Does it bother you when someone says "Happy Memorial Day?"

I can't recall anyone ever telling me to have a Happy Memorial Day. If they ever do, I will not like it, but will not correct the person. Memorial Day is a time of reflection for fallen comrades, but not the only day that I do this.

This is the FB status I posted the other day. It used to bother me when someone said Happy Memorial Day but I had a realization, I've got a lot to be happy about. You know what else? If my buddies were still alive, they'd be enjoying this holiday weekend and that's exactly what I plan on doing. They will be in my thoughts, just as they are every day but they wouldn't want me to sit around being sad and depressed all weekend.

I have yet to hear "Happy Memorial Day". Usually it's "have a good long weekend" which I don't really mind.

I have to consider the good intentions behind the statement. Some folks may not have the right words to express it.

i'm sort of connected to a group for whom all of the holidays are not the meaning of the holidays, it was created for our conventions!!, partially why I left that group.

spend some time at the Civil War gravesites, that is what "Decoration Day" was created for - for me to celabrate properly I would have to drive 500 miles to Or to Great-great-grandfather Keller's gravesite, my Civil War ancestor

I don't get offended, I believe when people say "Happy Memorial Day" they are not trying to insult the occasion, just merely trying to tell you to enjoy the time off. I've lost Airmen in combat and I think of them all the time and I choose to remember them on how they lived and not dwell on how they past. So in summary, not offended in any form, shape, or fashion...actually driving down to the beach right now with my family to enjoy this 4 day break.

Don't get on Facebook or Instagram.. At least 25 people have told me. I'm like hmmm... But on that note I'm thinking of my Grandfather today he was Lt in the Vietnam War and no longer with us.

I don’t let it bother me and it doesn’t really happen that often. US Military exposure is quite a bit smaller in our population and one usually just hears or reads a small news clip at some distant country our military may be at or the general negative news the media spews. During WWII a majority of civilians back home sacrificed and many lost family members and was a part of most people’s life. Today is not the case and military traditions and holiday meanings are not common knowledge, as this isn’t taught in schools or passed down from former military family members that have now passed away from old age. Times have changed and with a smaller population exposed to the military and it’s activities, less and less folks will know. Our American culture has changed significantly and is a totally different life from when I grew up in the late 1950s and 60s, which I think is a good thing. I grew up watching the Vietnam War on the Nightly News, but had no knowledge about meaning of Memorial Day or Veteran’s Day until I joined in the 1970s and learned over the years. I saw the protests and how Vietnam Vets were treated when they came home. Many of us have had horrific experiences that we don’t want to talk about with our spouses, kids, and grandkids especially those who served in the past two decades in the Middle East or 50 years ago in Vietnam. Sometimes it is left better unsaid and move on and try enjoy the rest of our short time here on earth and not worry about minor things. I don’t want to be the angry veteran correcting people I meet or friends and family. There are many things that others are experts in that I am not aware of and I wouldn’t want to be corrected all the time if I said the wrong words. Many of us joined so our children wouldn’t have to experience the horrors of war, and the boredom of some duties to make our world a better place, and for the most part we have been somewhat successful. Some of our children did have to go to Iraq and Afghanistan though some did and paid the ultimate sacrifice. My only hope is that our politicians stop being so quick to send our military into harms way only as a last resort and not for stupid political reasons. For the large majority of our children or grandchildren we have been successful with our service, so they did not have to experience the horrors of war, so if a few do happen to say “Happy Memorial Day” I just smile and go about my day.

I realize you posted this six years ago, but came on here today to ask the same question. I can’t think of another way to say it. Yes, Memorial Day is about those who gave the ultimate sacrifice. It’s also about our duty to honor them and celebrate their lives, and the lives of our brothers and sisters in arms that paid the ultimate sacrifice. In celebrating their lives, maybe we have a BBQ or get together with friends and family. People should have a good time and should have a “happy Memorial Day.” Perhaps we should look at it like “have a happy Memorial Day” as apposed to “happy Memorial Day.” It’s important to pay tribute and remember the reason behind the holiday though.

Folks mean well. They just don’t understand as a smaller percentage of Americans have or will serve in the military.