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National Memorial Day

Homeownership Program

The National Memorial Day, formally Decoration Day is observed on every last Monday of May. The commemoration is in honour of the men and women who put their lives on the line and died serving in the U.S. military. In 2020, the day will be marked on May 25. Many people tend to confuse between National Memorial Day and Veterans Day. Let us get to know the difference. National Memorial Day commemorates explicitly people who have died while serving in the military protecting their country, in battles or due to battle wounds. On the other hand, Veterans Day is observed to honour and celebrate everyone who has ever served in the U.S. military; in times of peace or wartime; whether they died or survived. The day is marked on November 11 every year.

History of Memorial Day.

Memorial Day originally was meant to honour only those who paid the ultimate sacrifice in the American Civil War. Later on, the U.S found itself in the middle of more major conflicts such as the Vietnam War, the Korean War, World War II and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. This saw the evolution of the Memorial Day to accommodate and honour all the American military personnel who lost their lives in all those wars.

Initially, the Memorial Day was being marked on May 30 since its origin. The date had been selected to mark the first Decoration Day by General John A. Logan, who was the commander-in-chief of the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) which was an organization of Union Civil War veterans. The day continued to be observed on May 30 until later in 1968 when Congress signed into law the Uniform Monday Holiday Act. The Act declared the Memorial Day as a federal holiday to be marked on the last Monday of May. This was in order to have a three-day weekend for federal employees in the country. The Act, however, came in effect in 1971.

The exact origin of the Memorial Day is, however, a complex one. The United States Department of Veterans’ Affairs recognizes about 25 different places that history claims to be the origin of the holiday. By this, I mean where the Memorial Day was first celebrated before proceeding to be declared a federal holiday. The Pilgrims marked the day at Columbus State University where there is a Center for Memorial Day research. At the same time, there is a Center for Civil War Research at the University of Mississippi that also led research on the origins on Memorial Day.

Memorial Day traditions.

Most cities and towns across the U.S host Memorial Day parades that led by military personnel and members of the various veterans’ organizations with Chicago, New York and Washington D.C having some of the largest parades. On the citizen side, since the ancient commemorations of the Memorial Day, Americans observe the day by visiting national cemeteries and memorials. Others volunteer to place American flags on each of the fallen soldiers’ graves, while others clean and decorate the graves; this is an ancient practice.

On the other hand, some other Americans observe the Memorial Day by putting on red poppies, a tradition that was inspired by a poem entitled “In Flanders Fields” by Colonel John McCrae, a Canadian physician during the First World War. The day is ultimately marked at 3:00 p.m. when the whole nation observes a moment of remembrance.

On another note, such a day is not fully observed without blending the sombre mood with some fun. Many people on this day go on weekend trips, others throw parties and barbecues during the Memorial Day weekend, which also unofficially marks the beginning of summer.

This year, the Memorial Day commemorations are expected to be a little different from the previous ones due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. The enacted public health measures are against any form of public gatherings. To observe Memorial Day appropriately in 2020, kindly don’t forget to follow the necessary public health measures such as social distancing. You can observe the day at home with your family; have storytime on the history behind the day, cook something nice as a family and also play games. But don’t forget the nationwide 3:00 p.m. moment of remembrance.

As we mark this year’s Memorial Day commemorations, you may want have some questions about mortgage and the housing market in general. You can talk to any of our VIP Agents stationed all over the state of California. You can check the VIP Agent from your area on https://www.thepowerisnow.com/vipagent/ and contact them for any assistance. Additionally, you can set up an appointment to speak to me directly at https://calendly.com/thepowerisnow/ericfrazier.  To keep up to date with any current housing market news, visit out blog page at https://www.thepowerisnow.com/blog/.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions of Eric Lawrence Frazier are his own and do not necessarily represent views of First Bank or any organization affiliated with Eric Lawrence Frazier, or the Power Is Now Media Inc.  First Bank is an Equal Credit Opportunity Lender. Eric Lawrence Frazier MBA is also a Vice President and Mortgage Advisor with First Bank.  NMLS#461807 and a California Licensed Real Estate Broker DRE# 01143482. Email:  Eric.frazier@fbol.com.  Ph: 714- 475-8629.

Eric Lawrence Frazier MBA
President and CEO
The Power Is Now Media Inc.

 

Works Cited;

https://www.almanac.com/content/when-memorial-day.

https://www.history.com/topics/holidays/memorial-day-history#section.

 

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