some peonies from the back yard and visited Mom and Dad at Calvary Cemetery. Dad was a Corpsman in WWII, I don't know much else as I never really got to ask him about it. I told them how the Reds are doing, as per usual..

Much of the rest of the day will be quiet. Listening to the ball game right now.

 

[Dan Allen]

watching the rising water and hoping I don't need sand bags and watching the radar hoping I don't need the shelter, not the day I looked forward too.

 

[Babydoll]

We spent a bit of time today telling Lily about Hubby's cousin William. He was KIA back in 2008, at the age of 19. We also told her about her great grandpa Chuck, who was at Bataan, and a POW for several years. We explained that they fought and sacrificed for our freedom and today we are grateful for them. She's a bit young to get all of that, so it will be an ongoing conversation in the years to come.

 

[AmateisGal]

I went to a Memorial Day program this evening. When they play taps, it always gets to me.

 

[AmateisGal]

We spent a bit of time today telling Lily about Hubby's cousin William. He was KIA back in 2008, at the age of 19. We also told her about her great grandpa Chuck, who was at Bataan, and a POW for several years. We explained that they fought and sacrificed for our freedom and today we are grateful for them. She's a bit young to get all of that, so it will be an ongoing conversation in the years to come.

Thank you for doing this, Babydoll. Too many people nowadays are not teaching their children about the importance of remembering those we've lost.

 

[LizzieMaine]

As planned, I visited the cemetery in my home town with my mother which was an unexpectedly difficult experience -- it really hit me this year that just about every adult I knew as a kid growing up is buried there now, and so are several of my childhood friends, and I found myself choking up over it. Mortality hits you right between the eyes when you're least expecting it.

On a more cheering side, I was happy to see that the town has initiated the policy of marking firefighters' graves with flags, just like military veterans. My grandfather, one of my great-uncles, and my great grandfather were all volunteer smoke-eaters, so it was nice to see them get some recognition.

Later on one of the kids from work and I went to a Memorial Day concert featuring a local choral group, a small symphonic orchestra, and a theremin soloist. I was surprised that, when the National Anthem was sung, I was the only person in our row who didn't need to look at the printed lyrics in the program.

 

[2jakes]

I took my mom who can no longer drive to visit my dad who passed away about a year ago.
My dad served in WW2.
Although I know how to locate the cemetery, my mother always has to me tell how to get there
block by block.
My sisters get very upset with this.
I tell them to let it go & if she feels like she is helping me...so be it.

Then we went to her favorite diner.
She likes BBQ !
I can take it or leave it.

Later in the day, whatever frustrations I may have...I usually take it out on jamespowers by posting silly images
& mindless banter. :eusa_doh:

 

[HoosierDaddy]

Went to a very moving Veteran memorial service at noon today in the small hometown that I grew up in here in central Indiana. then visited with friends there the rest of the day. We had already put flowers on my Dad and Grandparent's grave as my Son and I walked throughout the graveyard a couple of days ago. We found my Great Grandparents headstone, many family members, and two Uncles who served in the Civil War. It was good to see my 21 year old Son so interested in family history. It was also an enjoyable day although I rarely visit cemeteries.
HD

 

[HoosierDaddy]

I took my mom who can no longer drive to visit my dad who passed away about a year ago.
My dad served in WW2.
Although I know how to locate the cemetery, my mother always has to me tell how to get there
block by block.
My sisters get very upset with this.
I tell them to let it go & if she feels like she is helping me...so be it.

Then we went to her favorite diner.
She likes BBQ !
I can take it or leave it.

Later in the day, whatever frustrations I may have...I usually take it out on jamespowers by posting silly images
& mindless banter. :eusa_doh:

Many of us like to take it out on jamespowers. It leaves a very satisfying feeling...especially when he feebly attempts to retaliate.

 

[Touchofevil]

Many of us like to take it out on jamespowers. It leaves a very satisfying feeling...especially when he feebly attempts to retaliate.

lol
It does. It really really does.

 

[2jakes]

Many of us like to take it out on jamespowers. It leaves a very satisfying feeling...especially when he feebly attempts to retaliate.

Yes...very satisfying but at times I must take care not to over step the boundary here in the forum
& have to deal with LizzieMaine. Not because of fear, but because of the admiration & respect I have
for her. And also to the ones that post regularly. I enjoy all your posts as well.

 

[Babydoll]

Thank you for doing this, Babydoll. Too many people nowadays are not teaching their children about the importance of remembering those we've lost.

We want her to know her family history, and why they are important to us even though they are not here. Like I said, she is still young. When we said William was killed, she equated that to what happened to my brother-in-law earlier this year, and she started crying because she misses her uncle. Not the same, but it is how her little brain is trying to connect the dots.

When she is much, much older I will let her read the manuscript Grandpa Chuck wrote about his experience in Bataan.