Memorial Day is fast approaching. Soon Americans will be celebrating those veterans who served in the Armed Forces and are currently serving. Memorial Day is a special holiday because it let's us do just what the name implies - keeping those people and their spirit alive in our memories. If you have family members currently serving in the National Guard or other services, Memorial Day probably extra special.

Memorial Day is observed on the last Monday of the month of May. It's a federally recognized national holiday and just about everyone in the United States celebrates it in some fashion.

Until 1967, the holiday was known as Decoration Day, and it was instituted to remember the passing of Union soldiers who died in the War Between the States. This was a sad time for the entire country because 600,000 Americans had perished in the war during the past four years.

After World War I, holiday went from being about remembrance of fallen Union soldiers, to any American soldiers who had died during any military conflict.

Memorial Day is still relevant today because we need to remember those who gave their lives for our freedom and liberty.

Without our remembrance, their sacrifices would ultimately be in vain. The men and women who have died for you and I wanted to live too - but their lives were cut short due to the horror and vileness of war.

No matter what you think of war, every human life is precious, and those who valiantly marched into battle deserve to be remembered as the heroes that they were.

There are a many ways to celebrate Memorial Day.

• Attend a church service honoring those who sacrificed so much for our freedom. The priest or minister may ask those who have served in the Armed Forces to stand up in front of the congregation and will be thanked for his or her service.
• Visit a national or local cemetery that is holding a Memorial Day service.
• Watch the ceremony at the Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia on television. The cemetery is graced with American flags from people all over the country who come there to remember the fallen Soldiers, Sailors, Marines, Airmen who made up the military. There is usually a speech and a 21 gun salute as well.
• Join in the observance of the National Moment of Remembrance at 3 PM local time on Memorial Day.
• Enjoy the National Memorial Day Concert on PBS. If you are in the Washington, DC area you can attend the free concert on the West Lawn of the Capitol at 8PM
• Visit the US Department of Veterans Administration website to learn more about Memorial Day and what is being done for our veterans.
• Before you dig into the barbeque or picnic lunch, take a few minutes to talk about friends and relatives who have served or are serving in the military.

Take a few moments to reflect on the real meaning of Memorial Day and sacrifices of the few for the so many Americans.

Just remember that Memorial Day isn't just about mourning for lost servicemen and servicewomen, it is a celebration of their lives and their sacrifices for the rest of us.

Memorial Day has had a long and rich history in this country, and we will be celebrating it for years and years to come. Try to hold your own Memorial Day celebration and invite family and friends to join you. You will have a great time and can take a few moments to remember those who have served or are serving our country.

Thank you for reading this HubPage.

Please use the comment area to share what you do to make Memorial Day special.

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Has reading this Hub given you any ideas on what to do for this holiday this year?