Memorial Day is an American national holiday that remembers all of the country’s war dead.
On this holiday people pay tribute to those who died in military service by visiting cemeteries and memorials, and many volunteers place an American flags on graves in national cemeteries.
Why Red Poppies?
This site has fairly loud music, but is the best in-depth description I have found on why there are red poppies on Memorial Day. http://www.cal-mum.com/poppy.htm
A more silent and general version of Memorial Day and red poppies can be found at http://www.usmemorialday.org/?page_id=2. The following is quoted from this site.
“Shortly before Memorial Day in 1922 the VFW became the first veterans’ organization to nationally sell poppies.”
Poem extract by Moina Michael (1915), the founder of the red poppy tradition.
“We cherish too, the Poppy red
That grows on fields where valor led
It seems to signal to the skies
That blood of heroes never dies.”
About http://www.usmemorialday.org/?page_id=2 “This site was created in 1994 to be a central point of information about Memorial Day in the United States of America, help restore its original intent, and to provide others a chance to share their feelings, pride, respect, and honor for those that gave their all. In the spring of 2009 the site’s original creator, David M. Merchant, turned it over to the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War (SUVCW) (SUVCW) for ongoing maintenance and upkeep. In 2014 it was redesigned by SUVCW webmaster Joshua Claybuurn.”
Thinking of and remembering all of those who gave their lives for our country.
~lisa
http://www.usmemorialday.org/backgrnd.html
http://www.cnn.com/2013/05/23/us/memorial-day-fast-facts/index.html
http://myfivebest.com/five-fun-facts-about-memorial-day/
Rainbow Hill Meanders 