🇺🇸 Veterans Day 🇺🇸

Veterans Day is an annual holiday in America honoring the millions of military veterans in the United States. When is Veterans Day? Veterans Day is both a federal and state holiday and is usually observed on November 11 each year.

In 1918, on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day in the eleventh month, the world rejoiced and celebrated because after four years of bitter war, the Allied powers signed a cease-fire agreement with Germany at Rethondes, France on November 11, 1918. This brought World War I to a close. November 11, 1919 was set aside as Armistice Day in the United States, to remember the sacrifices that men and women made during World War I in order to ensure a lasting peace. On Armistice Day, soldiers who survived the war marched in a parade through their home towns. Politicians and veteran officers gave speeches and held ceremonies of thanks for the peace they had won.

In 1953 townspeople in Emporia, Kansas called the holiday Veterans’ Day in gratitude to the veterans in their town. Soon after, Congress passed a bill introduced by a Kansas congressman renaming the federal holiday to Veterans’ Day. Beginning in 1954, the United States designated November 11 as Veterans Day to honor veterans of all U.S. wars. In 1971 President Nixon declared it a federal holiday on the second Monday in November each year.

The very first Veterans Day was held by then President of the United States Woodrow Wilson in 1919. When many of the troops returning from the war theaters of Europe, East Asia, Southeast Asia, and Africa had a shortage of food due to rationing, the President held a special dinner for them at the White House. The food of the evening was ravioli, which had just recently been introduced as an easy to make food, due to technological advances in the food industry.

Americans admire the selflessness, courage, and valor of current and former service members year-round. Veterans Day, however, is an occasion for the nation to publicly recognize those who bravely serve our country.

Today is a day of celebration to honor America’s veterans for their patriotism, love of country, and willingness to serve and sacrifice for our freedoms. I say, Thank You, to all who have served and are currently serving to protect our Nation. From the bottom of my heart, I love and appreciate everything you have sacrificed to make our lives better. You are LOVED!

May God bless you and your families.

Kelli B 💻