Liberty Lifestyle: Memorial Day Still Unites Americans More Than Most Holidays

There are plenty of holidays throughout the year in America. For some, they’re times to connect with family and friends, get an extra day off work, and travel. These special days are celebrated, but a lot of the meaning behind their origins are lost – and, of course, many companies have taken advantage to fill their pocketbooks. Memorial Day, though, is one of the few holidays that actually bring Americans together and represent gratitude instead of consumption.

The Holidays

A YouGov survey listed the top holidays by popularity in the US and Memorial Day came in fourth place with 75% of respondents having a positive feeling about the day. Thanksgiving was first with 79%, but much of that celebration has changed from its original intent, and that’s not accounting for the political strife associated with it. It is still one of America’s strongest shared traditions because it does center around gathering with family and friends and being grateful for what we have. But it has also become an income opportunity for businesses. Instead of relaxing around the dinner table, nice and full from the big feast, people are gearing up for the next day, Black Friday, and the deals they can get for Christmas, the survey’s sixth most popular holiday. Thanksgiving can be characterized by gratitude one evening, shopping and consumption the next morning.

Christmas is a day celebrated through faith, family traditions, and charity, but it has become one of the largest shopping seasons in the world. The original themes of humility, generosity, and peace compete with sales, shopping, and gift-giving. Many families go into debt just to make sure their children and spouses have a good Christmas with memorable gifts.

A quick look at other holidays shows the same trend: Valentine’s Day is about spending money on cards and chocolates for romantic partners, Halloween centers on the best costumes and handing out candy, Easter is more about the bunny and hunting for eggs than Christ, and New Year’s is a self-centered day where people focus on self-improvement via resolutions and personal reinvention.

Memorial Day in Comparison

Modern holidays increasingly revolve around buying, traveling, decorating, posting, upgrading, or entertaining ourselves. Memorial Day is different because underneath the cookouts, lake trips, and mattress sales is an uncomfortable truth: The holiday exists because people died. The day centers on gratitude instead of spending. Unlike holidays centered around receiving something, Memorial Day begins with obligation. Americans are asked to pause, remember, honor, visit cemeteries, attend ceremonies, fly flags, or reflect on sacrifice before moving into celebration. That gives Memorial Day a weight many other holidays have gradually lost.

Politics do not play as big a part on Memorial Day. Those with differing political views usually still honor those who gave their lives for our freedom and remember the men and women who sacrificed their lives for our liberty.

Unfortunately, as with other holidays, the true meaning of Memorial Day is being lost in younger generations. Many people today confuse Memorial Day, which is to honor the soldiers who died in war, with Veterans Day, which celebrates all military personnel. According to a survey reported by LiveNow Fox, “52% of Americans believe Memorial Day has lost its original meaning.”

Mahima Yadav, a research analyst at Savanta, told the outlet, “Like many traditions, Memorial Day is evolving. But even as interpretations shift, most Americans still want to feel that it stands for something real. It’s not just about how we spend the weekend. It’s about how we honor what connects us.” 

Still, according to the data, “Only 48% of Gen Z respondents (ages 18-27) associate the holiday with remembrance, compared to 76% of Baby Boomers (ages 60 and above.)” Where a person lives also has an impact. “Regionally, 63% of individuals in the South view Memorial Day as a time for remembrance, while only 48% in the Northeast share this perspective.”

Memorial Day still has a lot of consumer interests with weekend sales and specials, but the survey showed a shift in customers’ expectations about the promotions. “Over half (51%) prefer that retailers donate a portion of sales to veterans instead of offering traditional discounts. Furthermore, 64% are more likely to support veteran-owned businesses, and 48% believe brands and influences should remain silent on Memorial Day unless they are actively acknowledging the military.”

Even with the deterioration of the true meaning of Memorial Day, “60% still associate the holiday with honoring those who have died in military service, and 40% express excitement about commemorating its true purpose this year,” LiveNow reported. Also, “62% feel that Memorial Day continues to unite people across different backgrounds and beliefs.”

Memorial Day is more than just the unofficial start of summer. It is one of the few holidays that still connects Americans through gratitude, remembrance, family traditions, and a shared appreciation for liberty. In a fast-paced culture increasingly focused on consumption and individualism, taking time to fly the flag, visit a memorial, attend a parade, share stories about relatives who served, or simply pause in remembrance helps preserve not only the meaning of the holiday, but also the values and traditions that have long helped hold the country together.