5/26/25 - Memorial Day & The Unofficial Start of Summer

Monday 5/26/25

Celebrate:

National Blueberry Cheesecake Day

National Cherry Dessert Day

National Paper Airplane Day

World Dracula Day

World Lindy Hop Day

World Redhead Day

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Memorial Day! It’s the unofficial start of Summer, but don’t forget what the day is about. Iit’s a day of remembrance, take a moment and remember but also say Thanks to our service men and women.

There's an exact moment of remembrance on Memorial Day.  At 3:00 P.M. local time, we're supposed to pause and remember the brave men and women who died in service to our nation.

Memorial Day Facts:

It was called Decoration Day from 1868 to 1970.  It didn't become "Memorial Day" until 1971.  That's also when we began observing it on the last Monday of May.

The Department of Veterans Affairs says that Memorial Day is celebrated in late May because it's when flowers are likely to be blooming across the country.

The day was originally set aside to remember Union soldiers who died during the Civil War, but following World War I, its scope expanded to include those who died in any war or military action. At the end of the Civil War, many U.S. cities held their own memorial observations for their hometown heroes.

The American Flag: On Memorial Day, the flag is lowered to half-staff from sunrise until noon and then raised to full-staff for the remainder of the day. This process symbolizes mourning in the morning and a commitment to continue the fight for freedom in the afternoon. The flag’s colors—red for bravery, white for purity, and blue for perseverance—carry deep meaning on this day of reflection.

The Ironton-Lawrence Memorial Day Parade in Ironton, Ohio, is the oldest continuously-running Memorial Day parade in the nation, beginning back in 1868.  The parade WAS held in 2020 during the height of COVID, but it took place with no spectators and it lasted 17 minutes when it usually lasts a couple of hours.

The bugle call "Taps" is typically performed at military funerals as well as the annual Memorial Day wreath ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.  And it was adapted from a separate Civil War bugle call known as "Scott Tattoo", which was used to signal lights out. 

Poppies are associated with those who died during wartime since World War I.  In the U.S., people wear the red poppy on Memorial Day to honor those who died trying to protect the country, according to The Department of Veterans Affairs. In Canada, poppies are worn on Remembrance Day, November 11th.

The red color is not a symbol of blood, death, or support for war. Instead, poppies were the only flowers that grew in war-torn battlefields. When the countrysides were nothing but mud and devastation, poppy flowers sprouted up and flourished. The sight of the red poppies inspired one Canadian soldier, Colonel John McCrae, to pen the poem In Flanders Fields in May 1915.

Wearing white between Memorial Day and Labor Day was once a widely followed tradition in the United States. This custom began as a way to stay cool in hot weather and as a sign of wealth and social status among upper-class families, though this is much less common today.

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44% of Americans plan to barbecue over Memorial Day weekend.

Memorial Day places 2nd in beer sales, with July 4th first and Labor Day 3rd.

818 – Number of hot dogs consumed every second from Memorial Day to Labor Day (seven billion total).

$1.6 Billion in sales of meat for Memorial Day.

National BBQ day was May 16th..but July 4th is the champion holiday for a BBQ. Memorial Day is tied with Labor Day as second, and Father's Day is 4th!

A poll asked people what they think they're the best at grilling, and not surprisingly, BURGERS were #1. Not surprisingly, meat substitutes were dead last, behind fruit.  Here's the list:

1.  Burgers . . . 45% think they're the best at handling burgers.

2.  Chicken . . . 43%

3.  Hot dogs . . . 43%

4.  Steak . . . 40%

5.  Ribs . . . 32%

6.  Fish . . . 29%

7.  Veggies . . . 28%

8.  Shellfish . . . 24%

9.  Fruit . . . 24%

10.  Meat substitutes, like veggie burgers, tofu, and tempeh . . . 22%

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The average American says summer isn't complete without:  Four cookouts . . . three getaways . . . two concerts . . . and two festivals.  (And at least ONE really annoying sunburn.)

Here are a few other stats, which are all from a new survey:

1.  On average, the perfect cookout has 11 guests, with everyone contributing something to share.  (In fact, 64% of people say it's a "sin" to show up without bringing anything.)

2.  We plan to attend five barbeques this summer, and host four.

3.  The most popular grilling staples, from most to least common, are:  Burgers . . . hot dogs . . . chicken . . . steak . . . ribs . . . bratwurst . . . kabobs . . . pork chops . . . and fish.

4.  Older folks say their favorite barbecue side dish is potato salad, but younger generations prefer mac and cheese.

5.  The most popular beverage is soda and soft drinks.  Ice tea and water are next, followed by lemonade . . . beer . . . fruit punch . . . fruit juice . . . wine . . . and cocktails. 

6.  As for activities at a cookout, people ranked their favorites like this:  Playing cards . . . cornhole . . . swimming . . . horseshoes . . . frisbee . . . badminton . . . basketball . . . football . . . and beer pong.

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