Memorial Day was always one of my favorite holidays.

• It holds the promise of summer
• It meant backyard barbecues
• And we decked the yard in American flags

I hope my American colleagues are taking the day off work.

To our international friends, here are some facts and trivia about Memorial Day. If you want a little fun, try quizzing your American buddies to see how many they know. Hey, why shouldn’t you share in the fun?

Facts and Trivia

Its Origins

Memorial Day honors our men and women who lost their lives while serving our country. It started as a healing and remembrance of soldiers from the Civil War.

• It used to be known as Decoration Day as Americans decorated the graves of soldiers
• There are different opinions on when the first Memorial Day occurred that range from 1865 to 1868 (contrary to popular belief, I wasn’t around for the first one)
• The story goes that Major General John Logan selected May 30 as the day for observing the holiday as flowers bloomed throughout the country that could be placed on the soldiers’ graves

We Like Our Changes

There are some parts of tradition we don’t mind changing. Over the years, Memorial Day was no exception.

• After World War I, the day also became known as Poppy Day, inspired by the poem In Flanders Fields
• American, Moina Michael, had the idea of wearing red poppies to honor the soldiers
• In 1971, the United States government changed the date of Memorial Day to the last Monday in May, allowing for the extended holiday weekend

We just happened to luck out this year that the last Monday of May falls on the old traditional day of May 30.

Our Own Traditions

Like many American families, we have our own traditions when it comes to Memorial Day.

I shared a few with the barbecues and the American flags. Since my Dad passed away, we added another tradition of decorating his grave, in memory of his service in World War II.

Country and family meant everything to my Dad.

Is there anything more touching than seeing a strong man with tears in his eyes? That’s what his country and family would do to my Dad.

Whatever your traditions, I wish you a happy and safe Memorial Day. To our international friends, thank you for allowing me to share the day with you.

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