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Patriotic Ways to Celebrate Memorial Day

By Sarah Beyersdorf, South Puget Macaroni Kid Publisher May 22, 2015

Memorial Day: A day when we pause to give thanks to the people who fought and lost their lives so that we can be free!

Kicking the long weekend off with a barbeque? While there’s certainly nothing wrong with enjoying a day off, it’s important to remember the origins of Memorial Day. Established on May 30, 1868 to honor the nation’s war dead, the holiday was originally called “Decoration Day” because people laid flowers on the graves of the fallen. No matter where you fall on the political spectrum, today’s military heroes deserve respect. There are lots of ways to teach your children to honor our nation’s defenders.

  • Let those colors fly. Memorial Day is the perfect excuse to dust off your flag. Hoist it to half-mast, a position reserved only for days when the entire country is in mourning, and raise it high at noon to honor the living. Don’t have a flag? Help your little one make one from construction paper, and post it in your window. At 3 p.m., observe a moment of silent remembrance. Even kids can understand how to keep quiet for a minute.
  • Honor the living. Help your kids think up ways to contribute to veterans, long after Memorial Day ends. They can set up a lemonade stand or car wash and donate the profits to Disabled American Veterans. (www.dav.org) Or your family could volunteer together at your local Veterans’ Affairs Hospital. Find it at www1.va.gov/directory/guide/home.asp
  • Make a connection. Memorial Day may be about remembering those who have given their service and their lives for our country, but there are soldiers in the field right now.Thousands of American soldiers are serving in danger zones abroad. Many are bored, lonely, afraid, and jonesing for magazines, snacks, personal hygiene products, paper and pens, and cheery letters and pictures. To send a letter or care package to a soldier, try www.anysoldier.com
  • Put pencil to paper. While any given war may be divisive and controversial, the Armed Forces go where they’re sent and deserve our full support. There is no better lesson in American citizenship than having your child help you write a letter to your political representative expressing your opinions, whatever they may be.

Enjoy your holiday weekend with your loved ones and give thanks for those that have served and lost their lives to keep our freedom,