Memorial Day 2025: Holiday more than barbecues, it remembers US military members killed
Memorial Day 2025 is almost here. The holiday is considered the unofficial start to summer — a long weekend with pleasant weather in the Ohio forecast, a time for barbecues, graduation parties and picnics.
The holiday, however, is one of the most solemn that the United States observes. It honors those who gave their lives in service to this country.
Here's when we celebrate Memorial Day 2025, plus more on the holiday's origins.
Memorial Day travel outlook, best times to travel in Ohio
This year, Memorial Day will be marked on May 26. Until 1971, Memorial Day was always marked on May 30. That year, Congress established Memorial Day as a federal holiday on the last Monday in May.
Memorial Day is a federal holiday mourning the loss of military personnel who died while serving in the U.S. Armed Forces, according to History.
A federal holiday since 1971, Memorial Day's history stretches back to the Civil War when it was known as Decoration Day. May 30 was designated 'for the purpose of strewing with flowers, or otherwise decorating the graves of comrades who died in defense of their country during the late rebellion, and whose bodies now lie in almost every city, village and hamlet churchyard in the land.'
Memorial Day got its start three years after the Civil War ended, on May 5, 1868, when the head of an organization of Union veterans — the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) — established Decoration Day as a time for the nation to decorate the graves of the war dead with flowers. Maj. Gen. John A. Logan declared it should be May 30, when it was thought that flowers would be in bloom all over the country.
Even though numerous communities had been independently celebrating Memorial Day for years, the federal government declared Waterloo, New York, the official birthplace of Memorial Day. Waterloo first celebrated the holiday on May 5, 1866.
While it may be an instinct to wish someone a happy Memorial Day, there's a debate about whether that's appropriate on a somber holiday, according to Newsweek.
Since the word has a joyous connotation, some think "Happy Memorial Day" is an inappropriate sentiment. For those who have lost a loved one, it can come across as insensitive and may indicate to some that the holiday has lost its meaning.
Thanking a veteran for their service is more appropriate for Veterans Day, the holiday in November to honor veterans for their service to the United States. "I hope you're having a meaningful day" might be one of the better things to say to a veteran, writes NPR.
Memorial Day parades, often incorporating military personnel and members of veterans' organizations, are among the traditions cities across the United States observe for the day. Some of the largest parades take place in Chicago, New York and Washington, D.C.
Also, some areas mark the holiday with fireworks displays.
Many also observe Memorial Day by visiting cemeteries and memorials. Some wear a red poppy to remember those fallen in war — a tradition that began with a World War I poem.
As the unofficial start of summer, many people have barbecues or get away for the weekend to mark Memorial Day.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Memorial Day 2025: When is it? Origins, what to say to military members
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