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This may sound weird, but Decoration Day is some of my most precious memories of my grandparents. We would visit the graveyards and cemeteries with them and clean the graves and replace the flowers. They would share stories about our relatives that they knew in person and stories of ancestors that had been handed down to them. Oh I wish I could remember even half of those stories. We would often have a picnic. I love visiting cemeteries to this day. They are places of hope and love. I have tried to pass that to my children.
I done the same with my Grandmother and her sisters. All this time, I thought I was the only one to remember this. Grandmom was born in 1906, she was the baby out of 12, born in Cape May County South New Jersey. I remember some stories but mostly the tea sandwiches. lol Just for fun....my Aunt Julia looked like a porcelain doll with rosey cheeks and little round glasses.
@Jan H I don’t think what you say is weird , l think it’s wonderful 🇺🇸. I am in my 60s and l taught for 29 years . I live in NJ and Decoration Day was barely a holiday ..we don’t do anything special on this day. We do celebrate Memorial Day which sort of encompasses both holidays . My grandparents on my mother’s side were Southerners, and it was an important day to them and they did call it Decoration Day . I fear that this important holiday will be forgotten soon.
I am of hispanic heritage and we do something similar on Dia De Los Muertos (Day of the Dead) on Nov. 1. Picnics are had with the family at the gravesites and it's always an entire day Fiesta. As a kid, I so looked forward to all the foods, music and colors; only as an adult did I realize the sentimentality of the occasion.
I remember how important Decoration day was to my grandparents. Now that I am the oldest living member, it is my honor to visit and care for their graves.
Beautiful cemetery. I can’t get over how clever granny is! What a smart idea to crochet a patriotic wreath and put it up on a stand like that… so special and thoughtful. I love seeing her creations. Looks very pretty.
Down here in the Piedmont region of NC, we observe many Moravian traditions, even though I grew up in a small, independent Church of Christ, kinda like a Primitive Baptist church. Old Salem and Bethabara were historic early Moravian sttlements just a few miles from us and influenced the whole area with sunrise services, lovefeasts and so many more traditions. Every year on Palm Sunday, we cleaned the gravestones, rubbed them with baby oil, trimmed the grass around, always talked with the many others about and visited the gravestones all around. Beautiful stories, beautiful memories...I still do this on Palm Sunday and see/meet many others. It's like a large homecoming for all, regardless of your faith or home church.
I am from the most Western province of Canada. My parents grew up in the Moravian denomination in Alberta, Canada. I knew about the Moravian tradition of keeping God's Acre clean.
I love living (western NC ) where my ancestors lived since the 1800s. In one cemetery I have 2 great- - grandfathers buried - one was a Confederate soldier, the other a Union soldier - and their graves are about 60 ft apart. Decoration is still a big deal around here. Thanks for sharing your memories.
Granny can make beautiful wreaths. When i saw that it reminded me of my how my grandmother used to make flowers out of crape paper for decoration day. . That was a long time ago.. I believe she also made some from crape paper and dipped them in some kind of wax.
Granny’s patriotic wreath is lovely. I too have such good memories of decoration day and dinner on the ground. Now me and my brother take turns of decorating our mom & dad’s grave. People ask why we do that…it’s called respect.
My grandfather use to put dirt on the graves. Not to mound it up but because the old wood caskets no vaults rotted up and the graves sunk in. He just flattened them out.
My husband was faithful and loyal to decorations in his community. He was a Western North Carolinian. He is in heaven now. I hope he will be remembered at decoration.
Thank you for sharing about Fontana. I loved my childhood vacations on the lake. To drive from Long Island down to western NC. Such memories. I think it was on one of those when my dad stopped the car to get out and enjoy the view. We waited in the hot car and I said “what were you looking at?” The trees, he said. And I replied “if you’ve seen one tree you’ve seen ‘‘em all!” Now at 70 I dream of those lovely views and miss my Daddy.
I drove by Fontana Lake last year during May. Down Rhymers Ferry Road on the way out, I heard a very familiar song and pulled off the little 2 lane highway. It was a Swainson's Warbler creeping through the Rhododendron! That's a very special bird where I live on the coast. Here they use the cane to build their nests, no idea what they use up in the hills though.😊
It always breaks my heart to hear of people who’s land and communities have been taken from them. One of my main family lines had thousands of acres taken from them by the government off the NC coast that had been in the family for generations(1600s) to build a military base. Y’all did a beautiful job decorating. Blessings Tipper.💛💐🌼
We're going through the problems of someone trying to take over some property between us causing major problems with not only the actual property owner but also general issues with other neighbors...
It happened again in New Bern NC for a new bypass. Lots of folks just lost their land or business with no choice. They even cut down part of our historic and beautiful Croatan Natioanal Forest, ugh! History repeats itself.
We don’t have a decoration day at our church cemetery. People decorate all through the year. The flowers you placed were beautiful. We do have Homecoming Day. What a beautiful wreath Granny made. She’s so talented. We appreciate Pap’s military service. God bless your precious family. 😀❤️
When I was about 10 I had a bike wreck and skinned up a knee , I cried and cried but way more then I should of but my dad was giving me loves so I milked it for all I could. Finally he said now Lisa sometimes you got to take it like a man, from that day on that's what I have done. That is a beautiful place where your Dad is laid to rest and the wreath your Moma made is beautiful, it looks prettier then anything you could buy in any store. Good Bless and thanks again for sharing
I always loved going to Decoration Day with my grandparents. My Peepaw’s family were buried in Henderson County, TN and my Meemaw’s were buried at McNairy County, TN. Peepaw’s family day was first Sunday in May, and Meemaw’s last Sunday in May. And yes, there was dinner on the ground, singing, and there was preaching at Meemaw’s. Peepaw’s called it Decoration Day and Meemaw called it grave yard working day. Maybe because she did the cleaning at both places while Peepaw’s talked to the other men. Y’all’s flowers are pretty. I love the wreath your mama crocheted. My husband is buried at the Veteran’s Cemetery here and they do the upkeep there and have many rules and regulations as to what can be placed there. I go out at least once a month, sometimes more and put fresh flowers each time.
We remember those whose many sacrifices and love enabled us to thrive. Decoration Day was very important to my ancestors and that Respect is still important to my own family.
