15 Ways to Celebrate Memorial Day
Memorial Day is so much more than the perfect time to hit the mall or host a family barbecue bash. The real meaning of the day can get lost in the official kickoff of summer, but it’s important to take some time to acknowledge the service members who gave their lives to protect our country. Here are 15 ways to celebrate Memorial Day this year.
1. Fly the American flag
Memorial Day is the perfect time to fly the red, white and blue, so let that star-spangled banner fly! If you have a flagpole, consider lowering the flag to half-mast from dawn until noon as a sign of your respect. You can also hang smaller flags around the house and lawn, or go all out and deck the house and yard in red white and blue. Be sure your flag is in good repair to show proper respect. If it’s old and worn, it’s time for a new one, and to dispose of the old one properly. The American Legion has drop-off boxes for old flags at every hall.
2. Brush up on your knowledge of American history
Take some time this holiday to broaden your knowledge of American history. Learn about the major events that shaped our country and read up on why we celebrate Memorial Day each year as well as how it’s different from Veterans Day.
3. Take a moment of silence
However you spend your Memorial Day, you can take a moment of silence at 3 p.m. for The National Moment of Remembrance. Spend that time sending your thoughts of thanks and prayers to all U.S. veterans and prayers to the active soldiers serving our people now.
4. Watch a patriotic movie
It can be difficult to really understand the sacrifice of our servicemembers. Watching a patriotic movie, like Black Hawk Down(link is external),The Longest Day(link is external) or The Outpost(link is external) can help you feel their stories and appreciate what they do for our country.
5. Place flowers for soldiers’ graves
There’s no need to travel to Arlington Cemetery this Memorial Day to show your respects for the soldiers of the U.S. military. Instead, you can bring flowers to the veteran cemetery in your town and place them on a soldier’s grave. If your town or city does not have a veteran cemetery, you can make a donation to Memorial Day Flowers(link is external), a foundation that places flowers on the graves of soldiers. You can also visit
6. Volunteer
Do something for someone else in the spirit of Memorial Day today. You can help an elderly neighbor, pay it forward to someone at the coffee shop, volunteer at a soup kitchen or find another way to spread kindness by doing something selfless in honor of our servicemembers.
7. Shop at a veteran-owned business
If you plan to do any shopping or eating out this Memorial Day, you may want to patronize a business that is owned and/or operated by a veteran or military family to show your support. You can find a complete list of veteran-owned businesses here(link is external).
8. Learn how to play a patriotic song
Dig out the guitar, dust off the piano and learn how to play a patriotic song in honor of Memorial Day. You can learn God Bless America, Color Me America or the National Anthem.
9. Take a virtual tour of the White House
In the digital age, you can take a tour of the White House from your living room sofa. You’ll find a full virtual tour of the White House at Google Arts & Culture(link is external). You’ll learn all about the building’s architecture and about the historic events that took place in each room of the house.
10. Create patriotic chalk art
Get out the sidewalk chalk and create some beautiful patriotic-inspired art on your driveway or the sidewalk in front of your home. You can draw a flag, a mural or even a thank you message to your local veterans.
11. Write letters to soldiers and their families
Show your kids that Memorial Day is more than just a day off of school by having them write letters to active soldiers and veterans. You can bring your letters to one of A Million Thanks(link is external) drop-off locations.
12. Listen to veterans’ stories
Get a feel for the veterans’ stories by listening to a memoir like Band of Brothers(link is external) or The Things They Cannot Say(link is external).
13. Donate to a military cause
Look up some trusted military charities and nonprofits, and then choose one that most speaks to you. This includes supporting wounded soldiers, families who’ve lost loved ones in combat and so much more. Be sure to check a charity’s authenticity on a verification site, like CharityNavigator, before making a donation.
14. Put together care packages for soldiers
Operation Gratitude(link is external) hosts several events over Memorial Day weekend. You can donate toys to kids who are living in combat zones, host a neighborhood fundraising event or collect toiletries for the troops.
15. Attend a Memorial Day parade
Find a local Memorial Day parade and join the festivities in the spirit of the day.
Celebrate Memorial Day with more than just a fabulous shopping spree and the barbecue of the year. Use these ideas to commemorate this day and honor the members of the U.S. military.