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Memorial Day is so much more than the last day of a three-day weekend. A beloved holiday observed on both coasts of the U.S. and in every state in between, Memorial Day has been celebrated on the last Monday of May since 1868. Initially established three years after the Civil War ended, it is a day intended to honor those brave servicemen and women of the armed forces who paid the ultimate price in service to our great nation. In addition to recognizing our fallen soldiers, marines, airmen, and sailors, in the 157 years since it was first established, Memorial Day Weekend has functioned as the unofficial start to summer (even though the season doesn’t officially begin until June 20 this year). While we’re all excited to usher in summer, it’s important that we stay true to the meaning behind the holiday and infuse a tribute or remembrance into your weekend gatherings. Traditions of Braselton recommends the following ways to bring meaning – and a fair share of merriment – into your Memorial Day Weekend…

Proudly Display Your Patriotic Side

Memorial Day is a uniquely American holiday. If you plan on hosting a Memorial Day Weekend gathering, a great way to remind your guests about the “reason for the season” is by decking your home and family members out in red, white, and blue. Place small flags throughout your lawn to symbolize those we’ve lost, and use red poppies – symbolic of Memorial Day – for your table centerpieces. You can also plan your own parade – inviting your guests to decorate their golf carts and/or their kids to decorate their bikes, with a special prize for the most patriotic décor! Lastly, be sure to add a fair share of patriotic music to your party playlist, like Party in the USA by Miley Cyrus, American Girl by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, America the Beautiful by Ray Charles, Born in the USA by Bruce Springsteen, and God Bless the USA by Lee Greenwood, among others.

Put the Memorial in Memorial Day

Proudly exhibit the photos of friends and family members killed in service – and invite your guests to bring their own photos to add to the display. Observe an intentional moment of silence during your gathering. To make an impact in support of families of fallen service members, you can take up a collection in support of nonprofits like the Tunnel to Towers Foundation, Folds of Honor, or TAPS (Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors), to name a few.

Plan Some Patriotic Fun and Games

If there will be little ones at your Memorial Day Weekend gathering, you can plan to have someone paint faces (like an American flag or red, white, and blue fireworks on their cheeks) and have another family member man a craft table where kiddos can make necklaces from red, white, and blue beads. For other crowd-pleasing, kid-friendly craft ideas, visit KidsActivitiesBlog.com. You can also host a patriotic chalk art competition on the sidewalk for a chance to win prizes. Kids of ALL ages will enjoy some fun games like a water balloon toss (using red, white, and blue balloons), American flag relay race, Uncle Sam dress-up relay race, and more. Feel free to add in some time-honored, old-school American games like the potato sack race, the limbo, tug-of-war, and cornhole.

Host an All-American Potluck

What holiday gathering would be complete without some really great FOOD? While you slap some pork on the smoker or hot dogs and hamburgers on the grill, you can look to your guests to bring their own “All-American” dish for the buffet table. If you want to create a signup sheet to ensure you have a great mix of dishes, be sure to include suggestions like fried chicken, macaroni-and-cheese, cole slaw, baked beans, potato salad, pimento cheese, deviled eggs, banana pudding, and – of course – apple pie.

Live the American Dream

Home ownership lies at the heart of the American Dream. If you’re in search of your next home, a three-day weekend – like Memorial Day – is an excellent time to launch or continue your new home quest. Be sure to add Traditions of Braselton to that search! Not only are our homes from some of the South’s most talented builders beautiful, but our schools are excellent, and our amenities are alluring. Begin your search of available homes online, and then come see us in person! While you’re here, you can catch a glimpse of our junior Olympic-sized pool with splash zone and waterslide, our Owner’s Clubhouse, our pickleball and tennis complex, and our neighboring golf course.

From all of us here at Traditions of Braselton, we wish you and yours a Happy Memorial Day Weekend!

KB 4/21/25

Braselton, Community Celebrations, Family Friendly Fun, Holidays, Things to Do, tips, Traditions of Braselton