Decoration Day was always the best time of year when I was growing up. The family would always meet at my grandmothers house for dinner after going to the grave yard. All the family came in from Michigan and Virginia and there would be cousins everywhere. we would always get new shoes and clothes to wear. More fun for us kids than Christmas. That was nearly 70 years ago and it began a long time before I was born, right now I in the process of buying flowers and planning my menu for decoration it's always the 2nd Saturday in June. There are a lot of us gone now but we still enjoy going to the graveyard and having dinner afterwards but now it's at the church.
I know about 'Decoration Day'. My mom would never miss Decoration Day, if she could help it. Ours is the second Sunday in August on top of the Roan Mountain in Tennessee. Loved hearing the singers. My mom called them the Johnson girls. They sounded like Angel's to my young ears.
Thank you for spotlighting this precious tradition. Growing up in Alabama, we also have Decoration Day - ours is the 2nd Sunday in May on my mothers side of the family and the 3rd Sunday for my daddy’s. Precious memories for me of all those now gone on. I miss them all. Decoration Day holds an important place in my life and childhood memories. ❤
Dear tipper I dream like that. My family is from Tennessee, fylnn licker tenn. But I live in oklahoma where my great great grandfather came after the the Civil War. His family is from fylnn licker Tennessee. I do the same I take 9 graves. I love your channel. Your cooking is great. La Donna from okla.
Decoration Day is very special to me. Most of my Moma's family is buried at Lauada Cemetery in Bryson City. It's always the 4th Sunday in May. For many years prior to my Moma's passing I drove her there from our homes in the Mt Holly area. This was the 11th year I decorated hers and all the others. This was the first year that I had no aunts or uncles still living to participate. It was a hard time but I am proud of that part of my life and will carry on as long as I am able. Thank you for this video. I am in tears. .
Decoration is the 3rd Sunday of May where my Mom and Dads family homes were in Oklahoma . As a child we couldn't go until school was out in early June, but the cemetery was one of the first places we went after getting there . I have an infant sister buried there with so many other dear family. They do mound the graves there before they decorate, have a message, singing and dinner. I've not been back to Oklahoma in several years, but I do hope to go again. We don't have Decoration here in Ca. I wish we did. Lots of family graves here too, so we take flowers individually. I think it's an important way to be able to show your love and respect for loved ones. I never knew my sister, but it makes me feel better to know family still takes care of her gave for us. And we take care of family that's here I'm sorry Tipper, I always seem to write way too much.❤. ......I think Pap knows❤
This video got to me. It started when you talked about your dream and then the little girl put the yellow flowers on your daddy’s grave. I am a sentimental mush ball and I always get emotional in Graveyards. I also have a hard time going to visitations and seeing the grieving families.
I have taken over placing flowers on my family’s graves. My grandmother always took care of it, then my mother and uncle. My uncle has passed this year and my mother has gotten too old to continue the tradition. I buy a large flower box for my grandmother and grandfather, a round planter for my grandmother’s sister, who have never been cared for by her husband or children. Now I place a smaller planter on my uncle’s grave. I now frequent the graves to water the flowers and keep the headstones clean.❤
My sister and I carry on our grandmother’s tradition of always putting flowers on family graves. It gets expensive as we have 11 total. We do winter (usually something red for Christmas but that will last all winter) & spring/summer (right before Easter). Our church has Homecoming the first Sunday in May and everybody comes out on Saturday to clean up the yard and cemetery and we always add fresh flowers to any graves that are empty. It’s a tradition that my grandma’s generation did all my life as did their parents before them. This past year we lost the last 2 of her cousins so now my dad and one of his cousins are the oldest living members of our church. I’ve started taking my sons so hopefully they will continue the tradition when I’m no longer able.
That’s a sweet tradition. I haven’t seen that on the west coast. I do go the beginning of June every year as both my parents had June Birthdays. Sometimes I go alone and have a good long talk with them 🥹
My family gave up Decoration Day 30+ years ago. My Granny got to where she couldn't climb the mountain to the cemetery where my grandfather's body is buried, and none of her people are there, so we quit going. We also don't have a church in common so there was never that to go back to. We muchly preferred going to Granny's house to eat together and enjoy each other's company. uh-STILL-bee is the name of that red flower. 🌺
We've always called it just Decoration and it was always held the third Sunday of May . When I was a kid everyone dressed in church clothes, panty hose and all, and headed to the cemetery. Our family brought food and so did many other families and we all ate together in the church gathering room or sat around outside in lawn chairs we brought . Each year my mom, my granny, and a favorite aunt would make us follow them around as they pointed out and decorated the graves. I do that to my grandchildren now. Nobody gathers anymore, though. I guess I'll never stop this tradition.
Even though decoration day is a little sad, I still love it. I enjoy decorating the graves with both real and silk flowers, and I love how beautiful the cemeteries look on that day. I think people are getting away from the tradition of having decoration day, and I hate to see that happen.
You're breaking my old metal heart Tipper. My dad's father died before i was really old enough to know him. But we had to watch my mom's dad get slowly eaten by cancer and not a day goes by i dont think of him or wish i could ask him something. We're a 2-day drive from where he and his wife are buried, but I'll definitely take a minute tomorrow to praise God that he was such a big part of my life.
I hope you see this because you helped solve a mystery that just happened when I recalled a memory of going to a cemetery with my grandmother’s family in West Virginia many years ago. We would have a picnic on quilts and spend time with family but I didn’t know why we did it there. My husband ‘s family is from Ohio and never heard of this celebration. Your video explained it all. What a good memory confirmation. Thank you. My mother passed away in February and I have been missing her and your videos are keeping me connected to her and our memories. Thank you so much.
Sweet, sweet memories! My family and one other family in the community maintain the church where our Great Grandfathers worshipped. It's designated as a UMC Memorial Chapel now. We hold services twice a year, but the church stays unlocked most of the time in case someone needs a place of solitude and reflection. ❤
I remember Decoration Day when I was a girl, my mom was from a small town in Tennessee called Sneedville ,we lived in md but went "home" as my mother would say :) every spring for Decoration Day at the family cemetery, dinner on the ground and always 2 or 3 preachers like we would have at a revival , so many good memories we usually stayed a week or so to visit relatives in Morristown and Greenville then over to Jonesville Virginia to visit more relatives , oh how I miss those days 💙
Decoration Day and the connections it makes and represents is not understood elsewhere, at least not here in the city where I live. I still hold it as a tradition in my heart. I tried to travel back to the mountains every year, but now my health stops me. Unfortunately the next generation does not even know where all of the family cemeteries are, or who is buried there. I heard so many stories about family and the people who made up the community that when I go into any cemetery I feel as if I knew everyone buried there. I purposefully read the names on the headstones and remember.
