This U.S. federal holiday is observed on the last Monday of May to honor the men and women who have died while serving in the military.
While a solemn occasion, Memorial Day is also the unofficial first day of summer (which meteorically doesn't arrive until late June, on the summer solstice). Traditionally, people visit cemeteries on Memorial Day, and volunteers often place American flags on the gravesite of those who died in service. Some people wear a red poppy in remembrance of those fallen in war, a tradition that began after the publication of the World War I poem In Flanders Fields.
Because Memorial Day is on a Monday, the preceding Saturday and Sunday have been combined to make a 3-day weekend. Many homeowners with pools take this opportunity to take the covers off of their pools, clean them out, and start enjoying some splish-splash time. Weather permitting, a backyard picnic using a grill can't be beaten! I know I get jealous (and hungry) from the yummy aromas wafting from all my neighbor's grills. Add in some potato salad, coleslaw, and ice cream to your backyard picnic, and soon you'll be ready to settle in for a good movie, like Top Gun or The Big Red One.
Pools, picnics, and your favorite people. All the great ingredients for a terrific Memorial Day weekend. Give those unable to be with you a call, and spend some time reflecting on those who never returned from their service to the United States. And hello, Summer!