By Lorie Ham
Stuck between Easter and the Fourth of July, Memorial Day is an often-overlooked holiday. For some, it means nothing more than an extra day off from work, or a chance to get away for a long weekend before summer hits. While others attend special services held to honor deceased service men and women. But how many know the history behind this holiday?
According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, there are varying stories as to when and where the first Memorial Day gathering occurred and how it came to be. Originally called Decoration Day, it was formalized by a “Memorial Day Order” issued by Grand Army of the Republic Commander-in-Chief John A. Logan in 1868. Recent scholarship points to the ladies of Columbus, GA as being behind it, as in April 1866 they lobbied for a clearly defined Memorial Day on which to place flowers on the graves of Civil War dead.
In 1971, Congress established Memorial Day as a federal holiday and fixed its observance on the last Monday in May. The modern proclamation calls on Americans “to observe Memorial Day by praying, according to their individual religious faith, for permanent peace.”
Whether or not you attend services on Memorial Day to honor those who lost their lives protecting our country, it is a perfect time to come together with family and friends to celebrate the life they died to protect. What better way to honor them?
Jerry Linscheid, CEO of Mennonite Insurance, has been getting together with his family at a cabin in the mountains for Memorial Day for generations. “There are nine other cabins nearby. Every Memorial Day all the cabin owners get together for a potluck meal. This year is our turn to host the potluck. Because strawberry season is usually still going strong, we can expect some strawberry desserts. Our family has a tradition of bringing mock chocolate eclairs.” You can find a link to a similar recipe here.
“People bring their own meat to grill on the BBQ, so we see everything from steaks to chicken to salmon to hotdogs,” continues Jerry. “We expect about 40 people. The cabin porch is pretty big, but there may be some overflow onto a nearby cabin porch. This event is a good time to catch up with other families that you might see only a few times a year.”
BBQs seem to be a popular Memorial Day tradition. Mennonite Insurance board member Jim Enns celebrates with his family that way as well. “Our favorite tradition is getting family together with any kind of BBQ. With family scattered from Reedley to Fresno – Madera – Spokane – Houston to Charlotte, this can be rather difficult. The Central CA Coast (Morro Bay) is also a weekend and holiday favorite.”
Alan Whaley, another board member, says that their Memorial Day celebrations are unique as it is also their brother’s birthday. “So we were always family-oriented. When younger, we frequently accompanied our parents who visited the graves of relatives that morning.”
If you are looking for some new recipes to try for your Memorial Day get-togethers, in a recent article, the Food Network provided 45 recipes for Memorial Day. They include a Sizzling Summer Burger, Bacon and Egg Potato Salad, and Grilled Cajun Lemon Pepper Chicken Wings. If you don’t find what you are looking for there, allrecipes.com has a list of 400 recipes to try!
However you spend your Memorial Day weekend, whether it is by being with family, honoring those who gave their lives for this country, or praying for peace, be sure to put safety first and make the time to cherish those you love. We would love it if you would share your favorite traditions, memories, and recipes with us on the Mennonite Insurance Servies Facebook page!