For many years I went to Decoration Day in Western North Carolina, my grandmother and her family are all buried there. By best memory is when someone asked my name and then yelled to her sister, " Come here Mary it's Aunt Dorrie's granddaughter" Great place to find more of your relatives.
My grandmother was from Kentucky and I remember every year as a child and on into my adult years making the trip from MI to my Aunts house for Decoration day, there was 1 family cemetery and 2 others we would go to and place flowers and then back to my Aunts for tons of wonderful for and family time.
What a lovely tradition. Pap’s grave looked so beautiful with all your decorations. I just know grannie was thinking of him as she made her wreath. ❤️🇨🇦
Growing up we used to go the first Sunday in June to Clark Range, TN to my Daddy’s Mom’s parents and some of that side are buried. It was at a tiny church in the middle of nowhere and is still in the middle of nowhere. It was a time of fellowship and making sure all the headstones were cared for and had new flowers. Continued prayers to Ms. Cindy and your family 🙏🏼❤️
Remember during my childhood visiting the Cemetary was important. To this day I'm drawn to visit as often as I can. Live far away now. Suprised that one of my old reels to digital was of a visit with my Mom and her Aunt. I must have been maybe Nine years old, My Mom is buried there now along with her Mother and Grandmother. One day I hope to joining all three of them. The veiw has changed but the Ohio River is nearby. To this day I can still find all our family members in every Cemetery. Thanks for sharing your Decoration Day with us. As always Hope your family will have the best day that ya'll can. Continued Prayers for Miss Cindy
I grew up going to Decoration Day. My family would go to Almond NC. My mother's family is from Bryson City. We would always have a wonderful get together. And wonderful food. It's been many years since I've been there. About most of the family has gone on to heaven. But I have so many wonderful memories of those decoration. One of my good memories is at the bottom of the graveyard was Almond school with a big playground. So all of us kids would go play at the playground. It was so much fun. I dream every night. Wonderful video. ❤
We have decoration day up in the mountains in NC where some of my family is buried as well. The church always has a pot luck lunch that day as well. It’s always nice to see everyone and have a day of good memories ❤
What a beautiful cemetery!! I grew up in Ga/Tn and was raised Catholic. We didn't have tradition like Decoration Day and I was unaware of it until I moved to The Cumberland Plateau in Tn. Your Pap has a lovely place to rest.
@@papaw5405 Between Blanche and Rhinehart, in Alabama. Needmore Baptist Church, although the congregation was defunct by the time I was a boy, and the old church house burned down when I was a little older.
Tipper, you always make the most beautiful bouquets. I so much enjoyed hearing you read about decoration day. I'm from the south, but a big big city (Houston), but I think that decoration day still goes on in some communities. I am embarrassed to say that I don't get out to the cemetery very often to visit my parents and my first baby who I delivered very early in 1976. He only lived for 8 short hours, but he was very loved and I remember my young husband at my bedside following my surgery (C-section), he buried his head in my bed, holding me as best he could and telling me that we would see him again sometime (tears still come to my eyes when I think about that, almost 50 years later.
I only had one sibling and she has passed and both of my parents are gone, so I keep flowers on my parents graves. My sister is buried in Arkansas which is 12 hours away so I hope her husband puts flowers on her grave. My husband’s family do decoration day in August. His mother would buy a lot of flowers and would try and put something on all the family graves. They use to have preaching and singing and have dinner on the ground. I just loved the wreath your mother crocheted.
What a lovely, well maintained graveyard you have. I have never seen or heard of the saddle to mount the flowers on. They looked so beautiful, I thought they were real. The calendula made me remember that the ointment saved my sanity 40 years ago. I had my son, 40 years ago yesterday, and I was breast feeding as I had with my daughter. After a week all I wanted to do was stick my bust in the freezer but fortunately my midwife turned up with calendula ointment. Oh what relief. I always have a tube in the first aid drawer till this day. Granny is so resourceful, I think she could crochet anything! We pronounce the flower as a-stil-be. It made me smile as my boss used to pronounce it just the same as you did Tipper. Have a lovely day.
Hi! I remember decoration day as a child. Meet at graveyard. Then going to family home having dinner, meeting kinfolk! That amazing story about the graveyard going by boat, that great keep their promise, not so when they flood the areas for Watts Bar Dam, my heart aches when I hear stories about family loosing their land! Thanks! 🤗🥰
What a beautiful, designated day to decorate love one's graves. I love that! My parents are buried across the country in CA I wish I was closer to make sure their grave have flowers. I don't get out there often, but when I do, I make sure to clean and decorate their grave with my mom's favorite flowers. They are buried under a huge Redwood Tree and pear trees, so they will always be in the shade. It's so peaceful there. Your Decoration Day is absolutely awesome!
One year my step dad took and cut crosses out of wood, similar to one’s you would buy, and, then, mom decorated them with flowers and,that’s what we took to all the graves that year. My step dad had family pretty far away, so, it usually was long hot day! My would make a big old pitcher of homemade lemonade and, mom would usually make up some potato salad and fry up some chicken and we would usually take with us or we would stop at one of the old country stores on the way back and, get the stuff for bologna sandwiches and, just usually ate in the since, there was no picnic tables alongside the roads. Yes, the churches, I went to referred to as Homecoming! Thanks for sharing Tipper and, God Bless!
That is one of the most well kept cemeteries I’ve ever seen. You don’t see many cemeteries with nice big oak trees like that actually in the cemetery. Thanks for sharing paps gravesite with us.
I have a very hard time going to the cemetery to visit my parent’s graves. It just hurts so bad that they are gone. I feel ashamed that I don’t visit and keep them nice with flowers. You are brave enough and I admire you so much maybe I just have to do the right thing before it’s too late. What a beautiful tribute to Pap. Granny is amazing. Thanks for the inspiration.
