A soldier saluting at sunset at a cemetery for Memorial Day honors.

For the majority of us, Memorial Day means a Monday off in late May, a three-day weekend to have friends and family over for a barbecue to celebrate some good times. But, it’s so much more than that.

There’s a time-honored tradition of remembering those who served our country with their bravery to protect our freedoms. We can celebrate that in many ways.

Let Ocean State Job Lot show you the way through the past, and help you set up your present-day party for Memorial Day.

An American flag and graves at the US National Cemetery.

The Tradition of Memorial Day

Did you know that Memorial Day was originally known as Decoration Day and observed on May 30 from 1868 to 1970? Since 1971, it’s been celebrated on the last Monday in May.

The day is set to honor and mourn those who died while serving in the United States Armed Forces. According to Wikipedia, the holiday, then known as Decoration Day, was first proclaimed in 1868 by Commander in Chief John A. Logan of the Grand Army of the Republic to honor the Union soldiers who had died in the Civil War. They decorated the graves of 20,000 military personnel with flowers at Arlington National Cemetery.

The name Memorial Day was adopted in 1967 as a federal law and put into effect in 1971. Flags are lowered to half-staff until noon and then back up to full-staff. The National Memorial Day Concert is held at the West Wing of the US Capitol and parades are part of many communities across the country.

Flag waving at a Memorial Day parade.

The Present

Today, there are several ways in which we celebrate, in addition to the home parties and barbecues:

Poppies: Many people wear poppies to honor those who gave their life to protect our country. Red poppies reflect back to the poem “In Flanders Fields,” written in 1915 by John McCrae.

National Moment of Silence: Former President Bill Clinton signed into law “The National Moment of Remembrance Act” in December 2000, encouraging all Americans to pause wherever they are at 3 p.m. local time on Memorial Day for a minute of silence to remember and honor those who have died in service to the nation.

Parades: Many communities have local parades with police and fire departments, along with local organizations like school bands and girl and boy scouts marching in commemoration.

Planning that Memorial Day Party

By the time you reach late May, you’re hoping for good, warm weather. That’s first and foremost. Once you’ve got your cookout guest list figured out, here’s a few things you might want to consider checking out at Ocean State Job Lot.

First, the big stuff:

Next, comes the cookware and bakeware. You’ll want to pick from our wide assortment of disposable aluminum pans and plates to make things easier on prep and clean-up.

Of course, your menu will be topped with burgers, hot dogs, and side dishes, but don’t forget to have plenty of variety for your guests to take part in. Our grocery section has a wide selection including Bob’s Red Mill products to make those tasty holiday treats. 

Finally, the accessories:

Remember, it’s a day to enjoy yet at the same time pay tribute. Here at Ocean State Job Lot, we help veterans all year long with our Buy-Give-Get coats program and Three Square Meals program. It’s part of our Mission, Vision, and Values.

Keep this in mind: while it’s easy to want to say Happy Memorial Day, it’s more appropriate to pay gratitude to those who served and keep the memories of those who have passed alive.