Many people confuse Memorial Day and Veterans Day. Memorial Day is a day for remembering and honoring military personnel who died in the service of their country, particularly those who died in battle or as a result of wounds sustained in battle.

Even though those that died are also remembered on Veterans Day; it is the day set aside to thank and honor ALL who served—in wartime or peacetime—and whether they died or survived.

Veterans Day is always observed officially on November 11, regardless of the day of the week on which it falls.

Memorial Day is celebrated on the last Monday of May to honor the men and women who have died while serving in the military.

The custom of honoring ancestors by cleaning cemeteries and decorating graves is an ancient and worldwide tradition. Poppies are also worn.

The wearing of poppies in honor of America’s war dead is traditionally done on Memorial Day (not Veterans Day). The origin of the red poppy as a modern-day symbol of this day was actually the idea of an American woman, Miss Moina Michael.

The practice of wearing of poppies was further inspired by the poem:

“In Flanders Fields,” by Canadian soldier John McCrae

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.