When you think of November, the first thing that probably comes to mind is Thanksgiving. While Thanksgiving is a fun time and a great time to give thanks, there’s another holiday that falls in November. It is a holiday that should also make us give thanks. It’s Veterans Day!

 Veterans day is a federal holiday that happens every year on November 11th. It honors people who have served in the United States military. This is different from Memorial Day which honors those who gave their life for their country in battle. Veterans day honors all Americans who have served their country in every branch, in war or in peace. It is important for us to honor and thank the brave men and women who selflessly risked their lives to protect our freedom.

Many of the people we see everyday could be veterans, including our neighbors, family, friends, and even our  teachers. I know many people that are veterans and I wanted to see what Veterans day means to them. My grandpa, a United States veteran, said “To me Veterans day is a way to celebrate people who have served for freedom, those before me and those after. It’s honoring those who have made sacrifices for us.” He is only one of the many veterans and US citizens that value and appreciate veterans.

If you are looking for a way to honor those who have served and celebrate them then you’re in luck! You could spend your day in DC at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial to celebrate and honor those who served. If that isn’t for you, you could throw a party and honor Veterans together with people in your community. If you don’t want to travel or do a big event, even going up to veterans you know and thanking them for their service is enough to make any veteran smile.