The month of May has numerous important holidays, such as Mother's Day, National Teachers Day, and Cinco de Mayo. One holiday in particular, Memorial Day, is of great importance to Americans.
Always the last Monday in May, Memorial Day is a holiday during which Americans remember the hundreds of thousands of brave men and women who died fighting for their country. The most deadly American war was the Civil War from 1861 to 1865, in which roughly 700,000 Americans perished.
Americans perform a variety of activities on Memorial Day. If families or individuals have personally known someone killed in battle, often they will visit the grave of their loved one.
For instance, many visit the famous Arlington National Cemetery near Washington, D.C where nearly a half of a million fallen soldiers are buried. Individuals typically leave flowers on the grave and bring other items, such as family photos, that have significance to the deceased individual.
Memorial Day, in this sense, is somewhat similar to the Taiwanese holiday of Tomb-Sweeping Day (清明節) in that friends and family members visit gravesites and pay their respects.
While Memorial Day provides an opportunity for individuals to honor the fallen members of America's armed forces, it also is a time to celebrate the beginning of summer.
Due to the more comfortable weather, many individuals spend more time outdoors. The most popular outdoor event is a barbecue. Barbecues are held in public spaces, such as a park, as well as in more private venues, including homes or apartments.
Typically, however, the house or apartment will have either a backyard or a rooftop so that all individuals are able to cherish the warmer weather outside. Memorial Day is, therefore, not only a day of remembrance, but also an opportunity to interact with family members and friends in the great outdoors.