Veteran’s Day is a favorite holiday for millions of Americans. Celebrated on November 11 every year, 2020 is sure to be a great year for celebrations, and Texans love to celebrate this federal holiday every year.
The Story of How Veteran’s Day Came to Be 101 Years Old
In November 1919, President Woodrow Wilson declared November 11 Armistice Day to commemorate the end of hostilities between Allied forces and Germany at the end of “the war to end all wars.” While World War I fighting ceased in November 1918 at the eleventh hour on eleventh day of the month (November 11, 1918 at 11:00 a.m.), the war didn’t officially come to an end until June 1919.
The Treaty of Versailles was signed and agreed to near Versailles, France on June 28, 1919. However, U.S. Congress didn’t officially recognize the end of the war until June 4, 1926. Yet, it wasn’t until May 13, 1938 that Armistice Day became an official legal holiday.
After the Korean War, which followed on the heels of the end of World War II, Congress passed legislation to change the name of Armistice Day to Veteran’s Day in order to honor veterans of all U.S. wars. That legislation passed on June 1, 1954.
11 Ways to Honor The Veterans In Your Life
On Memorial Day 2020, there were a little more than 300,000 World War II veterans still alive on U.S. soil. Since then, America has been involved in other wars. These include the Korean War, Vietnam War, two Iraq wars, and a Global War on Terror. Plus, the country has executed many military actions on a smaller scale.
With almost 20 million U.S. veterans still alive, every U.S. citizen knows at least one veteran. You can honor the veterans in your life in many practical ways. Here are a few suggestions:
- Call your veteran friend or family member to wish them a Happy Veteran’s Day.
- Send a text to your veteran loved one.
- Raise a U.S. flag in their honor.
- Send a greeting card.
- Write a letter and send it by U.S. mail.
- Email your veteran friend.
- Share a meme on Facebook or Instagram.
- Make a donation to a veterans support charity on behalf of your loved one.
- Attend a Veterans’ Day event.
- Take your veteran loved one on a fishing expedition.
- Head to the lake for some boating, camping, and other outdoor activities.
These are just a few of the ways you can honor the special veterans in your life. If you’re headed to Lake Grapevine this Veteran’s Day, participate in the Veteran’s Day Relay Run taking place in Flower Mound. After the race, there will be a celebration at the Community Activity Center in Flower Mount.
From Lake Grapevine, LakeHub would like to wish all U.S. veterans and their families a Happy Veteran’s Day.
