参加[外文节日]活动：Memorial Day & Veterans Day

These two US holidays look related but are quite far apart in time:

Memorial Day on the final Monday of May

Veterans Day on Nov 11th

Have you wondered what they celebrate or honor exactly? And, why are they so far apart?

Well, it turns out that they're quite literal: Memorial Day "is a day of remembering the men and women who died while serving in the United States Armed Forces.", while Veterans Day "honors people who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces, also known as veterans" [quoted from Wikipedia].

As for their timing, here is a random thought on this: Memorial Day remembers the dead solders in May, whereas Veterans Day honors the live veterans in November. Is this an conscious attempt to balance the fact that Mother's Day (second Sunday of May) and Father's Day (third Sunday of June) celebrate parenthood or new life in May and June and All Saints' Day (Nov 1st) honors deceased ancestors?
 

Surfer_Diver
2013.12.4