Search Results for: blog today is veterans day

Genealogy Resources for Veteran’s Day

Veteran’s Day is a time to remember, and honor, your relatives and ancestors who served in the military. Genealogists can find plenty of online resources that they can use to help discover more about their ancestors who served in the military. Some photo archives are especially interesting, even if they are not specifically about an ancestor of yours. Ancestry.com has the world’s largest online collection of historical military documents. There is a guide you can download that gives you advice about how to find the answers that you are looking for on their website. You can search through their Revolutionary … Continue reading →

Veteran’s Day Sales – 2011

Veteran’s Day started as a way to honor World War I veterans. In the United States, the banks and post offices will be closed on this national holiday, and many people will have the day off of work. Every year, retailers try to take advantage of this day off by having Veteran’s Day Sales. Here are a few you can check out this year. Ideally, Veteran’s Day is supposed to be a tribute to all veterans, of any war. It is a day to show appreciation for the brave men and women who are currently serving in the armed forces. … Continue reading →

How to Make Memorial Day a Teachable Moment

We buried my beloved grandmother last week. My five-year-old daughter and I along with hundreds of other relatives and friends gathered at Veteran’s Cemetery in Hilo, Hawaii, to pay tribute to an unbelievably remarkable woman whose life will never be forgotten. It had been almost 11 years to the day since I attended a burial at Veteran’s Cemetery. The last time we gathered en masse was to say good-bye to my grandfather. My fiercely proud Japanese-American grandfather, who risked his life to serve the United States in World War II, while some of his family members were forced to reside … Continue reading →

Honoring Memorial Day at Home

When we think about Memorial Day, it is usually thoughts of the start of summer, weekend parties by the pool and getting ready for outdoor living. But Memorial Day is much deeper than that. I was reminded of this in at least one way this weekend. The long Memorial Day weekend was a great time for us to catch up on house projects and yard work. We had purchased an inexpensive outdoor teak bench that needed to be assembled and oiled, there was a section of fence that needed some extensive repair, new rails needed to be put in on … Continue reading →

Our Holiday Too

Today, Martin Luther King Jr.’s Birthday is observed by government agencies, public schools, and many private schools and offices. Some businesses, however, deal with holidays such as Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Veterans’ Day by remaining open (in a global economy, many of them must). Instead of these holidays, many give their employees two or more “personal holidays” that they can take throughout the year. I can appreciate the flexibility of this arrangement. I also admit that before there was this holiday, when I was in high school and college, our school day had assemblies, prayer services, speakers and … Continue reading →

Animal Holidays and Observances There Should Be If There Aren’t Already

Last year I was pretty good about tracking the different animal/pet related holidays and observances with articles like Appreciating Elephants (in honor of Elephant Appreciation Day), Have You Hugged Your Sea-Monkeys Today?, Happy World Turtle Day!, and Hug Your Cat Day: Come Here, Tabby and Mr. Meow!. That’s just to name a few. There were more (see the list below for some others, including some Aimee wrote). The past few months I’ve been thinking about the number and variety of holidays and observances I found –and the ones I don’t think exist that have occurred to me since. I decided … Continue reading →

Veterans Day

Did you know that Veteran’s Day began as a way to honor World War I Veterans? The end of the war, the signing of the armistice (which is why it was originally called Armistice Day) occurred at the eleventh hour on the eleventh day of the eleventh month. That is why officially Veterans Day is always on November 11th, although it’s celebrated on a weekday if it falls on the weekend, because it is a “day off” holiday (like today) for many. Veterans Day has come to be a tribute of all Vets, not just those from the first World … Continue reading →

A Memorial Day Thank-You to Those Who Served

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I just watched the National Memorial Day tribute concert on TV. As usual, I cried—for an old classmate, for a friend’s father, for all the mothers who’ve lost sons and children who’ve lost fathers, for women my age who shouldn’t have become widows for another forty-plus years. But this time, I cried for a reason I’d never even thought of before. You may be wondering what this has to do with adoption. Here’s the connection, which I never made before today. Watching the concert reminded me of a dear family friend, almost a grandfather to me, who fought in Korea. … Continue reading →

Veterans Day: A Little History

It seems that a lot of people get confused when it comes to Veterans Day. Part of the reason may be because it has changed over the years. The date has been changed as well as the name. The original holiday was celebrated as a day of peace, and was known as Armistice Day, which marked the end of World War I. The date the war officially ended was November 11, which became the annual date of recognition. In 1954, it was changed to Veterans Day to honor all war Veterans. American troops had bravely fought in two more wars, … Continue reading →

How to Get Involved for Veteran’s Day

Do you know what Veterans Day is? Do you know why it’s important? It is the day where we show appreciation, or give thanks, to all the brave people that fought in wars to help keep our country safe. These people are called Veterans. While today is the official date of Veteran’s Day, many people will celebrate in on Monday, November 13, because they have the day off from school or work. So, what can you do to get actively involved in honoring our American heroes? Many communities have a Veterans Day parade. Ask a grown up to call your … Continue reading →