Please don't forget why you have today off (in America). My husband mourns the loss of his soldiers and friends every year-it's always a poignant reminder that freedom isn't free 
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Thank you for posting! I'm being cynical, so many of my friends on my news feed are posting thanking their living family members for serving. I feel like people don't get the difference between Veteran's Day and Memorial Day.
that said, I am grateful for those who served (living and deceased) !
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I don't think many realize that Memorial Day is for those who paid the ultimate price; it's a peeve of mine, too.
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Just curious (I'm in Canada) is Veteran's Day also a day off?
Here we have Remembrance Day on November 11th, which is a day to not only honour Veterans but also to remember all those who's lives were given. It's taken very seriously around here (People start wearing poppies on their jackets weeks before... do they do the poppy thing in the States or is that a Canadian thing?). It's not a holiday, so everyone still goes to work/school, but most places arrange a moment of silence at 11:11am.
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@pui: no poppies here.
I do think that Remembrance Day seems more solemn than Memorial Day. For instance, there are no Remembrance Day sales.
Most of my expat friends will wear a poppy on Nov 11 in the US if they can get one.
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I went over this with my 5th graders a few weeks ago.
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Very good post! My brother served in the army for just over 10 years and posted this on his fb wall. I think he has a good point and good perspective. Definitely cherish your family members on this day too, but remember why we get this day off!
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@yellowbird: that's very sweet, I love it. Thanks for sharing!
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@pui: we went to a Memorial Day parade on Saturday nd they handed out poppies for everyone to wear, but I don't really see it anywhere else.
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@pui, Veterans Day is a federal holiday so some people have off. I think as less and less people serve in the military, it becomes less solemn. I think only 1-2% serve in our generation, compared I a LOT more in our parents and grandparents generations
@yellowbird, I think that's a lovely sentiment
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@blackbird: When I was in elementary school, there was a LOT of focus on Remembrance Day and it's importance. I remember all the teachers would be wearing their poppies for nearly a month before and we had a morning-long assembly dedicated to it at our school with bagpipes, trumpets, poetry readings and the 11:11am moment of silence. I think this does a lot to drive home how important the day is even to the very young in Canada.
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@pui: I thought it was a stat holiday? I know our company takes it very seriously. We get the day off and the few occasions where we have been at work, we all have to take a bit of time that day to honour those who fought for our country.
ETA: yep, I believe it is.
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@.twist.: Hmm
"In Canada, Remembrance Day is a federal statutory holiday - with a notable exception of NS, NWT, ON and QC"
http://www.statutoryholidays.com/remembrance_day.php
I grew up in QC and now live on ON, so I guess that's why!
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@pui: Oh wow! That is so strange!
ETA: Sorry for the mini threadjack. Back to Memorial Day.
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I have been looking online for the past 20 min a picture to post on FB. It then got me thinking the real meaning behind Memorial Day. Thank you for explaining it.
I did find this pic, right before reading this thread.
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Thanks
Both of my grandfathers served and i have three cousins currently deployed. And my godfather is a retired lt. commander in the navy
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Thanks for posting! My grandfather's brother died in WWII, so my family usually goes to put a flag on his grave each Memorial Day.
@pui: we see the poppies around here. Usually veterans groups are handing them out in public places but I would guess that the majority of the population here doesn't notice/know what they are.
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