Happy Memorial Day!
May 30, 2011

The Holiday of Flowers

Since we started Apartment Therapy seven years ago, we've always believed that less was more, but when it comes to weekends, we fully back the notion that more is more. Here on the east coast it has been an absolutely memorable weekend so far, and we now have one more day to rest up, recreate, remember and clean up the house. Below is our annual origin story of Memorial Day. Enjoy.

This is the holiday of flowers: flowers that were called to be strewn upon the ground in honor of the dead from both sides who gave their lives to defend their country during the Civil War...

After the bloodiest and most divisive war in American history, Commander in Chief John A. Logan of the Grand Army of the Republic instituted the holiday at Arlington Cemetery in 1868 "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."

Though many states in the south refused to observe Memorial Day fully and continued to honor their Confederate dead on a separate day, the entire country adopted the day after World War I as a day to honor soldiers fallen in any war. Since a Congressional act in 1971 the last Monday in May has been observed as a national holiday in nearly every state, ensuring a three day weekend.

For us now it a much appreciated holiday after a long spring of busy weeks and preparations for the summer ahead. It affords us a little extra time and the opportunity to reflect on what has been gained and lost in war, as well as to smell the flowers which have come back to visit us after a long winter.

Memorial Day is, at its root, a beautiful holiday that takes us past politics and history to a more universal place.

It is about reconciliation.

It is about overcoming division, honoring those that gave their all, and renewing our own commitment to the "great work" of living right here, right now on the earth in community.

Have a great Memorial Day.

Sources:

• www.writersalmanac.publicradio.org
• www.usmemorialday.org
• Memorial Day via Wikipedia

(picture: US Army Corps of Engineers)

Comments (8)

Thanks for a great post, Apartment Therapy, and for seven fantastic years of inspiring design, conversation, and community. Hope you all get a chance to rest and enjoy the holiday!

I second celt-grrrl's thanks and kudos. But here's another version of the first Memorial Day, kind of lost to history for a while...

http://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2011/05/the-first-memorial-day/239634/

also, it was first celebrated by the freedmen in 1865 in charleston, sc!

Do you really think it's appropriate to say "happy Memorial Day"? Think about it for a second. How would you react if someone said "Happy AIDS Day"? How is that any different?

seaspider,seriously? This is a day where people are proud that someone in their family served and made them proud. So yes there is quite a difference between memorial day and AIDS day...Memorial day isn't just for the dead it's also to show support for the people that keep their memories alive! so on that note,Happy Memorial Day to all the families past and present in the service. Your sacrifices are appreciated everyday!

Wow, tbgboodler, that is one moving article/post. Thanks for the link. And the education!

Sorry, I agree with Seaspider. Memorial day isn't happy. It's about people who have been killed in horrible circumstances. My brother was a soldier in Yugoslavia and it's a very upsetting occasion for him every year. He celebrates the good memories every day of his life, but *this* day is about remembering that war is a Bad Thing.

Many thanks for your Memorial Day Greetings Apartment Therapy. And on the occasion of the recent holiday, my best wishes for success and prosperity to you. Many thanks for all the most useful information.