How many will be decorating grave this weekend?

Mominohio · ‎08-08-2010

People and area customs differ, but the 'older' people in my family (yikes, I'm now among them!) have always decorated the graves on Memorial Day weekend. We travel to all the cemeteries in our area that we know have family buried there, and put some kind of planter or flowers on the grave.

I didn't start to participate in this until I was in my 40's, but took my son along ( he was probably 10 or so at the time) and he goes with us every year. He may have to work all weekend this year, and not be able to go, but I feel so good about his having done this with me.

He is going to be 20 soon, and he knows where all the cemeteries are, where the graves are, how each person is related to us, and can find the places easily. My mom has even taken him back to her hometown in PA and shown him the graves there. I think that it is a tradition he will carry on with later in his life.

So many people, when they are young, don't pay attention to this kind of thing, then often the older people pass on, and much of their knowledge of who is who, and where they are is kind of lost and forgotten to the remaining family. I have written down what I know about the cemeteries, who is in them, and how they are related to us, just in case he gets away from it for many years, and needs some help remembering.

For me, family history is important, and I enjoy visiting the graves of those that I remember and even those who were gone long before I got here. It makes me feel connected to the past, and I'm glad I was able to have someone (my great aunt) take me around and give me the family history, and I'm glad I got to do it with my own son.

Anyone else decorating graves and remembering their family heritage this weekend?

goldensrbest · ‎03-10-2010

I decorated my sons,and husbands graves yesterday.

When you lose some one you L~O~V~E, that Memory of them, becomes a TREASURE.

Perkup · ‎03-09-2010

I truly wish we could do this again, but we have reached an age where it has become difficult to travel, and most of our loved ones are buried in other states that are at least a day's drive away. They will all be in our thoughts and prayers on Memorial Day, as every day. And we will celebrate the lives of our loved ones who have served and are still with us. DH served in WWII in the Pacific Theater and will be 97 in August.

DiAnne · ‎09-22-2010

My parents were cremated with the ashes scattered in the Pacific ocean.

alliswell · ‎07-12-2012

Yes, I will be decorating my brother's, uncle's, and close friend.

goldensrbest · ‎03-10-2010

Back in indiana, where i was born ,and raised ,that was always the tradtion to go and decorate all the familys graves, my mom and i were talking this morning about some people do not do this.

When you lose some one you L~O~V~E, that Memory of them, becomes a TREASURE.

deepwaterdotter · ‎03-09-2010

Decorated the family gravesite earlier this week.

AKgirl2 · ‎05-24-2016

Unfortunately for many of us live in one state but family and friends graves are in another. I live in Anchorage but my parents and brothers graves are in St. Petersburg, FL. Last time I was there was 2010. They are all buried in a mausoleum and have the planters right next to their plaques. I had beautiful silk flower bouquets freshly made for each family member. The initial ones still looked good since it's an indoor mausoleum...but a fresh bouquet with new colors looked very nice. God bless all led parted loved ones.💐

tobes · ‎08-02-2010

I'll be decorating one grave where my parents and grandparents are burried. My dad especially thought that decorating the graves showed respect to the deceased. He was adamant about this which is why I honor them.

RedTop · ‎09-01-2010

My mother is the one who decorates the graves in our family. Since my husband and I have so many of our family buried in rural cemeteries, we donate quite a bit of money each year to the groups who privately maintain them.