DOES MY BLOG TITLE MEAN ANYTHING TO YOU? When I was a child, Decoration Day was a Big Deal. We
went to the attic for our little bundle of flags, the biggest of which was maybe 2 x 3 feet. Seemed huge to us. We would put them out on May 30 in preparation for the modest parade that would pass our house.
The day that memorializes those killed in battle has an interesting history. The 
“official” origin of Decoration Day came in 1868, when the Grand Army of the Republic established it as a time to put flowers on graves of Union war dead. Other dates lay claim to that honor—June 3, 1861 when the first Civil War soldier’s grave was decorated, or in 1862 when women in Georgia decorated Confederate soldiers’ graves. With 600,000 soldiers killed —north and south—a lot of graves needed flowers.
After World War II, the preferred name for the holiday gradually changed from Decoration Day to Memorial Day. On June 28, 1968, Congress passed the Uniform Monday Holiday Act, to create
a convenient three-day weekend. This change moved Memorial Day from May 30 to the last Monday in May.
In Civil War days, honoring the war dead was high on most minds. Gradually, though, attention shifted from military deaths and veterans in general to family members. I remember visiting my grandparents’ graves on that day.
What of today? A three-day holiday…the “official” start of summer…party time. Yes, we have events that observe the day, but it seems more a day off than memorializing dead soldiers.
Major shift here: Most churches observe a special Memorial Day, only we call it Communion or Mass—a time to remember Jesus’ death—His body and blood. Battlefield carnage is beyond imagining for most of us, and though we recoil from the outward horror of Crucifixion, we celebrate the Peace He won that day.
Yes, honor your dead. Enjoy the day off. Shed tears over “America the Beautiful,” but lift your hearts high in worship of Him who suffered and died and ROSE AGAIN—that we too may have eternal peace.
What are your early memories of Memorial Day? Did you march in any parades? I did—playing trombone. Tell us via a Comment below or via egus@me.com
I also marched in the Memorial Day Parade on May 30th, playing the French Horn. Now I spend Sat and Mon in the garden, pulling weeds and planting. Sunday we attend church.
Was the French horn easier to play than trombone? Just walking made it jiggle and sound funny. But it was a good thing to do. : )
I remember Decoration Day. I guess our town was slow in making the shift to Memorial Day. What ever day Memorial Day/Decoration Day feel upon, we school kids showed up at the school in our very best Sunday-go-go-Meeting clothes. A group of military men showed up. We were each given a military person to walk with us and we had been given a small bouquet of flowers. I think there were some musical instruments and a few soldiers with rifles. We walked from the two room school house, which taught grades 1 through 4, to the cemetery next to the church where my father served as the minister. (He did not like the word “pastor”.) The military person took each of us to the grave of someone who had died in the wars up to 1948 and we placed our bouquet on the grave and the soldier placed a small American Flag. Then the rifle men did the firing of their rifles (can’t think what it is called) and the one with the bugles played Taps. I can’t remember a speaker but there might have been one. And then we were free to go home with our parents or go back to our little two room schoolhouse and get picked up to go home. After these ceremonies, often people had a picnic. I was at this school just for 2 1/2 years. No other school I was ever in did this. It must have been very meaningful as I remember it as if it were today.
That’s BEAUTIFUL, Anne! I went to a 4-room school, but you beat me out on that. Your school took Decoration Day seriously, helping make you into the beautiful person you are. Thanks for commenting!
Much has been lost to this latest generation that gives little thought to the day’s real meaning. As a vet that saddens me deeply. In my youth I always marched either with the boy scouts or the high school marching band. I played the sax and I can tell you playing and marching at the same time was no picnic. Your lips always took a beating and I remember some very hot memorial days when wearing those heavy dark blue uniforms was brutal. I’m grateful for the memories and the patriotism that was instilled into my heart in those days. This Monday I will be returning to Marblehead and retracing the marching route I took in those very special years. We’ll end up at the VFW for burgers and hotdogs. I pray for a sunny day. God Bless America.
Thanks, Dick. Yes, I had the same difficulties with marching and playing. But then, what did the crowd expect of high-school bands in those days? Today, I think they start marching practice, having 5 years olds playing a kazoo!
Thoughtful post, Ellie. I appreciate the history you included. It’s a sad commentary when our citizens need to be reminded of the meaning behind Memorial Day.
A friend told me they still do parades and patriotism in the South, or at least in NC. Of course, the South started it all. The sin of mankind, handed down through generations–and still affecting us all… Thanks, Clarice!
Yesterday at noon, (Sunday) the people of Scotland, Connecticut had their usual ceremony on the town green complete with fire engines, war veterans, speakers and prayer. My husband usually marches with the vets. He did wear his uniform he wears when he does things with the VFW. But, because of his surgery, he didn’t march in the parade down to the cemeteries that flank each side of Cemetery Road, which is a side road off of RT 97 west. There is a speaker and prayer at the newer cemetery, there is a gun salute and then Taps is played by one of the buglers and repeated by the other bugler who is some distance away. Then the people come back to the center of town. There is usually a bus down by the cemetery so that vets and others can ride back if they feel they need to. In the basement of the Congregational Church opposite the Green, there are hotdogs and other picnic food for anyone who would like to eat but especially for the veterans. This year I heard that there were a lot of horses in the parade. The men on the firetruck throw candy to the children who are watching the parade go by. This is always held the Sunday closest to the Monday that is now Memorial Day. Because I play organ for a church, I can’t go to this anymore because I cannot get home from church in time for the ceremonies. But before I started playing for this church I always got out here in town early enough to go to the ceremonies. Now I play at a church 30 minutes from here and cannot get back in time. My husband is very involved with the VFW. We fly the American Flay, and we never forget what our veterans dead or alive have sacrificed to insure that we have freedom. Thank you, all you veterans. May God bless each one of you.
That’s great, Anne! So glad Bradford could be there. I’m sure it meant a lot to him–wounded as his shoulder is! : ) A lot of good memories associated with the day. Thanks for responding!
It’s not surprising – though sad. We are siding into a navel-gazing culture. Many happy exceptions, of course.
It’s not surprising – though sad. We are siding into a navel-gazing culture. Many happy exceptions, of course.