Hello In Stitches Family,
Memorial Day weekend always feels a little like the unofficial kickoff to summer. The grills come out. People suddenly remember they own lawn chairs. Someone inevitably buys a watermelon that looked way better in the store than it tastes once you cut into it.
But underneath the cookouts, road trips, and long weekend energy, Memorial Day carries a lot of meaning too.
Originally known as Decoration Day, Memorial Day began after the Civil War as a way for communities to honor fallen soldiers by decorating their graves with flowers and flags. Over time, it became the national day of remembrance we know today, honoring the men and women who gave their lives serving our country.
Our blog writer Ashley (Hi) is currently living in Washington, DC, right next to Arlington National Cemetery, where some of the earliest Decoration Day observances took place. And honestly, being in DC around Memorial Day changes the way you think about the holiday a little bit.
It’s hard not to pause and reflect when you’re surrounded by so much history and sacrifice. Arlington is beautiful this time of year, but it’s also humbling. Row after row of headstones reminds you that Memorial Day is not just about a day off work or the beginning of summer vacation season. It represents real people, real families, and generations of sacrifice.
At In Stitches, we work with schools, churches, sports teams, camps, businesses, and community groups all year long. One thing we’ve noticed is that moments like Memorial Day tend to bring people together. Whether it’s a small-town parade, flags lining a local cemetery, or families gathering for the weekend, there’s something about shared remembrance that still matters.
And honestly, that sense of community feels important right now.
So whether your Memorial Day weekend includes traveling, camping, cookouts, visiting a cemetery, watching a parade, or simply taking a quiet moment during the National Moment of Remembrance at 3 PM, we hope there’s space somewhere in the weekend to reflect on why the holiday exists in the first place.
We hope you have a safe, meaningful, and maybe slightly less sunburned Memorial Day weekend from all of us at In Stitches.