Veterans Day 2023 is today—here are ways to celebrate the day
Give thanks to people who have served this country
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Veterans Day is today, November 11! There are many ways to observe this holiday, whether alone or with friends and family. From spending your time relaxing indoors or taking in the fresh air before it gets too cold, we’re here to help you figure out how to make the best of Veterans Day, including teaching you everything to know about the holiday.
What is Veterans Day?
Veterans Day is a Federal Holiday meant to honor United States veterans and active-duty military personnel. Established in 1919 by President Woodrow Wilson, the holiday was originally celebrated as "Armistice Day," commemorating the end of World War I and honoring all those who fought in it. In 1954, the day was renamed "Veterans Day" and expanded to honor all servicemen. Veterans Day differs from Memorial Day in that it’s meant to celebrate those who served and are still alive as opposed to those who have died, though you can certainly honor both.
When is Veterans Day 2023?
Veterans Day is annually observed on November 11, which happens to fall on a Saturday this year. It is celebrated on that day because it was originally conceived as commemorating the armistice that ended World War I, which was signed on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month in the year 1918.
How to celebrate Veterans Day 2023
Honor veterans
A big component of Veterans Day is honoring those who have previously served our country. This can be done in a variety of ways. As a holiday, you can also celebrate by relaxing and taking time to enjoy yourself. Taking it easy doesn't mean you're making light of the holiday. In fact, far from it. Part of being a veteran is fighting to protect the country and all who live in it, meaning your ability to spend a day without worry is in part thanks to the efforts of veterans.
Honoring a veteran can be as easy as calling or messaging someone who has served and letting them know you appreciate everything they've done. If you're looking to celebrate someone who's currently on active duty, consider sending them a care package or a thank you card.
In Commonwealth countries, it's customary to have two minutes of silence at 11:00 AM on November 11. If you wish, you can do this as well, using the moment of silence to think about our veterans. Looking to attend a parade? You can search the web for one near you or ask your smart speaker. Just make sure to check the weather and bundle up accordingly.
Throw a get-together
Stay toasty
With the weather getting colder in many parts of the country, you'll want to use a fire pit to stay warm if you plan on hosting a gathering. The Tiki Patio Fire Pit is the best fire pit we've tested. This sturdy fire pit is easy to start, easy to clean and smokeless.
Stay warm with a fire pit, which also serves as a great backyard centerpiece.
If you and your guests prefer to be on the patio, consider using a patio heater. We recommend the Amazon Basics Outdoor Patio Heater, which is the best patio heater you can buy. It can be assembled in under an hour and once that's done, you'll have an easy-to-use heater that reviewers love for its sturdy build and effectiveness.
Keep your whole patio warm with a patio heater.
Play some tunes
What's a celebration without a bit of music? No matter where you decide to hold your gathering, you'll be able to play some tunes using a portable Bluetooth speaker. Out of all the speakers we've tested, we found the Sonos Roam to be the best. It features excellent sound with a surprising amount of bass for its size. Unlike many other speakers, it offers connectivity over both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi.
Our favorite Bluetooth speaker has excellent sound quality.
Cook up some grub
Serve up a tasty meal for your guests. You can use your grill if it hasn’t been packed up yet for the season. If it has, don’t worry—a cast-iron skillet is great at cooking most of the things that a grill can. We recommend picking up the Lodge Chef Collection 12-Inch Cast-Iron Skillet, which is the best cast-iron skillet we've tested thanks to its lightweight build, comfortable handle and nonstick properties.
We love Lodge's cast iron pan for its lightweight build and nonstick properties.
For food you wish to fry, we recommend getting the best air fryer we've tested, the Ninja Speedi Rapid Cooker & Air Fryer. It boasts many cooking features rolled into one appliance and has the biggest capacity out of all the air fryers we've tested. Not to mention, it crisps food to perfection without the calorie-dense oils of a deep fryer.
The Ninja Speedi, as its names implies, delivers great meals quickly.
Plan a weekend getaway
Pack with convenience
For those planning to travel this weekend, a quality piece of luggage is a must. One of the best carry-ons you can get is the Travelpro Crew VersaPack Global Carry-On thanks to its excellent build quality.
This carry-on has excellent build quality.
Keep yourself entertained
As exciting as traveling can be, the actual act of getting to your destination can be a bit mundane. We recommend keeping yourself entertained with an audiobook courtesy of Audible. Audible is supported by many different devices and features countless books for you and the kids to enjoy whether you’re driving or riding along as a passenger.
If you're trying to listen to something solo, consider noise-canceling headphones for your trip. Our top pick, Sony's WH-1000XM5, boasts lush sound, top-of-the-line comfort and amazing noise-canceling capability.
Our favorite pair of headphones has excellent sound quality and provides all-day comfort.
A tablet is another great source of entertainment during long journeys. You can use one to play games, stream shows, listen to tunes and more. Our favorite is the latest Apple iPad Air thanks to its great battery life and snappy, computer-like performance.
The iPad Air is better than ever.
Relax on your day off
Kick back and relax over the long weekend. Who says you have to go anywhere? With the temperatures beginning to drop, we recommend getting something to keep you nice and warm—that's where the Gravity Blanket comes in handy. It’s our favorite weighted blanket because it's perfect for lying under in bed or draping it over you as you lounge around the house. It has an ideal weight distribution and makes you feel like you're being hugged.
Our favorite weighted blanket is the secret recipe to great sleep.
A streaming device is another thing you’ll want to have if you love binging shows and movies on days off. We recommend the Roku Ultra, our favorite streaming device, for its support of Dolby Atmos, 4K, and its wide selection of streaming services. Where the Roku Ultra truly shines is its remote, which has buttons that take you straight to your favorite platforms and the ability to control the program with your voice.
The Roku Ultra has nifty features like voice control.
More of a bookworm? Immerse yourself in our favorite e-reader, the 11th gen Amazon Kindle, where you'll have access to millions of books and audiobooks. The device settings are easy to navigate and the display is crisp and bright.
Using an e-reader is the perfect way for bookworms to spend their day.
Go for a walk
Another way to spend the day is by enjoying the world outside, admiring the warm-colored leaves and seeing which trees are beginning to shed their foliage in preparation for winter.
When it comes to walking in cooler weather, there's nothing quite like L.L. Beans' iconic Bean boots. These boots are perfect for an autumn trek thanks to their insulation and sturdy rubber soles. Beyond that, they're very stylish.
Go for a walk in style with this iconic boot.
Need a new jacket for your walk? We love Patagonia's cozy and stylish fleece jacket. It’s snug, plush, and stylishly versatile. The jacket's weight makes it cozy without looking too bulky.
Stay warm with this fleece jacket.
If you're looking for a thicker jacket that’ll last you through the winter, we recommend going for the Orolay Women's Thickened Down Jacket. It’s thick but remains incredibly fashionable. It comes in a range of colors and will keep you warm even if you find yourself walking against the wind.
This jacket is both warm and chic.
Shop the best Veterans Day 2023 deals
Shop these great deals.
Whether you're looking to show a veteran you care or to treat yourself, you'll find many great deals throughout the weekend, with more to come as we draw ever so closer to Black Friday. Several retailers offer military discounts to service members.
- Black Friday 2023: Early sales
- Black Friday 2023: Walmart deals
- Black Friday 2023: Mattress sales
- Black Friday 2023: Amazon kitchen deals
- Solo Stove Fire Pit: November sale
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