Memorial Day is a national day of remembrance that was created as a way to honor those who have died while serving their country. It was originally called Decoration Day, and was a day set aside for family members to visit and decorate the graves of their loved ones who were in the military. Here are some ideas that you, and your family, can do to participate in the traditional observance of Memorial Day (and stay within your budget).

Decorate the Graves of Loved Ones
Memorial Day weekend is an excellent time to visit the graves of family members who were in the military. Take the time to clean the area around the gravestone by removing weeds, debris, and trash.

Bring some flowers to decorate the grave with. They can be fresh flowers that come from the grocery store. Or, you can select red, white, and blue plastic flowers from a dollar store. That’s a good place to look for small flags that are designed to decorate graves with, too. Inexpensive decorations will honor your loved ones just as well as expensive decorations would.

Look at Family Photos
Children tend to enjoy looking at old photos of family members. Memorial Day is a very appropriate time to show your kids photos of relatives who served in the military. Photos that show the family member in uniform can be used to show your kids which relative was in what branch of the service. Tell your kids where that relative served, and what war her or she served in. If your kids are old enough, you can start a shared scrapbooking project together this weekend.

Check Your Newspaper
Many cities and towns will have a special event that takes place during Memorial Day weekend. Find out what will be happening near you by checking your local newspaper. There could be a parade happening on one of those days.

If the place where you live has a military statue, memorial, or decorative outdoor artwork that was designed to honor the troops, there could be an event planned there. Your local library might have planned an event that includes a presentation by a speaker, or the viewing of a film that focuses on a war that the United States was involved in.

Get the Little Kids Involved
Small children might find it difficult to grasp the concepts involved with Memorial Day. Crayola.com has a coloring page that children of all ages can color. It is called “We Salute You”. Talk to your child about the significance of Memorial Day while he or she is coloring.

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