Fun facts about Memorial Day:
• Memorial Day started back the Civil War time. It was tradition for families of fallen soldiers to annually visit the grave yards of soldiers and put flowers at their graves. Memorial Day has been said to be born in Waterloo, New York.
• Memorial Day was originally known as Decorations Day until 1867. It originally started as a federal holiday and slowly each state of the Union began to adopt the remembrance of soldiers fallen until it became a national holiday. It was not until the 1970s that Memorial Day became the last day in the month of May.
• Pres. Ulysses S Grant started ceremonies at the Arlington Cemetery with the playing of Taps in the 1860s. His purpose was to honor all the men and women of the Civil War who died.
• Memorial Day typically marks the beginning of summer, while Labor Day marks summer’s end.
• Memorial Day is the day of remembering the men and women who died while serving our country not to be confused by Veterans Day, which celebrates the service of all US military veterans.
• One of the traditions of Memorial Day is for the President or Vice President to lay a wreath at the tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington Cemetery.
• On May 5, 1868, Gen. John Logan, the national commander of the Grand Army of the Republic declared May 30th to be the day that the cities and towns across the United States should decorate the graves of soldiers, who died for their country.
• In 1968. The Congress passed a law called the Uniform Monday Holiday Act, which moved Memorial Day to the last Monday in May. The first nationwide Monday Memorial Day happened in 1971, with the Nation celebrating a three-day Memorial weekend from coast-to-coast.
• President Obama in his weekly White House address reminded all Americans to pay homage to the fallen patriots and heroes. “Every single one of us owes our fallen heroes a profound debt of gratitude. Because every time we cast our votes or speak our minds without fear, it’s because they fought for our right to do that,” he said. “Every chance we get to make a better life for ourselves and our families is possible because generations of patriots fought to keep America a land of opportunity, where anyone – of any race, any religion, from any background – can make it if they try.”

We hope you are having a wonderful holiday weekend with your family and friends.