What a lovely tradition your Decoration day is. We didn’t have anything like that where I grew up. We did tend the graves of our loved ones on holidays or birthdays. Mom would pick roses and camellias from our yard to place on the graves. I love Granny’s wreath. Continued prayers for Miss Cindy and the Pressley family.
Thank you for a very heart felt video. My father Harry past away in April too. I was daddys girl ,and miss him so much as you miss your father . He was also in WWII , he was born 1925-2014 and died in his sleep in his bed , we had just played checkers the night before ,and I had ice cream with that night before. There isn't a day that doesn't past that I don't think of my daddy and mama....I dream very heavy at times and some come to surface within 3 days or they continued the next night . I love how you and Corrie decorated and Granny decorated paps grave absolutely beautiful love and peace to you all love patsy
I totally believe in the dreams and you finding the ending to yours. One of the Lords ways of showing he exists. Loved Grannys wreath. Part of her by him. All the flowers were beautiful! Lovely video Tipper! Thank you!
Oh do I remember Decoration day, we had a trunk full of sickles, clippers, mason jar & buckets of flowers. It was fun to climb all over those hillsides& check out the headstones etc. Now it is too long to drive back to that area & honor my family. But my church here in Dayton has for Easter & Christmas an opportunity to give money to buy flowers in memory of r relatives or in Thanksgiving for current friends & family. The altar is always full & so beautiful. After the services r minister request people take a pot of the flowers to some one sick or isolated & unable to attend the beautiful service.
Decoration Day and Homecoming Day are 2 of my fondest memories at my maternal Grandma's church. She lived in the Country and it was a small church. The area is still rural and has not grown much, but I still love it. I love cemeteries to this day, especially old ones. Granny's wreath is very pretty, she is a talented woman! Your Daddy has a beautiful marker and it is a beautiful cemetery. Decoration Day is a wonderful remembrance of those who have gone before us.
❤❤❤ I’ve been a dreamer all my life- and I would always tell my Mama my crazy dreams- and when something would happen that finished the dream she would say “that’s the rest of your dream”..
I’ve been going to Decoration Day all my life, sadly rarely anyone goes anymore. There are two cemeteries near me for my dad’s side, at one I will be the 6th generation buried there, plus I have 5 generations at the other cemetery. All together I decorate about 40 graves. My mom’s side is in PA, so it’s extremely rare I go there, but my cousin that lives there decorates. I have some many great-grandparents buried in Clover, SC. Glad to know y’all are interested in respecting your people! ❤️
The Decoration Day at our family cemetery is always the first Sunday in May. The cemetery was established in the late 1800s by five families living in the area. When I was a boy in the late 1960s and early 1970s, I would go to Decoration Day with my grandparents. It would be an all day event at the little cemetery and old church building that was several miles down a winding dirt road. Probably 100 people at least would show up. There would be cleaning and decorating of the graves, preaching, hymn singing, and a huge pot luck lunch laid out on the big long wooden tables outside in the shade provided by the big trees. Oh, what a feast! We would stay until about 3 o'clock in the afternoon visiting with extended family and friends who we rarely saw the remainder of the year. When I became older I stopped going and didn't start going back until about 15 years ago. Then there was still about 45 or 50 people who came, and the communal pot luck lunch was spread out and enjoyed by everyone. There was no more preaching or singing, just a brief meeting and passing of the collection plate to get money to have the cemetery mowed regularly. Skip ahead now to 2023, we only had about 8 or 10 people there this year. We now have only a very brief meeting, grave decorating, and taking up donations for mowing. Everyone is gone within 45 minutes or so. I imagine within the next 15 or 20 years it will all come to an end, which will be a very sad thing indeed.
So sweet to have a day for remembrance. We didn’t do that around here when I was growing up but my grandparents may have done it. Just not something I remember doing.😊
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This may sound weird, but Decoration Day is some of my most precious memories of my grandparents. We would visit the graveyards and cemeteries with them and clean the graves and replace the flowers. They would share stories about our relatives that they knew in person and stories of ancestors that had been handed down to them. Oh I wish I could remember even half of those stories. We would often have a picnic. I love visiting cemeteries to this day. They are places of hope and love. I have tried to pass that to my children.
How wonderful that you have those memories 😀
I done the same with my Grandmother and her sisters. All this time, I thought I was the only one to remember this. Grandmom was born in 1906, she was the baby out of 12, born in Cape May County South New Jersey. I remember some stories but mostly the tea sandwiches. lol Just for fun....my Aunt Julia looked like a porcelain doll with rosey cheeks and little round glasses.
@Jan H
I don’t think what you say is weird , l think it’s wonderful 🇺🇸. I am in my 60s and l taught for 29 years . I live in NJ and Decoration Day was barely a holiday ..we don’t do anything special on this day. We do celebrate Memorial Day which sort of encompasses both holidays .
My grandparents on my mother’s side were Southerners, and it was an important day to them and they did call it Decoration Day . I fear that this important holiday will be forgotten soon.
My Mama didn't really dream about things but she would have what she called "feelings". I suppose they were a type of sign.
😊ME2❣
I still have visions of decoration days in my head along with church revivals
I am of hispanic heritage and we do something similar on Dia De Los Muertos (Day of the Dead) on Nov. 1. Picnics are had with the family at the gravesites and it's always an entire day Fiesta. As a kid, I so looked forward to all the foods, music and colors; only as an adult did I realize the sentimentality of the occasion.
Sounds awesome what a tribute to the dead.
Hi! That sounds amazing! Remember as child going to graveyard and went to a family home and had food, met all the kinfolk! 🤗
As the last of all my family, I wrote a song called Nobody Left To Care For My Grave
Bless you Jeff!!
I remember how important Decoration day was to my grandparents. Now that I am the oldest living member, it is my honor to visit and care for their graves.
Beautiful cemetery. I can’t get over how clever granny is! What a smart idea to crochet a patriotic wreath and put it up on a stand like that… so special and thoughtful. I love seeing her creations. Looks very pretty.
