Today is Memorial Day in the U.S. where we remember and honor all those who gave the ultimate sacrifice serving their country. Now a national holiday, it was originally known as Decoration Day back in the years following the Civil War and only became known as Memorial Day in 1968 and Congress added it as a three-day weekend for federal employees in 1971.
On May 30, 1868 General John A. Logan, head of a Union veteran association spearheaded the decoration of the graves of fellow comrades who died in defense of their country. Many of the Northern states held commemorative events and reprised the tradition in subsequent years so that by 1890 each one had made “Decoration Day” an official state holiday. Still bitter about the loss in the Civil War, many southern states refused to officially recognize the day until after WWI and many southern states (Texas, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, South Carolina, Louisiana, and Tennessee) held separate days honoring their Civil War hero’s. Memorial Day did not become the preferred name after World War II.
Memorial Day is also the ‘unofficial’ beginning of summer and as is often the case, been turned into a shopping fest. We however, will mark the day with quiet reflection. Have a safe holiday.
Live, love, bark! 🐾
Hope you had a great Memorial Day ..wishing you and Wilson a great weekend ahead 💕💕
Thank you, Nimi. It was a lovely reflective day. We hope you have a fantastic weekend.
Hope you had a peaceful, good Memorial day!
Wilson looks pawfect! 😊
Yes, we did have a very peaceful and reflective day. Thanks. Wilson is a real sweet boy when it comes to posing and such a good sport about it.
He is a gem! ❤️
I’d have to agree with you, even though he tries to smother me every chance he can. LOL
😂😂
We always learn so much here, Wilson and boy, do you look amazing as a patriot😸Double Pawkisses for a Happy Day to you and your mommy too🐾😽💞
Thank you! We enjoy sharing things here and are always grateful for you guys. Hugs and tail wiggles.
May we always honor their sacrifice and may they rest in peace.
You look so patriotic- and so cute. XO
Thank, Ellen. Wilson is always a good sport about posing. Hope you had a safe holiday.
We hope your Memorial Day is one filled with much reflection and gratitude for the reason we have all the freedoms we enjoy today.
You look good and patriotic, Wilson!
Many thanks, Mezzer’s and Petcretary. We always reflect on this day to honor those who perished defending our freedoms. 🇺🇸
Wilson this has always been one of THE most favorite holidays. While overseas, we had access for reasons too boring for here, to bases American bases. They really went all out with the bands and all sorts of fab things in celebration. A bit of home for us. I won’t forget it.
It’s especially good to remember those who gave their all for their country on a separate day from acknowledging veterans of all stripes which we do in November. May your Memorial Day be safe and reflective.
A quiet reflection is on my schedule too, Monika
We love to hear that, John. May it be a day of peace while honoring those who gave it their all.
I can see Mr. Wilson is dressed for a day of quiet reflection. 😁
That boy is nothing if not understated. Have a day of reflection, Tom.
Such a nice post Wilson! We will always remember our heroes.
Thank you, Terry. Remembering those fallen heros is a good thing. We shouldn’t take for granted our freedome. Have a wonderful Memorial Day Monday.
Wilson, you look so handsome and patriotic.
Wilson’s mom, thank you for your informative post.
Thanks, Julia. We feel very strongly about honoring those who gave everything for our freedom. We hope you and Bruce have a safe and lovely MemoriaL Day.
Awww, Wilson, you look adorable, or maybe dogdorable! We are glad Mommy and Daddy have the day off work to spend with US! XOX Xena, Lucy and Chia
Thanks, Xena, Lucy and Chia. Glad you liked Wilson’s patriotism. Have a safe and wonderful holiday with your pawrents!
Thanks for reminding us that as much as it is a time to lean into summer, BBQ’s, and all the warm weather things we love that the day is also a day to remember those who sacrificed, voluntarily or not, for the rest of us.
And for me this holiday weekend has also been so very special because it is the weekend that Kali (literally) flew into my life direct from Taiwan 12 years ago on the Saturday evening of Memorial weekend 2014. 5/24/2014. With a little luck I’ll find some time later today to put up a post about the 12th anniversary of Kali and my Gotcha Day.
Have a great day and week M. And by the way Wilson is looking, as always, very dapper in his holiday colors!
Thank you, Mike. He’s such a good sport about posing.
Oh gosh, I remember that first post when sweet precious Kali arrived. What a special day. Have a safe and happy Memorial Day. Ear scritches to the Golden Girls.
