May 30, 1868 saw the birth of the “Decoration Day” with friends, relatives as well as Civil War comrades-in-arms decorating the Union and Confederate soldiers’ graves with flowers at the Arlington National Cemetery. Subsequent to World War I, this day was renamed Memorial Day and came to be observed as a day to commemorate those who served the US military in any of the wars. Memorial Day activities in New England constitute parades or the different commemoration ceremonies held on the last Monday, in the month of May every year. In the year 2010, the Memorial Day falls on Monday, May 31.

The weekend preceding the Memorial Day marks the unofficial start to the vacation season or the summer travel for the people of the United States. During this weekend every year, highways remain busy, trains, planes and buses are filled to the brim and if you plan to travel to New England during this time, it is strongly advised that you make prior reservations for lodgings and transportations. Weather can be unpredictable – you might experience warm and sunny or hot and humid weather or it can even be cold, raw and chilly.

Memorial Day weekend spots in New England are quite a lot and you will be almost spoilt for choice. Destinations in this area to look out for include Hyannis, MA, Old Orchard Beach, Maine, Newport, RI, Old Lyme, Conn, Bristol, RI, and Boston, MA, to name a few. You will find many resorts planning up several events and activities to make your Memorial Day weekend an enjoyable and a fruitful one. While remembering those people as well as the events of the past, which have influenced our lives, you may take part in such planned activities like fireworks, scenic airplane rides, carnival events and many more such options.

You will find a blend of the old and the new in Boston, MA. The Freedom Trail of the yesteryears will lead to the ancient Italian neighborhoods and also you will have modern upscale shopping and dining experiences at Newbury Street or the Beacon Hill.

Boston, MA provides different activities for you to indulge in and have a fun filled day that will give you everlasting memories. Among the different Memorial Day activities in New England, special mention must be made of this city where large number of events are usually lined up to offer you a fabulous time. The Memorial Day Parade features various bands, floats as well as veterans for you to pay tribute to them. You can also take part in the Boston’s Run to Remember that honors the law enforcing members who gave up their lives for duty. You may also pay a visit to the Museum of Fine Arts or be thoroughly entertained by the Street Performer Festival. There are several other activities as well; these are just a few examples. Head to New England in the Memorial Day weekend to catch up with the unending array of activities and drown in the festive spirit.

Memorial Day is the day that we set aside to honor all U.S. men and women who have died in military service. It has an interesting and varied history, and the question of when did Memorial Day become a national holiday is one that inspires several different responses and comments. The one thing that may be stated without question is that this year it will be recognized on May 31st, 2010. This of course is the last Monday of the month of May and even how that date came to pass is part of the interesting story of the day.

Memorial Day was originally known as Decoration Day. Some stories indicate and acknowledge that sometime in 1865, a large number of formerly enslaved black people who were freed at the conclusion of the Civil War, gathered at a place outside of Charleston, South Carolina that had served as first a confederate prison, and then as a mass grave for Union soldiers killed in battle. The place was known as Washington racetrack. Over a 10 day period, these people who had come together exhumed the bodies buried in the mass grave and proceeded to bury them properly and with honor. They built a fence around the graveyard and finished their efforts with a celebration of food, songs and sermons.

On May 5th, 1866 in the town Of Waterloo, New York, it is reported that the first observance of Decoration Day was recognized, and one of the people involved in that event whose name was General John Logan, went on to become commander-in-chief of the Grand Army of the Republic. Through his efforts on May 5th, 1868, a proclamation was issued that Decoration Day would be recognized nationwide, and the date selected for that to happen officially was May 30th, 1868. This date, the 30th, was selected because it was one not designated as the date of a battle. Many southern states where lingering resentment carried forward from the Civil War refused to participate.

The term Memorial Day was first used in 1882, but it didn’t gain widespread use until after the end of the Second World War. Even then, it would take years more, until February 1967, until it would become the official name used to recognize the day. In 1971, along with several other holidays, in order to create three day weekends for workers, it was shifted to a Monday and in its case, the last Monday of May. This has been a cause of some concern for those who feel this switch has taken some of the respect for the memory of the observance away, and is still at times the subject of debate.

To this day however, people pay their respects and honor the memory of these heroes in different ways. Many will visit cemeteries or memorials and place either flowers or small American flags at the sites or on the graves. Often, those who fly the flag will do so at half-mast from dawn until noon their time. In addition, the current deployment of American men and women in harm’s way, has served as a reminder that the sacrifices are ongoing and must never be forgotten.