Thank you Sandra 😀
What a lovely tradition. My hubby talks about Decoration Day & all the wonderful foods that they had on the grounds after the work was done. 😊❤😊🙏
Down here in the Piedmont region of NC, we observe many Moravian traditions, even though I grew up in a small, independent Church of Christ, kinda like a Primitive Baptist church. Old Salem and Bethabara were historic early Moravian sttlements just a few miles from us and influenced the whole area with sunrise services, lovefeasts and so many more traditions. Every year on Palm Sunday, we cleaned the gravestones, rubbed them with baby oil, trimmed the grass around, always talked with the many others about and visited the gravestones all around. Beautiful stories, beautiful memories...I still do this on Palm Sunday and see/meet many others. It's like a large homecoming for all, regardless of your faith or home church.
I am from the most Western province of Canada. My parents grew up in the Moravian denomination in Alberta, Canada. I knew about the Moravian tradition of keeping God's Acre clean.
Decoration day is a sweet way to honor your loved ones.
I love living (western NC ) where my ancestors lived since the 1800s. In one cemetery I have 2 great- - grandfathers buried - one was a Confederate soldier, the other a Union soldier - and their graves are about 60 ft apart. Decoration is still a big deal around here. Thanks for sharing your memories.
Love your history 😀
Granny can make beautiful wreaths. When i saw that it reminded me of my how my grandmother used to make flowers out of crape paper for decoration day. . That was a long time ago.. I believe she also made some from crape paper and dipped them in some kind of wax.
Granny’s patriotic wreath is lovely. I too have such good memories of decoration day and dinner on the ground. Now me and my brother take turns of decorating our mom & dad’s grave. People ask why we do that…it’s called respect.
Thank you Brenda 😀
Amen...That is the perfect answer, "It's called 'Respect' ". 🙏
I agree. No one in my family does this. I still do. It is a peaceful place to go. Not sad.
Thank you Tipper for sharing such a special day with all of us. It was an honor to go along with you to your father's grave. Blessings to all of you.
My grandfather use to put dirt on the graves. Not to mound it up but because the old wood caskets no vaults rotted up and the graves sunk in. He just flattened them out.
Decoration Day was always very special to us growing up.
My husband was faithful and loyal to decorations in his community. He was a Western North Carolinian. He is in heaven now. I hope he will be remembered at decoration.
Thank you for sharing about Fontana. I loved my childhood vacations on the lake. To drive from Long Island down to western NC. Such memories. I think it was on one of those when my dad stopped the car to get out and enjoy the view. We waited in the hot car and I said “what were you looking at?” The trees, he said. And I replied “if you’ve seen one tree you’ve seen ‘‘em all!” Now at 70 I dream of those lovely views and miss my Daddy.
Love those memories! Glad you enjoyed the video 😀
I drove by Fontana Lake last year during May. Down Rhymers Ferry Road on the way out, I heard a very familiar song and pulled off the little 2 lane highway. It was a Swainson's Warbler creeping through the Rhododendron! That's a very special bird where I live on the coast. Here they use the cane to build their nests, no idea what they use up in the hills though.😊
My mother remembers this day as preaching singing cleaning the cemetery and dinner on the ground.
It always breaks my heart to hear of people who’s land and communities have been taken from them. One of my main family lines had thousands of acres taken from them by the government off the NC coast that had been in the family for generations(1600s) to build a military base. Y’all did a beautiful job decorating. Blessings Tipper.💛💐🌼
We're going through the problems of someone trying to take over some property between us causing major problems with not only the actual property owner but also general issues with other neighbors...
It happened again in New Bern NC for a new bypass. Lots of folks just lost their land or business with no choice. They even cut down part of our historic and beautiful Croatan Natioanal Forest, ugh! History repeats itself.
We don’t have a decoration day at our church cemetery. People decorate all through the year. The flowers you placed were beautiful. We do have Homecoming Day. What a beautiful wreath Granny made. She’s so talented. We appreciate Pap’s military service. God bless your precious family. 😀❤️
Oh your mother’s crochet wreath is just beautiful. I don’t know anyone that does this!! It’s beautiful there. Thank you for sharing.
I hope that decoration day brings you wonderful memories
When I was about 10 I had a bike wreck and skinned up a knee , I cried and cried but way more then I should of but my dad was giving me loves so I milked it for all I could. Finally he said now Lisa sometimes you got to take it like a man, from that day on that's what I have done. That is a beautiful place where your Dad is laid to rest and the wreath your Moma made is beautiful, it looks prettier then anything you could buy in any store. Good Bless and thanks again for sharing
I always loved going to Decoration Day with my grandparents. My Peepaw’s family were buried in Henderson County, TN and my Meemaw’s were buried at McNairy County, TN. Peepaw’s family day was first Sunday in May, and Meemaw’s last Sunday in May. And yes, there was dinner on the ground, singing, and there was preaching at Meemaw’s. Peepaw’s called it Decoration Day and Meemaw called it grave yard working day. Maybe because she did the cleaning at both places while Peepaw’s talked to the other men.
Y’all’s flowers are pretty. I love the wreath your mama crocheted.
My husband is buried at the Veteran’s Cemetery here and they do the upkeep there and have many rules and regulations as to what can be placed there. I go out at least once a month, sometimes more and put fresh flowers each time.
We remember those whose many sacrifices and love enabled us to thrive. Decoration Day was very important to my ancestors and that Respect is still important to my own family.
Thank you for sharing your family with us Tipper. ❤
So glad you enjoy it 😀
Decoration Day was always the best time of year when I was growing up. The family would always meet at my grandmothers house for dinner after going to the grave yard. All the family came in from Michigan and Virginia and there would be cousins everywhere. we would always get new shoes and clothes to wear. More fun for us kids than Christmas. That was nearly 70 years ago and it began a long time before I was born, right now I in the process of buying flowers and planning my menu for decoration it's always the 2nd Saturday in June. There are a lot of us gone now but we still enjoy going to the graveyard and having dinner afterwards but now it's at the church.
What a lovely way of honor are ancestry have a day love from TEXAS
You can read without glasses. I’m envious. 😂❤❤❤ Beautiful tradition.
😀 I have contacts 😀
I know about 'Decoration Day'. My mom would never miss Decoration Day, if she could help it. Ours is the second Sunday in August on top of the Roan Mountain in Tennessee. Loved hearing the singers. My mom called them the Johnson girls. They sounded like Angel's to my young ears.
