😎 Enjoy The Journey. Let your experience lead. A inspirational post by the front porch. Find more like this at frontporchreport.com
Use the share link to the left to share this post to your social media. Just copy the text below, click share and past the text and click share again. It’s that easy. front porch… We make it easy.
Every home has a story, and they are as vast and varied as the world is wide. But they all start with inspiration, and inspiration starts with our surroundings. That’s what home is. Family. Friends. A sense of place. An amazing view. It is all part of what makes a space a home because your home is where you truly live. As homeowners ourselves we understand that your best life begins with a home that inspires you.
(This page includes affiliate links – our full disclosure statement is available {here}
Learn all about Memorial Day, including the true meaning of this day, how it differs from Veterans Day, and why the red poppy is a traditional symbol—with unexpected origins.
This U.S. federal holiday is observed on the last Monday of May to honor the men and women who have died while serving in the military. In 2023, Memorial Day will be observed on Monday, May 29.
On both Memorial Day and Veterans Day, it’s customary to spend time remembering and honoring the countless veterans who have served the United States throughout the country’s history. However, there is a distinction between the two holidays:
Memorial Day commemorates the men and women who died while in the military service of their country, particularly those who died in battle or as a result of wounds sustained in battle. In other words, the purpose of Memorial Day is to memorialize the veterans who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country. We spend time remembering those who lost their lives and could not come home, reflecting on their service and why we have the luxury and freedom that we enjoy today. We might consider how we can support and safeguard their grieving families and loved ones who are left behind.
Veterans Day is the day set aside to thank and honor ALL who served—in wartime or peacetime—regardless of whether they died or survived. Veterans Day is always observed officially on November 11, regardless of the day of the week on which it falls.
Remember: Raise the flag with honor and respect!
Traditionally, on Memorial Day (U.S.), people visit cemeteries and memorials, and volunteers often place American flags on each grave site at national cemeteries. A national moment of remembrance takes place at 3:00 p.m. local time.
The custom of honoring ancestors by cleaning cemeteries and decorating graves is an ancient and worldwide tradition, but the specific origin of Memorial Day—or Decoration Day, as it was first known—is unclear.
In early rural America, this duty was usually performed in late summer and was an occasion for family reunions and picnics. After the Civil War, America’s need for a secular, patriotic ceremony to honor its military dead became prominent, as monuments to fallen soldiers were erected and dedicated, and ceremonies centering on the decoration of soldiers’ graves were held in towns and cities throughout the nation.
After World War I, the day expanded to honor those who have died in all American wars.
A Lasting Legacy
No less than 25 places have been named in connection with the origin of Memorial Day, and states observed the holiday on different dates. In 1971, Memorial Day became a national holiday by an act of Congress; it is now celebrated annually on the last Monday in May.
Since it all started with the Civil War, you might want to brush up on your knowledge of this event by visiting the Library of Congress Civil War collection, which includes more than a thousand photographs from the time.
In the war-torn battlefields of Europe, the common red field poppy (Papaver rhoeas) was one of the first plants to reappear. Its seeds scattered in the wind and sat dormant in the ground, only germinating when the ground was disturbed—as it was by the very brutal fighting of World War 1.
John McCrae, a Canadian soldier and physician, witnessed the war first hand and was inspired to write the now-famous poem “In Flanders Fields” in 1915. (See below for the poem.) He saw the poppies scattered throughout the battlefield surrounding his artillery position in Belgium.
The Poppy Lady
In November 1918, days before the official end of the war, an American professor named Moina Michael wrote her own poem, “We Shall Keep the Faith,” which was inspired by McCrae’s “In Flanders Fields.” In her poem (also shown below), she mentioned wearing the “poppy red” to honor the dead, and with that, the tradition of adorning one’s clothing with a single red poppy in remembrance of those killed in the Great War was born. Moina herself came to be known—and honored—as “The Poppy Lady.”
The Symbol Spreads Abroad
The wearing of the poppy was traditionally done on Memorial Day in the United States, but the symbolism has evolved to encompass all veterans living and deceased, so poppies may be worn on Veterans Day as well. Not long after the custom began, it was adopted by other Allied nations, including Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom, where it is still popular today. In these countries, the poppy is worn on Remembrance Day (November 11).
Today, poppies are not only a symbol of loss of life, but also of recovery and new life, especially in support of the servicemen who survived the war but suffered from physical and psychological injuries long after it ended.
😎 Enjoy The Journey. Let your experience lead. A inspirational post by the front porch. Find more like this at frontporchreport.com
🇺🇸 On this this Memorial Day. In memory of many, in honor of all, thank you. Your bravery and service will never...
We bet you could use a nice outdoor shower on those long hot days. Well, you are in for a treat, as...
Here’s what to inspect, clean, and repair once warmer weather hits. When summer starts to pop and you begin to dream of...
Learn all about Memorial Day, the true meaning of this day, how it differs from Veterans Day, and why the red poppy...
🌲 You don’t need to have acres of land or a perfectly cultivated garden to make the most out of your outdoor...
👨👩👧👦 meeting the neighbors today can be as simple as printing out a few pun-filled flyers, attaching a memorable munchie or gift,...
🏡 Well the ‘she shed’ is the girls’ equivalent of the man cave. Think cool, calm, comfortable space for drinking sparkling wine...
🧐 “Some people die when they are 25 and aren’t buried until they are 75.” – Benjamin Franklin
🏃🏿 “There are many things in life that will catch your eye, but only a few will catch your heart. Pursue these.”...
🧡 “The only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it, keep looking. Don’t...
🌟 “You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough.” -Mae West
😎 “Find out what you like doing best and get someone to pay you for doing it.” Inspiring quotes from the Front...
💚 love seeing so many young people living with passion and refusing to settle for “just a job.” What is a job?...
😀 "Never Regret Anything That Made You Smile" Inspiring quotes from the Front Porch Find more inspirational quotes at the frontporchreport.com
🫴🏽 "You Get What You Give". Inspiring quotes from the Front Porch hoping this makes you smile and makes your day. Find...
🏞️ Some of the things you will find in this European bucket list are a given, like the Eiffel Tower. Others may...
🏊🏾♂️ Swimming is a fantastic form of exercise and a major component of many spring break trips and summer break fun. Swim...
🪴 Gardening really is good for your health! Here are 3 reasons to “dig deep” and get gardening today.
🌼 “Life doesn’t come with a manual, it comes with a mother.” is a Mother's Day Inspiring message from the front porch....
🚐 11 of the Best Day Trips throughout Northern California. These can be shared with a significant other, friend, family or even...
💰 Want to know the secret to selling your home for top dollar? Staging! Up it's that easy. Of course you'll need...
🙄 People can get emotionally and physically tired from trying to solve a problem that is bothering them or staying focused on...
🍔 Memorial Day officially kicks off BBQ season. If you are like us your BBQ has been in winter hibernation covered and...
Give us 15 minutes and we’ll walk yout through all the details and benefits of our Agent Assist Marketing Program. This is a real live Zoom call so you can ask all the questions you want. We will cover building your brand, websites, social media, newsletters and our blogging and transforming you into a ROCK STAR!
