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May 23, 201201:33 PMReal Moms of NJ

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Memorial Day: A Day of Remembrance

By Anna Sandler

Patriotic Pizza from Taste of HomeOn Memorial Day we take a moment to honor Americans who have fought and died in war while in service to our country. While it's a day of paying tribute to sacrifice, it's also a day to celebrate freedom, patriotism—and the unofficial start of summer. This weekend, teach your kids about the real meaning of Memorial Day with some of these crafts and activities:

If you're . . .

  • remembering those who served in wars and fought for our country, share The Meaning of Memorial Day with your kids. Encourage them to write a letter of gratitude to someone in the military or find a way your family can contribute to one of the many programs that benefit servicemen, servicewomen, and veterans. Soldiers' Angels has a list of ways to make Memorial Day meaningful, such as attending a local parade (if you'd like to find a parade, search Google for "Memorial Day parades in NJ 2012"), flying the American flag (at half-mast until noon, and then at full height until dusk), or simply taking a moment to remember that America is “the land of the free because of the brave.”
     
  • taking a long car trip, keep your kids busy with a Memorial Day Word Scramble, an All About Memorial Day activity sheet, and a Memorial Day crossword puzzle.
     
  • hosting or going to a party, make something red, white, or blue to fit the Memorial Day theme. A few favorites we found online are Red, White, and Blue Chocolate-Dipped Strawberries, Patriotic Pizzas resembling the American flag (shown in photo from Taste of Home), and Chocolate-Dipped Pretzels dipped in patriotic-colored sprinkles. If you're feeling super ambitious, try baking a Hidden Flag Cake, which is made with a layer of red cake, a layer of white frosting, and a blue cake center so when sliced, everyone is served a perfect flag.
     
  • staying home, serve a stack of red and white pancakes topped with blueberries as a Memorial Day breakfast treat. Or end a picnic dinner with this easy-to-make Patriotic Parfait.
     
  • crafting, preschoolers can make an American Flag out of craft sticks, while older kids can paint rocks to make tablecloth weights, or they can sponge paint and put together a patriotic pinwheel.

For more ideas for celebrating Memorial Day, visit our Patriotic Holidays board on Pinterest.

How will your family be celebrating Memorial Day? Let us know in comments!

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About This Blog

There's nothing artificial in these blog posts from New Jersey's hardest-working women. Where to go, what to do, and how to do it—with kids—are all part of the mix.

Meet Our Bloggers!

Judy Grover is the editor of New Jersey Family and the mom of two rambunctious boys, who, she admits, completely run the household.

Anna Sandler lives happily ever after with her Jersey-raised husband and three NYC-born children in the land of jug handles and disco fries. She loves baking and crafting with her kids, even if everything they make doesn't turns out Pinterest-perfect. Anna has never met a holiday she doesn't want to celebrate, and enjoys sharing ideas for everyday fun (indoor beach party, anyone?), as well as how to commemorate bigger moments from birthdays to first days of school.

Renée Sagiv Riebling is a mom of two who never irons (Quick! Grab it out of the dryer while it's still hot instead!) or cooks anything that requires dicing, but she does love sweet sticky faces and family outings (check out her Jersey Jaunts column for ideas). She understands all too well about the minutiae of mothering, and her blog posts focus on parenting pointers--from experts or experience.

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