As the United States readies to observe Memorial Day on Monday, May 26, 2025, Americans across the country are preparing not only for outdoor gatherings and family barbecues but also for solemn moments of remembrance dedicated to the men and women who laid down their lives in service of the nation.

One of the earliest Memorial Day observances occurred on May 1, 1865. Organized by freed slaves and white missionaries.

Memorial Day 2025 will be observed on Monday, May 26, and while many in the U.S. look forward to the long weekend, backyard barbecues, and unofficial summer kickoff, the day holds a much deeper meaning rooted in remembrance, sacrifice, and national pride.

According to the USPS website, USPS locations will indeed be closed on Memorial Day and there will be no mail delivery. Regular operations will resume on Tuesday, meaning you may have to wait an extra day or two to receive mail. For the remainder of 2025, the United States Postal Service will observe the following federal holiday closures:

Memorial Day began just after the Civil War, became a federal holiday in 1971, and is marked with cemetery visits, parades and ceremonies. Learn more.

Though for some the federal holiday, which falls on May 26 this year, also signals the unofficial start of summer, there’s much more to know and value about Memorial Day — from its origins

Americans pay tribute to those who lost their lives serving their country, but how are flags supposed to be flown?

Before it was officially known as Memorial Day, the holiday was widely referred to as Decoration Day. Memorial Day became an official federal holiday in 1971, following the passage of the Uniform Monday Holiday Act in 1968, which looked to provide more consistent three-day weekends for federal employees.

Just three days before Memorial Day, the United States issued a new travel advisory for a popular European country. In the month of May the U.S. has issued warnings to 21 different countries ranging from a Level 1 "exercise normal precautions" to a Level 4 "do not travel" advisory.