Today is Memorial Day. This holiday commemorates and honors all of the men and women who died while serving our country. Send a free Memorial Day eCard to friends and family to mark the occasion. Memorial Day was originally founded to honor the soldiers who gave their lives in the Civil War, but it has since been expanded to include all wars involving the United States military. It has been recognized as a federal holiday since 1971.

Traditional Memorial Day observances include visiting cemeteries and memorials as well as attending parades and dedications. A National Moment of Remembrance also occurs at 3 p.m. local time across the nation. Check out your local newspaper for events going on in your neighborhood to honor our nation's fallen soldiers.

Memorial Day is also commonly referred to as the unofficial kickoff to summer and is celebrated with picnics, family gatherings, barbeques, weekend getaways, and sporting events. Happy Memorial Day weekend!