Happy Memorial Day, Wilson. You look very patriotic. Love the sunglasses.
Thanks so much. He’s such a good sport about posing for me with all the hats, glasses and themed scarfs. Have a terrific holiday!
Thanks for this post, Monika. I once visited a memorial garden in the south, and it hits you that young men died and should be remembered.
Wilson is looking quite patriotic today.
Thanks, Dan. I found the background about Memorial Day fascinating and had no idea it dated back to Civil War times. Wilson is a good sport indulging me. Have a safe and meaningful Memorial Day.
Sweet doggie reflection on Memorial Day ~ Hugs ^_^
an artist reflects
Many thanks, Carol. We found the background info really interesting. Wishing you and yours a safe Memorial Day.
Love the history lesson about Memorial Day and I love Wilson’s pose. He nailed it perfectly.
I linked this post to Awww Mondays. Wilson wanted me to link him.
Have a fabulous day and week, my friend. Scritches to Wilson and a big hug to you. ♥
Why thank you, Miss Sandee. Wilson is a real sport when it comes to posing for me. You’re too kind for linking us to your Monday post. We hope you and the kitties have a safe holiday.
Lulu: “You are looking very patriotic in your red, white, and blue, WIlson!”
Java Bean: “We have got our flag out for the day!”
Thanks, Lulu and Bean. We weren’t able to hang our flag because I need to find a tall enough ladder to hang some hooks to hang it from but we were able to decorate a planter and Wilson obliged me in decorating him. 😉 Enjoy a meaningful Memorial Day.
Quiet reflection is the order of the day here, too.
Bravo, Jacqui. Have a lovely Memorial Day.
We are relaxing today after several days of preparing for Gramma’s party and then having the party yesterday. Hope your day is a quiet one as well.
Thank you. Hope the birthday party was a total success. Have a great Memorial Day.
Beautifully said, Monika. We don’t have a separate holiday for this. We put them all together on Remembrance Day on November 11. Vets as well as those who gave their lives.
You likely don’t have any many mattress sales either. That aspect of 3-day holidays is offensive in my mind. Happy Monday.
I have never seen mattresses NOT on sale!
And we do have 3-day weekends – matter of fact last Monday was our Victoria Day (Patriots Day in Quebec because we are so effin distinct and don’t honour no stinkin’ monarchs). Having a holiday to celebrate death is a tad weird, though. Our Remembrance Day on November 11 (your Veterans Day) encapsulates both vets and those who gave their lives and the only people who get the day off work for the government…
Happy Monday to you!
It does seem strange to dedicate a day commemorate death of soldiers. Memorial Day is for those who gave their lives in the service of their country whereas Veteran’s Day is for anyone who served. A bit hair splitting but at least each group’s sacrifices are acknowledged. It used to be observed on May 30th but then Congress decided to give federal employees a 3 day weekend so now it’s the last Monday of May. Swimming pools usually open on Memorial Day and it becomes the unofficial start to summer. Have a lovely Monday, Dale.
Yes, it is. I’ll take mine that puts ’em all together.
It’s like us. The third Monday of May is Victoria Day and also our official opening or planting of gardens.
Thank you, my friend!
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My colours and favourite flower!
Which is why I chose them. 😉
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We are in a rainy period but hope to see the start of summer maybe tomorrow. We have a lot of local remembrance activities locally which are getting rained on. 🙁
Sorry about that. Too bad mattress sales can’t be rained out. Have a safe Monday holiday, Kate.
We’re still in the middle of “endless rain” for the second week BUT are still looking forward to some sunny Summer days. Hope your Memorial Day is good – since I can’t blog yet due to my WordPress problems, I haven’t been able to do a special post for this special day. But my heart is grateful to all those who served past and present to bring us the freedom we enjoy.
Big Hugs, Pam and Teddy
So sorry for the WP challenges you’re facing. Seems like a lot of people are faced with issues. If only they’d stop ‘fixing things that aren’t broken. We hope you have a safe ‘howliday’ and that the sun will shine soon.
Yes, a day for reflection – not shopping.
I couldn’t agree more, Helen. Sadly we have been socialized to buy, buy, buy and any ole opportunity to shill merchandise. It’s embarrassing. We hope you have a lovely Monday and week.
we wish you a good memorial day and a wonderful start into summer
Many thanks. Have a great Monday and an even better week.