Celebrating Memorial Day

Honoring Our Soldiers

Many of us think about Memorial Day as a family get-together or a day off on a long weekend. Memorial Day is special to us because my family members had served since the early 1700's so yes, before America became a country. We are proud to have continuously served in this country's military efforts to protect the constitution. I want to share some of the things that we do on Memorial Day to memorialize doors in our family who have given their lives and those who have made it back to us to continue to share this country's wealth. When I say wealth, I do not mean in the sense of financial wealth; I mean the wealth of this land, the generosity of all people, the kindness of each other, and I'll continue the effort always to be united even when we are in disagreement.

Visit Memorials
We visit monuments on Memorial Day as a family to take a moment and honor those who proudly protect this country's values. We take the time to cherish those who gave their lives to this country and consider how their sacrifice made our country possible.

Flying the US flag Half Staff
Most of my family members have a US flag at their homes. We fly flag half staff during the Memorial Day weekend to honor that sacrifice made by those who served in the US military.

Donate to National Park
Many men and women who serve died to protect our lands, and national parks represent much of American's history. To preserve these treasures, we donate to these national parks and always encourage everyone to contribute to a National Park.

Soldier Letter | Care Package
During the weekend, family members gather at our elder family member or chosen family member's home for the holiday weekend to help make care packages and write letters. Typically we include some nonperishable items and a letter of appreciation. The local recruitment offices or local churches can provide a list of active military personnel available to receive a package.

Veteran Stories
My family happens to be rich in living veterans who have successfully made it through many wars and drafts. Younger family members get a better understanding of our country's history and also give us a greater appreciation of the efforts of what doors before us have done to ensure that we all enjoy the freedoms that we currently enjoy today.

Letters from Veterans
Reading letters from veterans is a time for us to reflect on the challenges of times of conflict as they share with us their experience. These shared words are a way for everyone to understand the importance of their work and how they support our country.

Moment of Silence
Finally, we love to take a moment of silence before dinner to reflect on those that served. It is a moment for us to pay appreciation to those in our family or people that we have known or other soldiers that we may not even know of who have given so much to help keep the vision of America alive.

I hope that these shared customs from my family during the Memorial Day weekend will inspire you to create some traditions of your own. Please let me know how your family memorializes this holiday; I'd love to hear from you about your traditions.