Things You Never Knew About Memorial Day
We guarantee that you’ll enjoy this article about Memorial Day. There are lots of facts surrounding this holiday you may not know. So before you kick off the BBQ and celebration over the weekend, read this article to share facts with your friends.
Fact #1
Memorial Day wasn’t always called Memorial Day. It used to be called Decoration Day. To honor deceased soldiers people would decorate the graves of their fallen comrades with flowers, flags, wreaths, and other things–hence the name Decoration Day. It wasn’t legally called Memorial Day until 1967 even though the title for the holiday changed in the 1880’s.
Fact #2
In late 2000 Congress legally passed a bill requiring Americans to pause at 3pm on Memorial Day to remember the fallen. It may not be a very widely known law however as I have not seen people practicing this on Memorial Day myself.
Fact#3
Memorial Day used to be celebrated on the last day of May. General John Logan, a commander for the Republic, called for there to be a day of remembrance for fallen soldiers to be observed on the last day of May. It was later changed to be the last Monday of May so the public could experience a nice long weekend. There have been petitions passed around over the years to try and get Memorial Day moved back to the last day of May to separate it from other holidays.
Fact#4
Some states celebrate Confederate Memorial Day too. In addition to traditional Memorial Day, nine states officially set aside a day to honor those who died fighting for the Confederacy in the Civil War. These states include; Texas, South Carolina, North Carolina, Alabama, Virginia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Georgia and Tennessee.
Fact#6
The Poppy. The Remembrance Day symbolism of the poppy started with a poem written by a World War I brigade surgeon who was struck by the sight of the red flowers growing on a ravaged battlefield. From the devastated landscape of the battlefields, the red poppy would grow. Thanks to a famous poem, become a powerful symbol of remembrance.
Red poppy flowers represent consolation, remembrance, and death. There was a campaign to create a national symbol for Memorial Day and the Red Poppy was chosen. It was adopted and now they hand out the Red Poppies on Memorial day to remember the fallen.
Fact#7
Memorial Day is one of the few holidays where flags are flown at half-staff instead of full-staff. This tradition is to remember our fallen heroes.
Fact#8
Another tradition of Memorial Day is that the President of the United States will place a wreath for an Unknown Soldier at a tomb. Additionally, for decades, presidents visited the hallowed site as a way to pay tribute to all of those who died fighting for their country. In addition to laying a wreath, the president will give a speech at the nearby amphitheater.
Final Thoughts
That’s it for these Memorial Day Facts. Finally, we cannot wait to see you next week for another article. What was your favorite fact? Let us know in the comments below. If you are in need of one of our products which include; Patio Doors, Siding, Windows, or Entry Doors please visit our website for your free quote.