Memorial Day: 3 traditions that you can follow with your family

Memorial Day, a federal holiday in the United States, is marked on the last Monday of May every year. In 2022, it is being observed on May 30. The day has been set aside to remember the American soldiers who gave their lives in service.

While many people have their own way of marking Memorial Day, most stick to the tradition. The national American flag, also called the star-spangled banner, is flown at half-mast on all federal buildings across the country.

Also Read: Memorial Day: History and significance

Here are some of the Memorial Day traditions you can follow with your family:

Visiting the Tomb of the Unknowns

The Tomb of the Unknowns, located in Virginia’s Arlington National Cemetery, attracts huge a crowd on Memorial Day. Arlington Cemetery, the first federal one built in the US, has thousands of graves of American military personnel who died in the line of duty.

People put flowers, candles, banners and other decorative items on the graves to thank the men and women for their service.

Observing a moment of silence

America collectively observes a moment of silence at 3 PM every year on Memorial Day. This tradition was also made into legislation when Bill Clinton was the US President.

The US Congress passed the National Moment of Remembrance Act in 2000 in order to encourage people to stop any non-essential tasks and honour the American military personnel.

Also Read: Why Waterloo is the ‘birthplace’ of Memorial Day

Watching and participating in parades

Parades are a tradition that is followed for nearly every federal holiday in the US. A flurry of such processions can be seen across the country, with the national parade being organised in Washington DC.

Other famous parades are conducted in New York City, Colorado’s Denver, Los Angeles, Seattle and other prominent cities. Memorial Day parades are a little less common in rural parts of the United States.