Posts Tagged ‘ultimate sacrifice’

Memorial Day Crafts

American has been through so much in the last decade. As President Obama’s campaign so effectively demonstrated, we Americans wants and need renewed patriotism and pride in our country. Memorial Day is an opportunity to remember those that have served America, giving their lives for this country’s cherished ideals. I like many others will be observing the holiday and showing my pride with Memorial Day Crafts.

Though I do not have any relatives that I know of that have died in militarily service for America, I recognize the ultimate sacrifice these men and women made and want to honor them. These Memorial Day crafts will be donated to local veteran organizations and community centers for Memorial Day events. Many veteran organizations decorate the graves of soldiers, and I hope to contribute a few patriotic craft ideas to these efforts.

In addition, patriotic crafts will help decorate my home for Memorial Day. A BBQ will become a bit more meaningful with patriotic accents and other Memorial Day crafts for the BBQ. Amidst our gathering, we will take a moment to observe the National Moment of Remembrance in silence at 3pm. I will share the story of the first Memorial Day, when after the Civil War, freed slaves helped build a graveyard for Union soldiers in Charleston and decorated the graves each year. They risked their lives in turbulent time to honor the men that died for their freedom.  How’s that for inspiring?

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Putting Meaning and Spirit into Memorial Day Observance

On Monday we celebrate Memorial Day. This holiday started off as a somber day of remembrance, a day where we in America went to cemeteries and placed flags or flowers on the graves of those who died in battle or in some way during the course of war. We remembered our ancestors, family members, loved ones, and even unknown soldiers who gave the ultimate sacrifice for us. They died for our freedom. Possibly they died to help give freedom to someone else as well.

Today, many people actually “celebrate” this day with little thought about it’s original purpose or meaning. They have picnics and parties. They enjoy the fact that they have a three-day weekend without ever stopping to consider why.

This holiday came with a price—and is no cause for celebration. The fact that we have a day off should be for one reason only: as a memorial.

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