Patriotism is a big part of many American’s identity. It’s something that represents their love of their country, and the values that it holds dear. And that’s why there are so many patriotic holidays for Americans to enjoy. Holidays allow Americans to place their hands over their hearts, wrap themselves up in the flag, and enjoy life with their fellow citizens.

The only problem many Americans will have is determining which patriotic holiday is on the calendar for them to observe. Sure, they can take the time to celebrate all of the holidays, but if they did that, then they’d be spending the entire year doing nothing but enjoying the holidays. That’s why we’ve decided to round up a list of essential patriotic holidays for Americans to observe.

Now before we start talking about the patriotic holidays that we chose, we first would like to say that our list is likely to be different from every other American’s patriotic holiday list. That’s because different people celebrate different patriotic holidays. After all, we’re all individuals. So, let’s all keep that in mind before everyone starts screaming at the patriotic holiday that we forgot to put on this list.

President’s Day (Third Monday In February)

Officially known as Washington’s Birthday, this holiday has been a national holiday since President Johnson signed the Uniform Holiday Bill in 1968. Part of the bill that attempted to change the name of this holiday from Washington’s Birthday (officially) to President’s Day failed, however. Most Americans still refer to it as President’s Day, despite its official designation.

Armed Forces Day (The Third Saturday In May)

This holiday is a day to show appreciation to those who served in the U.S. military. It’s an opportunity for all Americans, regardless of whether they served or not, to show service members the honor they deserve. It’s also a day to show appreciation to service members’ families. After all, they were the ones who had to endure long separations from their loved ones, and the stress of constant deployments.

Memorial Day (Observed On The Last Monday In May)

This is a day for people to remember the men and women who died while serving in the United States military. It’s a holiday for all Americans to consider the price of freedom and to remember the bravery of those who fought for the country. It’s also a day that’s considered by many people to be the official start of summer.

D-Day (June 6th)

June 6th, 1944 was when Operation Overlord was launched against the Nazi-held coastline of Normandy. Although the U.S. wasn’t the only country involved in this operation, they did suffer the loss of over 160,000 troops and 13,000 aircraft. Although not as many Americans celebrate this holiday as they should, we feel that it should be on the holiday to-do list for everyone.

Flag Day (June 14th)

Flag Day in the U.S. is designed to celebrate its origin, honor the first American flag that was ever created, and show respect for the flag. Although no one really plans elaborate celebrations on this holiday, it’s a good idea for Americans to raise the flag on this day. This is also a good day for Americans to dispose respectfully of flags that are damaged.

American Eagle Day (June 20th)

Once upon a time, Benjamin Franklin suggested that the national bird of the newly formed U.S. should be the wild turkey. Fortunately, that idea didn’t gain traction, and instead, the U.S. ended up with the American Bald Eagle being their symbol. This is a good day to also remember that the bald eagle is still very much endangered, so all Americans should come together to protect these majestic birds.

Independence Day (July 4th)

Okay, you didn’t seriously think that we wouldn’t put the 4th of July on our list, did you? After all, no list of American patriotic holidays would be complete without having Independence Day on it. If there’s one holiday on this list that most Americans are going to celebrate, it’s this one. Who could resist a day full of barbecues, fireworks, and family get-togethers?

Constitution Day And Citizenship Day (September 17th)

This is a good day for all Americans to learn more about the document that ties them all together. This is also a day during which many different organizations across the U.S. hold parades and other such events. It’s also a day when many schools and government offices raise the American flag, so American citizens might want to do the same.

Gold Star Mother’s Day (Last Sunday In September)

This is the most solemn of all of the holidays we’d like to talk about. It’s a day for all Americans to show appreciation to the mothers who lost a son or daughter while they were serving the U.S. It’s a day to remember their sacrifices and show them the love and appreciation they deserve.

National Immigrant’s Day (October 28th)

The last holiday on our list is National Immigrant’s Day. This is a day to remember that immigrants are the lifeblood of the United States and are the main reason why this country has become one of the most successful countries in the world. This is a good day for Americans to keep that in mind.

As we said earlier, the above holidays are only a sample of the patriotic holidays in the U.S. There are a lot more to be observed. The ones we choose are the ones that are the most important to us, and the ones that we feel all Americans should observe.

After all, patriotism is more than just grilling a few BBQ pork steaks, shooting off a few fireworks, or drinking a few beers. Patriotism is a deep love for one’s country, and the above holidays represent exactly that. We just hope that more people will see the beauty of these holidays and how they represent the American dream.