Thank you for spotlighting this precious tradition. Growing up in Alabama, we also have Decoration Day - ours is the 2nd Sunday in May on my mothers side of the family and the 3rd Sunday for my daddy’s. Precious memories for me of all those now gone on. I miss them all. Decoration Day holds an important place in my life and childhood memories. ❤
Dear tipper I dream like that. My family is from Tennessee, fylnn licker tenn. But I live in oklahoma where my great great grandfather came after the the Civil War. His family is from fylnn licker Tennessee. I do the same I take 9 graves. I love your channel. Your cooking is great. La Donna from okla.
Thank you!!
Decoration Day is very special to me. Most of my Moma's family is buried at Lauada Cemetery in Bryson City. It's always the 4th Sunday in May. For many years prior to my Moma's passing I drove her there from our homes in the Mt Holly area. This was the 11th year I decorated hers and all the others. This was the first year that I had no aunts or uncles still living to participate. It was a hard time but I am proud of that part of my life and will carry on as long as I am able. Thank you for this video. I am in tears.
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Thank you Faye!! I'm inspired by your desire to continue the tradition!!
I would love to have a family cemetery!! A place where your whole family is laid!! God bless your family
Thanks for sharing. I remember when I was younger decorating.
My Mom always called it decoration day. It always coincided with the blooming of peonies. I remember carrying buckets of peonies to the cemetery.
Decoration is the 3rd Sunday of May where my Mom and Dads family homes were in Oklahoma . As a child we couldn't go until school was out in early June, but the cemetery was one of the first places we went after getting there . I have an infant sister buried there with so many other dear family. They do mound the graves there before they decorate, have a message, singing and dinner. I've not been back to Oklahoma in several years, but I do hope to go again. We don't have Decoration here in Ca. I wish we did. Lots of family graves here too, so we take flowers individually. I think it's an important way to be able to show your love and respect for loved ones. I never knew my sister, but it makes me feel better to know family still takes care of her gave for us. And we take care of family that's here I'm sorry Tipper, I always seem to write way too much.❤. ......I think Pap knows❤
Love your comments! Thank you Patsy 😀
It is a very nice resting place the cemetery there is very very beautiful
I love this story I love the strong family bond.❤❤❤
I'll watch this later, when I have time, but let me say that your family and the content you create gives me hope ❤🇺🇸
They will mean so much them coming from your garden!!!!!❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
This video got to me. It started when you talked about your dream and then the little girl put the yellow flowers on your daddy’s grave. I am a sentimental mush ball and I always get emotional in Graveyards. I also have a hard time going to visitations and seeing the grieving families.
I have taken over placing flowers on my family’s graves. My grandmother always took care of it, then my mother and uncle. My uncle has passed this year and my mother has gotten too old to continue the tradition. I buy a large flower box for my grandmother and grandfather, a round planter for my grandmother’s sister, who have never been cared for by her husband or children. Now I place a smaller planter on my uncle’s grave. I now frequent the graves to water the flowers and keep the headstones clean.❤
My sister and I carry on our grandmother’s tradition of always putting flowers on family graves. It gets expensive as we have 11 total. We do winter (usually something red for Christmas but that will last all winter) & spring/summer (right before Easter). Our church has Homecoming the first Sunday in May and everybody comes out on Saturday to clean up the yard and cemetery and we always add fresh flowers to any graves that are empty. It’s a tradition that my grandma’s generation did all my life as did their parents before them. This past year we lost the last 2 of her cousins so now my dad and one of his cousins are the oldest living members of our church. I’ve started taking my sons so hopefully they will continue the tradition when I’m no longer able.
Wonderful that you are keeping it alive 😀
That’s a sweet tradition. I haven’t seen that on the west coast. I do go the beginning of June every year as both my parents had June Birthdays. Sometimes I go alone and have a good long talk with them 🥹
My family gave up Decoration Day 30+ years ago. My Granny got to where she couldn't climb the mountain to the cemetery where my grandfather's body is buried, and none of her people are there, so we quit going. We also don't have a church in common so there was never that to go back to. We muchly preferred going to Granny's house to eat together and enjoy each other's company.
uh-STILL-bee is the name of that red flower. 🌺
Beautiful cemetery that Pap is laid to rest. Noticing his birthdate made me think of my mother’s birthday 7/7/37. I miss her.
We've always called it just Decoration and it was always held the third Sunday of May . When I was a kid everyone dressed in church clothes, panty hose and all, and headed to the cemetery. Our family brought food and so did many other families and we all ate together in the church gathering room or sat around outside in lawn chairs we brought . Each year my mom, my granny, and a favorite aunt would make us follow them around as they pointed out and decorated the graves. I do that to my grandchildren now. Nobody gathers anymore, though. I guess I'll never stop this tradition.
Love those memories! And I’m glad you are continuing the tradition!!
Even though decoration day is a little sad, I still love it. I enjoy decorating the graves with both real and silk flowers, and I love how beautiful the cemeteries look on that day. I think people are getting away from the tradition of having decoration day, and I hate to see that happen.
That's so precious💕...makes me cry😢...God bless you all!
Tipper Pressley: QUEEN OF THE UPLAND SOUTH💐💐💐
You are so kind-thank you 😀
You're breaking my old metal heart Tipper. My dad's father died before i was really old enough to know him. But we had to watch my mom's dad get slowly eaten by cancer and not a day goes by i dont think of him or wish i could ask him something. We're a 2-day drive from where he and his wife are buried, but I'll definitely take a minute tomorrow to praise God that he was such a big part of my life.
I hope you see this because you helped solve a mystery that just happened when I recalled a memory of going to a cemetery with my grandmother’s family in West Virginia many years ago. We would have a picnic on quilts and spend time with family but I didn’t know why we did it there. My husband ‘s family is from Ohio and never heard of this celebration. Your video explained it all. What a good memory confirmation. Thank you. My mother passed away in February and I have been missing her and your videos are keeping me connected to her and our memories. Thank you so much.
