Got you excited there, huh?

Well, let me bring you back down.  There is no prize.  You will not receive a prize in the mail, nor should you have expectations of such (a statement which frees me from any legal obligation to send you anything :-) ). 

I will say this, however: my two favorite holidays of the year are coming up this month.  Neither of them gets a lot of press for what they actually are, but has come to take on different associations with those “celebrating” them.  And both are generally trampled by the overconsuming machinery of the big retail holidays that are Halloween and Christmas.  People (kids, specifically) hear that those holidays are coming, and they think “Yeah!  I’m getting candy!” or “Yeah! I’m getting presents!” or “Yeah!  I’m getting one of Uncle Phil’s world-famous peppermint chocolate chip cookies!” 

I’m  speaking primarily to my fellow Americans on this, as you Canadians do these holidays right.  But, for too many of us, we know Veteran’s Day as one of those days when grandpa’s dust off their old army uniforms and tell stories at their grandkids’ schools, and some of us get to sleep in, too.  (American) Thanksgiving, on the other hand, is all about the turkey, football, and enjoying/putting up with family (whichever the case may be). 

Both days could be days of reflection and gratitude.  Instead, we tend to look at them for what we can gain from them.

And that whole thing just kinda makes me sick…

When’s the last time you thanked a vet (any vet) for their military service?  And, to that end, when’s the last time you just stopped complaining about something you were mad about, and, instead, found things you could be thankful about in it? 

Halloween’s over.  Christmas can wait.  Please take some time (which you have been given as a gift) to be grateful, to remember, and (better yet) to give cheerfully this month.  You will be happier for it, and others will be honored and blessed by even the most simple acts of gratitude and giving.

 

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(if you’re still reading this, here’s your prize: some great info about Vet’s Day that I borrowed from a friend.  Enjoy!)

 

What Do You Know About Veterans Day?

A Brief History of Veterans Day
Veterans Day, formerly known as Armistice Day, was originally set as a U.S. legal holiday to honor the end of World War I, which officially took place on November 11, 1918. In legislation that was passed in 1938, November 11 was “dedicated to the cause of world peace and to be hereafter celebrated and known as ‘Armistice Day.’” As such, this new legal holiday honored World War I veterans.
In 1954, after having been through both World War II and the Korean War, the 83rd U.S. Congress — at the urging of the veterans service organizations — amended the Act of 1938 by striking out the word “Armistice” and inserting the word “Veterans.” With the approval of this legislation on June 1, 1954, Nov. 11 became a day to honor American veterans of all wars.

In 1968, the Uniforms Holiday Bill ensured three-day weekends for federal employees by celebrating four national holidays on Mondays: Washington’s Birthday, Memorial Day, Veterans Day, and Columbus Day. Under this bill, Veterans Day was moved to the last Monday of October. Many states did not agree with this decision and continued to celebrate the holiday on its original date. The first Veterans Day under the new law was observed with much confusion on Oct. 25, 1971.

Finally on September 20, 1975, President Gerald R. Ford signed a law which returned the annual observance of Veterans Day to its original date of Nov. 11, beginning in 1978. Since then, the Veterans Day holiday has been observed on Nov. 11.

Celebrating the Veterans Day Holiday
If the Nov. 11 holiday falls on a non-workday — Saturday or Sunday — the holiday is observed by the federal government on Monday (if the holiday falls on Sunday) or Friday (if the holiday falls on Saturday). Federal government closings are established by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management — a complete schedule can be found here. State and local government closings are determined locally, and non- government businesses can close or remain open as they see fit, regardless of federal, state or local government operation determinations.

United States Senate Resolution 143, which was passed on Aug. 4, 2001, designated the week of Nov.11 through Nov. 17, 2001, as “National Veterans Awareness Week.” The resolution calls for educational efforts directed at elementary and secondary school students concerning the contributions and sacrifices of veterans.

The difference between Veterans Day and Memorial Day
Memorial Day honors servicemembers who died in service to their country or as a result of injuries incurred during battle. Deceased veterans are also remembered on Veterans Day but the day is set aside to thank and honor living veterans who served honorably in the military – in wartime or peacetime.