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A Bailey family tombstone on Bailey Mountain, West Virginia USA after decoration. According to the Dictionary of Smoky Mountain English, a Decoration or Decoration Day in Appalachia is "an occasion on which a family or church congregation gathers on a Sunday to place flowers on the graves of loved ones and to hold a memorial service for them.
Decoration practices are localized and unique to individual families, cemeteries, and communities, but common elements that unify the various Decoration Day practices are thought to represent syncretism of predominantly Christian cultures in 19th century Southern Appalachia with pre-Christian influences from Scotland, Ireland, and African cultures.
Memorial Day was originally known as Decoration Day. The holiday began as a way to honor soldiers who died in the Civil War, but the day now honors all U.S. veterans who have sacrificed their lives.
In the Antebellum South, families and churches had a long tradition of cleaning the burial sites of their cherished dead and decorating the graves with flowers. [1] These decoration days usually took place in spring or early summer when flowers were in full bloom and often included religious memorial services.
The first Decoration Day ceremony took place at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia. James A. Garfield, a future American president who was an Ohio congressman at the time, gave a speech to ...
Dennis said Memorial Day’s potency diminished somewhat with the addition of Armistice Day, which marked World War I’s end on Nov. 11, 1918. Armistice Day became a national holiday by 1938 and ...
On Christmas Day, the Christ Candle in the center of the Advent wreath is traditionally lit in many church services and Christmas dinners. Christmas lights in Verona, Italy Christmas decoration in front of The church in Weissenbach an der Triesting An animated Christmas angel from the late 20th century. Christmas decorations in a private home ...
Observed on the last Monday in May, Memorial Day is a federal holiday celebrated on May 27 this year.. For many people, it means a three-day weekend, and like other national holidays, a majority ...