Late every May the patriotic season begins in America with Memorial Day and goes on to November, when we celebrate Veterans Day. There are also other patriotic holidays during that period, including Flag Day, the 4th of July and Labor Day. Those would be considered the primary patriotic holidays but there are also some that are lesser-known. The first holiday actually comes before Memorial Day and is called Armed Forces Day. Then in September we have Patriot Day and Citizenship Day, followed by United Nations Day right before Halloween in October.

Many Americans take the major patriotic holidays seriously, in addition to some of the minor ones. This is at least partially because so many people have war veterans in their families, or at least know people who has served in the American armed forces. For these people, the patriotic holidays are personal. That is probably the reason why many people use vintage Memorial Day cards or veteran clip art to send greetings to veterans for Veterans Day. Sending a remembrance like a card can mean the world to someone who may feel his or her contribution to the greater good has been forgotten.

This especially applies to U.S. soldiers coming home from serving in the Middle East. They have seen and experienced things few have and should be given our thanks for enduring that on our behalf. People don’t make a fuss over Veterans Day like they do with the Fourth of July, so you wouldn’t blame veterans for thinking their countrymen don’t care. In many cases, no one was waving bunches of American flags as they returned home. And you usually don’t see that kind of hoopla for Veterans Day either. That could be because the holiday brings up sadness and bad memories for some.

Maybe a better approach would be to just celebrate veterans every time we come across them. That way they’ll know they’re appreciated on more than just one day a year. Just that small act can make a big difference to someone who feels forgotten.