Tomorrow is Remembrance Day, and what it means to Canadians is pretty straightforward.

But I'm puzzled as to why our southern neighbours commemorate Veterans' Day and Memorial Day. Is there a difference between them? Is Veterans' Day meant for veterans of all wars, while Memorial Day only for the World Wars, or something?

I don't mean any disrespect in asking these questions, I'm genuinely curious.

   

There isn't any real difference between Remembrance Day and Veterans Day. Both are celebrated on the 11 Nov of each year and involve Ceremonies that are considered to be church services. But anyway here we go.

Remembrance Day in Canada is a day to remember "all veterans" who served not just the ones who died in the war. Veterans day is almost identical to Remembrance Day and commemorates all the American military personnel who served.

Memorial Day is a special day that commemorates the Americans war dead and is held in May. BTW Veterans and Remembrance day were at one time both called Armistice day.

Hope this clears it up for you.

   

Americans celebrate Memorial Day on the last Monday in May and that’s meant to honour war dead. It became an official statutory holiday in 1971 so likely Vietnam War was its motivation but many communities have observing the holiday or a version of it since the US Civil War. For example “Decoration Day” was an official ceremony held at Arlington Cemetery every May 30 while different states and communities held their own events at different dates but generally around the same time. The choice of date in May has no real significance other than the Civil War ended in May and the weather is nicer towards the end of the month.

Veterans Day on Nov 11 is supposed to honour veterans not memoriluze the Dead but in practice the 2 days are observed similarly except Veterans Day is not a statutory holiday. Basically the US has Veterans Day to align with the Armistice Day ceremonies of the other allied nations.

   

No big sales on Veterans Day...

   

I'm waiting till "an extremely darker shade of colour" Friday for all my bargain hunting.