American Flags on Headstones

Commemorating Memorial Day at Work

Articles May 26, 2021

Memorial Day is right around the corner and will be observed on Monday, May 31, 2021: the final day of Military Appreciation Month, which is celebrated in the U.S. each May.

With COVID-19 restrictions easing up, you may see a return to “typical” Memorial Day activities  like cookouts and BBQs, flash sales, and pool parties, which begs the question: is this really the best way to celebrate Memorial Day? After all, wasn’t this holiday founded to honor and commemorate those who sacrificed their lives for our country?

It’s true that nearly every U.S. national holiday has been commercialized: Thanksgiving, Valentine’s Day, and arguably more than any other, Christmas. But the commercialization of holidays like Memorial Day and Veterans Day seems especially irksome. In light of that context, here are our best tips to help your organization honor this holiday appropriately.

Below, you’ll find some key data points as well as best practices for celebrating Memorial Day at work.

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Kaela Sosa

Kaela (she/her) is a Certified Diversity Executive and curriculum and programming manager at The Diversity Movement. She applies her writing, project management, and production skills to advance DEI.