How to Celebrate Memorial Day

Today I want to share with you a few ideas about how you can make patriotism come alive for your family on Memorial Day.  This weekend is so important in our country to honor those who have sacrificed so much for our freedom. So before you do anything else, visit your local convention and visitors bureau website to find out where the parades and ceremonies might be that truly mark the moment.  After you pick that out, you can plug in barbeques and all kinds of summer fun.  Here at my house, once we map that out, here are the ways my family includes the American Flag and patriotism in our Memorial Day weekend:

1.  Decorate: Both outside in the garden with pinwheels and red, white, and blue flowers and inside with little touches of the American Flag here and there that make sense.  Maybe add some American Flag decor in the bathroom or basket full of star light mints in the kitchen.

2.  Dress for the Day:  We always kick off the summer with a fresh set of red, white, and blue tank tops, t-shirts, and swim suits.  One of my favorite examples of wearing patriotism has to come from the American Flag.  Because we spend a ton of time at the pool, this is my pick ro this year.  This is a big towel that looks like an American flag and the stripes include the names of all the states!

3.  Entertain in Color: We make sure that each time we entertain for a cookout or barbeque, I’ve got something red, white ,and blue that I bring.  Its what summer is all about ~ a red white and blue seems to make the meal no question.

4.  Read for the Reason: I bring out a basket full of books this weekend that stays out all summer long.  Its stocked with fun books that embody patriotism, teach about what the flag means, and teach a bit of American history. Then we try to carry that forward by picking summer reading series that are based in American history.  My home is full of history buffs so that helps.  You can finds all kinds of options for every reading level that will make patriotism come alive and that’s really what you are trying to do ~ take the meaning of the holiday and make it real to your children beginning with the flag.

5.  Participate in the Celebration: Along with attending your local community ceremonies, consider holding a flag walk.  I remember these simple flags on every mailbox in my neighborhood growing up.  Get out with your neighbors and decorate every home with this simple step ~ nothing says American Patriotism like a neighborhood covered in the red white and blue.

If you are looking for ways you can engage your family with a touch of social media, take some time to visit with your family and talk about what the American Flag means to you and write a story about that.  If you visit the Tide My Story, Our Flag Facebook Page, you can upload your family’s story to that Facebook page and they are making a huge flag that will be unveiled in July in New York City just before the 4th based on all those beautiful stories.  So check out the link and you have just about a week left to do it.  And I hope you have a great Memorial Day weekend kicking the summer almost off and enjoying all the benefits of paritotism have meant to you . Tell me…

How do you celebrate patriotism on Memorial Day weekend?

Thanks so much for stopping by ~ we’ll see you next time!

Disclosure: Special thanks to Tide for engaging me to serve in a professional capacity for this campaign.  A lifelong Olympic fan I proudly sported a Dorothy Hamill bob in 1976 and drew a picture of myself on the podium winning the Gold medal just like most every other little girl that magical year.  I am honored to participate in such a wonderful and as always, my opinions are entirely my own.

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