Remembering on Memorial Day

In the United States, it’s Memorial Day today. I know I get regular viewers in Ireland, so I figured I’d specify. What’s up Irish readers? How in the world did you find my blog? Anyway, it’s Memorial Day, and I figured I would do some creative remembering in the spirit of the holiday.

What is Memorial Day?

I don’t know if other countries have memorial days, because I grew up in the US education system which is so self-centric that I doubt I would have ever heard of it happening in other countries. In the United States, Memorial Day is a patriotic holiday specifically for remembering those who passed away in military service for the country. Culturally, most people just treat it as Veteran’s Day part 1, and might not be able to tell you the difference if you asked them point blank what either holiday was about. Most celebrate by grilling, getting sunburnt, drinking, and watching war movies. Others don’t really ‘celebrate’ as much as honor the dead by visiting cemeteries and sharing stories of those lost.

Memorial Day and Commerce

I’m not going to judge anyone by how they observe or don’t observe the holiday, that’s not my place. I can however, share experiences from my time working in a major chain hardware store. Memorial Day was the busiest time of the year. Some would say or think it was Black Friday, but no, Memorial Day was much, much busier.

Memorial Day moves more grilling charcoal than you can imagine if you haven’t been the one selling, merchandising, or unloading it. I have to imagine frozen burger, hot dog, condiment and potato chip companies make bank on Memorial Day too. Most years, it’s the first actually warm holiday, and people can’t wait to get out and enjoy the smell of meat sizzling over hot coals.. or propane flames, if that’s more your speed.

Memorial Day sales are huge, helping anyone selling gardening tools or plants move stock faster in one weekend than any other time of year. Topsoil, mulch, and gravel practically fly out of hardware store doors. I remember using machines to bring tons of lawn mowers down from overhead stock every year, wondering how so many could possibly be sold in a single season.

Memorial Day and Spring

Spring has always been my favorite time of year. I don’t like when it gets super hot, and I have never liked humidity (which is common where I live), so spring was always exciting for me, even if it was muddy. Memorial Day was always the last holiday before the end of school, so the long weekend was always welcome.

Memorial Day is also close to my wife’s birthday, which counts for good and bad. When working retail, it meant I never got time off to celebrate, and often would need to come in for extra time. When not working retail, Memorial Day was another vacation day, and I honestly wish it was like that for everyone. Obviously some stores need to stay open, and Memorial Day sales are important for so many industries, but we have the whole weekend? Why not have the sales on the Friday, Saturday and Sunday before (if the company would normally be open on Sunday)?

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How do you Observe Memorial Day?

Going to visit family, grilling, watching movies, and enjoying time in the sun are all common observations in the US. Maybe parades are too? I haven’t been to one though. I’m spending this year’s in the air conditioning, blogging about it until it cools off and I can mow the lawn more comfortably. Maybe I’ll get some extra reading done too.

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