I’m so glad! Thank you for letting me know 😊
As the sayin goes , you clean up very well. Matt is a Lucy man.💕
The depth of love your family has for one another is always evident. That is a beautiful resting spot. God bless you and yours🙏🏻
Sweet, sweet memories! My family and one other family in the community maintain the church where our Great Grandfathers worshipped. It's designated as a UMC Memorial Chapel now. We hold services twice a year, but the church stays unlocked most of the time in case someone needs a place of solitude and reflection. ❤
I remember Decoration Day when I was a girl, my mom was from a small town in Tennessee called Sneedville ,we lived in md but went "home" as my mother would say :) every spring for Decoration Day at the family cemetery, dinner on the ground and always 2 or 3 preachers like we would have at a revival , so many good memories we usually stayed a week or so to visit relatives in Morristown and Greenville then over to Jonesville Virginia to visit more relatives , oh how I miss those days 💙
I'm same way...I dream and they come true
My Baba (Grandmother) said dreams are in the minds of a writer, so always read books ! Which definitely describes you ❤
Love that!
Decoration Day and the connections it makes and represents is not understood elsewhere, at least not here in the city where I live. I still hold it as a tradition in my heart. I tried to travel back to the mountains every year, but now my health stops me. Unfortunately the next generation does not even know where all of the family cemeteries are, or who is buried there. I heard so many stories about family and the people who made up the community that when I go into any cemetery I feel as if I knew everyone buried there. I purposefully read the names on the headstones and remember.
This video sure brought back many memories of Decoration Day when I was a little girl.
For many years I went to Decoration Day in Western North Carolina, my grandmother and her family are all buried there. By best memory is when someone asked my name and then yelled to her sister, " Come here Mary it's Aunt Dorrie's granddaughter" Great place to find more of your relatives.
😀 love that
My grandmother was from Kentucky and I remember every year as a child and on into my adult years making the trip from MI to my Aunts house for Decoration day, there was 1 family cemetery and 2 others we would go to and place flowers and then back to my Aunts for tons of wonderful for and family time.
What a lovely tradition. Pap’s grave looked so beautiful with all your decorations. I just know grannie was thinking of him as she made her wreath. ❤️🇨🇦
Growing up we used to go the first Sunday in June to Clark Range, TN to my Daddy’s Mom’s parents and some of that side are buried. It was at a tiny church in the middle of nowhere and is still in the middle of nowhere. It was a time of fellowship and making sure all the headstones were cared for and had new flowers.
Continued prayers to Ms. Cindy and your family 🙏🏼❤️
Love those memories! Thank you Kim!
Your flowers are beautiful. ❤
OMGOSH!!! I grew up going to Shady Grove Assembly of God in Baker Florida.
I miss the times my Mom and I went to the Cemeteries. God Bless. Jean ❣& 🙏
Beautiful place and I love your dress
How nice to see your dad 🤍I know how you all miss him so.
Such a beautiful tradition.
Remember during my childhood visiting the Cemetary was important. To this day I'm drawn to visit as often as I can. Live far away now. Suprised that one of my old reels to digital was of a visit with my Mom and her Aunt. I must have been maybe Nine years old, My Mom is buried there now along with her Mother and Grandmother. One day I hope to joining all three of them. The veiw has changed but the Ohio River is nearby. To this day I can still find all our family members in every Cemetery.
Thanks for sharing your Decoration Day with us. As always Hope your family will have the best day that ya'll can. Continued Prayers for Miss Cindy
Thank you 🙏
I grew up going to Decoration Day. My family would go to Almond NC. My mother's family is from Bryson City. We would always have a wonderful get together. And wonderful food. It's been many years since I've been there. About most of the family has gone on to heaven. But I have so many wonderful memories of those decoration. One of my good memories is at the bottom of the graveyard was Almond school with a big playground. So all of us kids would go play at the playground. It was so much fun. I dream every night. Wonderful video. ❤
We have decoration day up in the mountains in NC where some of my family is buried as well. The church always has a pot luck lunch that day as well. It’s always nice to see everyone and have a day of good memories ❤
What a beautiful cemetery!! I grew up in Ga/Tn and was raised Catholic. We didn't have tradition like Decoration Day and I was unaware of it until I moved to The Cumberland Plateau in Tn. Your Pap has a lovely place to rest.
Decoration, with sangin' and dinner on the ground at Mt Bethel and also at Needmore are some of my best childhood memories.
So glad you have those memories 😀
Needmore? I was born at Needmore and lived there for 25 years. Is it the same Needmore?
@@papaw5405 Between Blanche and Rhinehart, in Alabama. Needmore Baptist Church, although the congregation was defunct by the time I was a boy, and the old church house burned down when I was a little older.
Tipper, you always make the most beautiful bouquets. I so much enjoyed hearing you read about decoration day. I'm from the south, but a big big city (Houston), but I think that decoration day still goes on in some communities. I am embarrassed to say that I don't get out to the cemetery very often to visit my parents and my first baby who I delivered very early in 1976. He only lived for 8 short hours, but he was very loved and I remember my young husband at my bedside following my surgery (C-section), he buried his head in my bed, holding me as best he could and telling me that we would see him again sometime (tears still come to my eyes when I think about that, almost 50 years later.
Bless you Connie!! I'm so sorry you lost him. I hope you have a good day!!
So sweet. I love this tradition
Thank you so much 😊
I only had one sibling and she has passed and both of my parents are gone, so I keep flowers on my parents graves. My sister is buried in Arkansas which is 12 hours away so I hope her husband puts flowers on her grave. My husband’s family do decoration day in August. His mother would buy a lot of flowers and would try and put something on all the family graves. They use to have preaching and singing and have dinner on the ground. I just loved the wreath your mother crocheted.
Granny did a Great job on the her Decoration. Yours both looked Beautiful as Well.
God Bless You All.
What a lovely, well maintained graveyard you have. I have never seen or heard of the saddle to mount the flowers on. They looked so beautiful, I thought they were real. The calendula made me remember that the ointment saved my sanity 40 years ago. I had my son, 40 years ago yesterday, and I was breast feeding as I had with my daughter. After a week all I wanted to do was stick my bust in the freezer but fortunately my midwife turned up with calendula ointment. Oh what relief. I always have a tube in the first aid drawer till this day. Granny is so resourceful, I think she could crochet anything! We pronounce the flower as a-stil-be. It made me smile as my boss used to pronounce it just the same as you did Tipper. Have a lovely day.
