November 11th is celebrated as Veterans Day across America, irrespective of which day of the week the date falls on. Veterans Day is a day to honor and pay tribute to all the veterans – who served the country in war or peace, dead or alive. Every citizen takes the opportunity to show their gratitude to every service member for their contributions and sacrifices on Veterans Day.

Veterans Day and Armistice Day are the same

World War I ended with the Treaty of Versailles that was signed on the 28th of June, 1919. Nevertheless, the warfare had ended seven months earlier when the ‘armistice’, that is, a temporary cessation of hostilities came into effect between the Allied nations and Germany.

The coming into effect of this armistice had happened on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, which is at 11 PM on the 11th of November. In the year that followed (1919), on this very day, President Wilson announced the observation of Armistice Day. Post the 1950s, precisely, with effect from June 1, 1954, the word “Armistice” was replaced with the term “Veterans”.

The misconception about Veterans Day

A lot of people refer to the day as Veteran’s or the Veterans’ day which is a gross misconception. It is not a day that belongs to a single or a group of veterans; rather, it's a day to commemorate the service, love, and patriotism of all veterans towards the county.

Veterans day is not the same as Memorial Day. The latter is celebrated in remembrance of all those who died while defending the country while Veterans Day commemorates the service of all men who serve the country, in war and peace.

How is the day observed?

Veterans Day is celebrated across the States and each place has its way of paying its tribute to the veterans. Although 2020 has been and will be different for all and sundry, with events mostly being virtual that will be streamlined on various social platforms.

Thinking about what to do as an individual? When celebrations are restricted, parading or other events are prohibited keeping in line with social distancing norms, you can find your sweet manner to pay your regards to the nation’s veterans.

Here are a few suggestions –

Host a treat for them!

Hosting a special lunch or dinner to celebrate Veterans Day this year will allow you to be all ears to their military experiences and stories of their heroism. That gives an opportunity to the civilians, youngsters, and other budding talents to know about both the glories and struggles of military service.

You can observe the say silently –

A silent prayer on Veterans Day is a great way to pay your homage. A message, an email, or a personalized video can be sent to someone who is in the nation's service currently – it makes them feel important and honored too! Alternatively, you can visit the gravesite of a veteran too. Say a silent prayer with a moment of silence there.

Veterans Day T-Shirts –

T-shirts proclaiming slogans for veterans are a common thing on Veterans Day. They may read out "Freedom is NOT FREE" or "Free hugs for Vets" and so on. That would be a cool way to celebrate your Veterans Day!

Now, Veterans Day is not only about dining out or attending an event or even donating money and supplies to the local Veterans Day drives. Veterans can also enjoy discounts on retail. The retail sector across the country offers huge discounts on essentials like sanitizers, cleaning essentials, nutrition supplements, compression wear, etc...

So, it's also a day for the nation’s Veterans to go shopping and grab the offers!