As the weather heats up here in the Mid-South area of Memphis, Arkansas, and Mississippi, it’s starting to feel like summer—and Memorial Day, on May 29, marks the unofficial start of the warm weather season for many people across the country. While the holiday was originally created to honor those who lost their lives while serving in the US military, the remembrance of those men and women who served our country is often done alongside warm-weather celebrations. The Tub Pros would like to honor and thank all those who wore our nation’s military uniform, for their service. Cookouts, time with family and friends, or trips away during the long weekend make it an enjoyable time for many families.
So what can you do this Memorial Day to both honor those who have served and to celebrate the upcoming summer season? And how can The Tub Pros help you get your home ready for the cookouts, guests, and time at home that the new season brings? Here, we’ll break down the answers to these questions and let you know how The Tub Pros professional refinishers can save you from the embarrassment of an ugly sink, tub, or shower.
Why Do We Have Memorial Day?
Memorial Day has been a federal holiday since 1971, though it originates with Decoration Day, a holiday celebrated after the US Civil War. Many communities around the country began to decorate the graves of fallen soldiers with flowers each year in the spring, and to celebrate by closing businesses for the day, holding parades, and spending time with family. Eventually, it was declared a federal holiday, to be celebrated on the last Monday of May each year.
Why did Memorial Day become the unofficial start of summer?
Memorial Day has always been split between a solemn day of remembrance and a day to relax and enjoy a day off of work. Even back in the 1880s, people began to split the day in half—visiting gravesites in the morning, and then using the day off to go to sporting events, picnics, or day trip destinations with family. Eventually, this holiday in the late spring came to be thought of as the start of summer, since the warm-weather activities tended to start then.
Even though not as many families today have a direct connection to the military as they did in the years right after the Civil War, World War I, or World War II, Memorial Day is simply part of what people are used to—a day of both solemnity and military remembrance and celebration for over a hundred years.
What are some ways to celebrate Memorial Day?
One of the best known ways to mark Memorial Day is with outdoor celebrations. Cookouts, picnics, trips to the beach, camping, or yard games are a great way to spend time with family and friends. These events don’t have to be fancy or expensive—making s’mores, drawing with chalk, or making crafts are all fun activities for kids, and all can be done outside, cutting down on indoor mess and cleanup after spending the winter indoors.
Another way to mark Memorial Day is with activities centered around remembrance of those who served. Visiting a military memorial graveyard can be a way to do this. Some cemeteries—like the West Tennessee Veterans’ Cemetery in Memphis—will hold Memorial Day programs or events. If you don’t have relatives buried in a cemetery nearby, you can volunteer to place flags on graves of others, or even go for a walk around a neighborhood cemetery to pay respects.
Some communities also hold local parades on Memorial Day. If you don’t have one near you, you can stream the parade in Washington DC, or take advantage of other virtual options from the capital. A Memorial Day Concert is available for streaming, and so are virtual tours of the White House.
You could also ask family members—especially older relatives—about their memories or experiences, military-related or otherwise—the World Wars had a massive impact on shaping the lives of those in older generations. If you aren’t sure the conversation is right to have while your family is celebrating, there are lots of personal notebooks and journals you can give as a gift, for your loved ones to write in later, or use a phone app to record conversations on-the-go.
Finally, you can mark Memorial Day with action. You could write letters to troops, make care packages, or make donations to groups that build houses for troops and their families or disabled veterans. Students can offer to record stories from veterans with programs like the Veterans Heritage Project, and placing flags on graves—or cleaning them up after the holiday—can be another way to participate.
You might also do something to recognize National Mental Health Awareness Month, which was initially named to recognize the vast number of people in the military who suffered with mental health issues after World War II.
There’s no perfect way to celebrate Memorial Day—people have had different opinions and options about the best way for almost as long as the holiday has been around.
How can The Tub Pros help me?
No matter how you’re celebrating Memorial Day—whether you’re hosting guests, organizing a barbeque, or preparing your house while you go on a trip—your home is often a big part of your holiday plans. It’s stressful to worry about how your home looks and functions—a dated bathroom, a cracked countertop, or a tub or shower that’s inaccessible or dangerous to family and guests can leave you more focused on what kinds of solutions are available, rather than on spending your holiday celebrating and having fun.
The good news is that The Tub Pros offer refinishing services that will get your home looking great again in just a fraction of the time and cost of a full remodel. Whether you’re looking for faux granite countertops to update a dated space, bathtub crack repair to improve the look and prolong the life of your tub, or elderly bathing solutions like grab bars, Tub Steps, and other accessibility features, we’re here to help make your space look and function at its very best.
When you’re wondering “where can I find tub refinishing near me” in the Memphis Mid-South area, we are your answer! Call The Tub Pros for a free service estimate at (901) 871-8827 or use our online contact to get started on your home improvement with a written guarantee today. We make kitchen and bath improvement dreams come true. Additional free value added information can be found in our website article library.
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