Memorial Day this year is May 31.  It signals the beginning of summer. (Yay for warm weather after this cold winter!) Its origin goes back to post-Civil War 1866 in Waterloo, New York.  At that time, the commemorative day was called "Decoration Day". Businesses closed and people visited cemeteries to decorate with flowers and mementos the graves of fallen soldiers in their honor.  In 1971 the day became a federal holiday observing all soldiers who have died in active military service.