Hi! I remember decoration day as a child. Meet at graveyard. Then going to family home having dinner, meeting kinfolk! That amazing story about the graveyard going by boat, that great keep their promise, not so when they flood the areas for Watts Bar Dam, my heart aches when I hear stories about family loosing their land! Thanks! 🤗🥰
What a beautiful, designated day to decorate love one's graves. I love that! My parents are buried across the country in CA I wish I was closer to make sure their grave have flowers. I don't get out there often, but when I do, I make sure to clean and decorate their grave with my mom's favorite flowers. They are buried under a huge Redwood Tree and pear trees, so they will always be in the shade. It's so peaceful there. Your Decoration Day is absolutely awesome!
One year my step dad took and cut crosses out of wood, similar to one’s you would buy, and, then, mom decorated them with flowers and,that’s what we took to all the graves that year. My step dad had family pretty far away, so, it usually was long hot day! My would make a big old pitcher of homemade lemonade and, mom would usually make up some potato salad and fry up some chicken and we would usually take with us or we would stop at one of the old country stores on the way back and, get the stuff for bologna sandwiches and, just usually ate in the since, there was no picnic tables alongside the roads. Yes, the churches, I went to referred to as Homecoming! Thanks for sharing Tipper and, God Bless!
I enjoyed the video the flowers were all very beautiful and as usual granny is so clever and talented
That is one of the most well kept cemeteries I’ve ever seen. You don’t see many cemeteries with nice big oak trees like that actually in the cemetery. Thanks for sharing paps gravesite with us.
Glad you enjoyed it 😀
I have a very hard time going to the cemetery to visit my parent’s graves. It just hurts so bad that they are gone. I feel ashamed that I don’t visit and keep them nice with flowers. You are brave enough and I admire you so much maybe I just have to do the right thing before it’s too late. What a beautiful tribute to Pap. Granny is amazing. Thanks for the inspiration.
Bless you! I know you miss them terribly!!
What a lovely tradition your Decoration day is. We didn’t have anything like that where I grew up. We did tend the graves of our loved ones on holidays or birthdays. Mom would pick roses and camellias from our yard to place on the graves. I love Granny’s wreath. Continued prayers for Miss Cindy and the Pressley family.
Thank you for a very heart felt video. My father Harry past away in April too. I was daddys girl ,and miss him so much as you miss your father . He was also in WWII , he was born 1925-2014 and died in his sleep in his bed , we had just played checkers the night before ,and I had ice cream with that night before. There isn't a day that doesn't past that I don't think of my daddy and mama....I dream very heavy at times and some come to surface within 3 days or they continued the next night .
I love how you and Corrie decorated and Granny decorated paps grave absolutely beautiful love and peace to you all love patsy
Patsy your Daddy sounds wonderful! I’m so glad you had him and your mother 😀
I totally believe in the dreams and you finding the ending to yours. One of the Lords ways of showing he exists.
Loved Grannys wreath. Part of her by him. All the flowers were beautiful!
Lovely video Tipper! Thank you!
Oh do I remember Decoration day, we had a trunk full of sickles, clippers, mason jar & buckets of flowers. It was fun to climb all over those hillsides& check out the headstones etc. Now it is too long to drive back to that area & honor my family. But my church here in Dayton has for Easter & Christmas an opportunity to give money to buy flowers in memory of r relatives or in Thanksgiving for current friends & family. The altar is always full & so beautiful. After the services r minister request people take a pot of the flowers to some one sick or isolated & unable to attend the beautiful service.
Decoration Day and Homecoming Day are 2 of my fondest memories at my maternal Grandma's church. She lived in the Country and it was a small church. The area is still rural and has not grown much, but I still love it. I love cemeteries to this day, especially old ones. Granny's wreath is very pretty, she is a talented woman! Your Daddy has a beautiful marker and it is a beautiful cemetery. Decoration Day is a wonderful remembrance of those who have gone before us.
❤❤❤
I’ve been a dreamer all my life- and I would always tell my Mama my crazy dreams- and when something would happen that finished the dream she would say “that’s the rest of your dream”..
😀
18:44 I have always heard if you dream and you remember the dream it wasn’t a dream, it was a vision😘 Love your videos and your beautiful family
I’ve been going to Decoration Day all my life, sadly rarely anyone goes anymore. There are two cemeteries near me for my dad’s side, at one I will be the 6th generation buried there, plus I have 5 generations at the other cemetery. All together I decorate about 40 graves. My mom’s side is in PA, so it’s extremely rare I go there, but my cousin that lives there decorates. I have some many great-grandparents buried in Clover, SC. Glad to know y’all are interested in respecting your people! ❤️
The Decoration Day at our family cemetery is always the first Sunday in May. The cemetery was established in the late 1800s by five families living in the area. When I was a boy in the late 1960s and early 1970s, I would go to Decoration Day with my grandparents. It would be an all day event at the little cemetery and old church building that was several miles down a winding dirt road. Probably 100 people at least would show up. There would be cleaning and decorating of the graves, preaching, hymn singing, and a huge pot luck lunch laid out on the big long wooden tables outside in the shade provided by the big trees. Oh, what a feast! We would stay until about 3 o'clock in the afternoon visiting with extended family and friends who we rarely saw the remainder of the year. When I became older I stopped going and didn't start going back until about 15 years ago. Then there was still about 45 or 50 people who came, and the communal pot luck lunch was spread out and enjoyed by everyone. There was no more preaching or singing, just a brief meeting and passing of the collection plate to get money to have the cemetery mowed regularly. Skip ahead now to 2023, we only had about 8 or 10 people there this year. We now have only a very brief meeting, grave decorating, and taking up donations for mowing. Everyone is gone within 45 minutes or so. I imagine within the next 15 or 20 years it will all come to an end, which will be a very sad thing indeed.
I'm sorry for the changes. I think that's happening everywhere.
I grew up in north Georgia and we always called it homecoming, I like decoration day better
What a beautiful cemetary everything around you is so lush and green just beautiful
How wonderful to be a reference in that book! Praying for family.
I have wonderful memories of Decoration Day. I had not seen the saddle before. My Moma always made the blankets at Christmas time.
Bless you, Tipper!
So sweet to have a day for remembrance. We didn’t do that around here when I was growing up but my grandparents may have done it. Just not something I remember doing.😊