I’M JUST CURIOUS: Celebrate in May (continued)

by Debbie Walker

I am curious if anyone still does May Day? I remember it from when I was a little kid, but I hear nothing about it now. Why did we lose that one? What else have we lost?

We’re starting out with May 15th:

15 – National Choc Chip Day, Straw Hat Day.
16 – National Do Something Good for Your Neighbor Day, National Love a tree Day.
17 – National Cherry Cobbler Day, National Mushroom Hunting Day, National Walnut Day.
18 – National Cheese Souffle’ Day.
19 – National Devils Food Cake Day, Plant Something Day.
20 – National Women in Aerospace Day, National River Cleanup Day, Plant a Lemon Tree Day, World Bee Day.
21 – Eat More Fruits and Vegetables Day, International Tea Day, National Talk Like Yoda Day.
25 – National Tap Dance Day, National Wine Day.
26 – National Blueberry Cheesecake Day.
27 – National Grape Popsicle Day, National Italian Beef Day.
28 – National Hamburger Day, Whooping Crane Day.
30 – National Creativity Day.
31 – National Macaroon Day, World Otter Day, World Parrott Day.

I do want to add that I got these May Days from a newspaper called Senior Voice of Citrus County. How many do you think you will celebrate?

Memorial Day is more than just a long weekend from work or school. However, that’s what you hear about on Tuesday morning. People get dressed up in red, white, and blue to enjoy their get-togethers. What gets less attention is the reason you have the time off.

Memorial Day deserves its own place on my page. The same little paper also had a title of Memorial Day Facts, and here they are:

The holiday started after the Civil War which ended in 1865. The Civil War claimed 620,000 soldiers’ lives. This made it necessary to create the first national cemetery. And over the next decade Americans started to hold their own rituals each spring to honor lost soldiers, by decorating their graves.

After World War I, it became a time to honor all who have died in all American wars. In 1971 it became a national holiday by an act of Congress. It was originally known as Decoration Day, when the emphasis of the holiday was on the memory of our soldiers who fought for us.

In May 1868 Maj. Gen. John A. Logan declared the holiday be observed at the end of May. It is believed he chose that date because flowers would be blooming and ready to be used to decorate the graves.

Federal guidelines indicate that flags on the holiday be hung at half-staff. But only until noon, then they should be raised the rest of the way. There is also a Moment of Remembrance, at 3 p.m., local time, around the country.

The finish today will be some morning statements:

“Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds that you plant.” – by Robert Louis Stevenson.

“When you arise in the morning, think of what a precious privilege it is to be alive, to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love.” – Marcus Aurelius.

I’m just curious what May holidays you will enjoy!! Contact me with any questions or comments at DebbieWalker@townline.org . I’ll be looking forward to them!! Have a wonderful week!