The funeral business and Memorial Day are intertwined. This requires funeral directors to find appropriate methods to observe the occasion in honor of all veterans who have passed away, particularly those whose passing we have assisted in remembering. The public occasionally conflates Memorial Day and Veterans Day. Both occasions celebrate veterans, but Memorial Day is unique because it recognizes those who gave their lives while serving the country.
Veteran’s Day is intended to pay tribute to all veterans who served and were discharged with distinction. These holidays have a significant and weighty difference, especially for the surviving loved ones of the departed. In 1971, Memorial Day became a Federal holiday and was observed on the final Monday in May. The 1968 Act that established the day was passed.
You’re right if you thought the holiday had a far older history. There are some discrepancies regarding its origin. Yet, the origin of Memorial Day may be traced back to the need to honor the American Civil War dead. Numerous communities across the nation established designated days to decorate graves and organize memorial ceremonies in honor of the numerous men who were interred in cemeteries across the nation. Decoration Day was the initial moniker for the occasion.
The festival was observed in several localities as early as the year the Civil War ended under various names, though Waterloo, New York is recognized as its official birthplace. Only those who had died in the Civil War were remembered on this day in the beginning.The holiday now honors all American service members from every branch who have died in all conflicts. In 1868, General John A. Logan established May 30 as Decoration Day’s official date. Because there were no battles or other memorials associated with that day, it was chosen.
