Holidays have meanings. "Happy Memorial Day" is this holiday's antithesis.

[Stinky The Clown]

Monday we observe Memorial Day. Please keep in mind what the day is about; its meaning. We are remembering not military who get thanked for their service when we meet them on the street, but military who died while engaged with an enemy in actions ordered by their commander in chief.

THIS is Memorial Day:

[no_hypocrisy]

1. "Happy Memorial Day" is akin to "Happy Good Friday".

[Dave Starsky]

2. B-b-but all the sales on mattresses and patio grills!

That puts a little joy in it, don't you think?

How about free popcorn and suckers for the kids?

[DrDan]

3. When I was a child growing up in a very small town in Nebraska, this holiday was known as

Decoration Day.

We would, as a family, gather with my grandparents and visit the local graves of relatives where we would mow, weed and otherwise "decorate". We would pack a large picnic basket and make a day of it.

Now, as a Monday Holiday, it is little more than a day away from work.

[tazkcmo]

4. We made a trip to Fort Leavenworth

And did the same at the graveyard there. Wasn't a lot of mindless backyard barbecuing and beer-guzzling although that was a major part every other weekend.

[Lars39]

5. A much needed reminder.

Thank you for posting this.

[3catwoman3]

6. Exactly. Thank you.

"Happy Memorial Day," just sounds insensitive.

I pointed this out to one of the staff nurses at my practice yesterday, when she said it to me. Well intended, without a doubt. She said she had never really considered that and seemed to respect my explanation. She is probably about half my age, and has never been in the military. I'm 67 and was in the AF nurse corps for 4 yr of active duty and 8 in the reserves.

[smirkymonkey]

7. Maybe Ivanka will grace us by giving us her famous champagne

popsicle recipe.