| During my childhood, Memorial Day was more commonly known as "Decoration Day". That is because the emphasis was on decorating graves of our loved ones. I have fond memories of loading buckets full of beautiful flowers, as well as loaded picnic basket into my grandparents' car and then driving with them to southern Illinois, where all of the relatives on my father's side of the family are buried. Soon after we arrived at the tiny town of St. Elmo, we headed for the graveyard and put the flowers on the graves of many relatives, including several great grandfathers who had fought in the Civil War. In fact, the holiday was established in 1869, following the Civil War. |
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