These poll numbers were released earlier today by Rasmussen Reports -- "an electronic publishing firm specializing in the collection, publication, and distribution of public opinion polling information."
49% Consider Memorial Day One of Nation's Most Important Holidays
Monday, May 30, 2011
Forty-nine percent (49%) of Americans view Memorial Day as one of the nation's most important holidays. A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that just seven percent (7%) consider it one of the least important holidays, while 43% rate it somewhere in between.
Sixty percent (60%) of Adults plan on doing something special to celebrate Memorial Day which honors the sacrifice of those who died in military service. That includes 27% who will watch or participate in a parade and 20% who will attend a memorial service. (To see survey question wording, click here .)
Forty-four percent (44%) have a relative or close friend who gave their life while serving in the military. Eighty-two percent (82%) have a favorable opinion of the U.S. military.
These figures are little changed from previous years .
The surveys of 1,000 U.S. Adults was conducted on May 24-25 and May 26-27, 2010 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC . See methodology .
Seventy-two percent (72%) of Americans consider Memorial Day weekend to be the unofficial beginning of summer, and 51% plan a cookout over the weekend with family or friends. This year, 38% of Americans are planning on a summer vacation . That's little changed from the last few years but down from 55% in 2006.
Memorial Day was first officially celebrated on May 30, 1868 to honor those who died in the Civil War. Due to the divisions that remained in the nation at that time, the southern states did not celebrate the holiday until after World War I. Following that "war to end all wars," the observance was changed to recognize soldiers who had given their life in any war.
In 1971, Congress established the last Monday in May as Memorial Day to ensure a three-day weekend. This may have played a role in changing the focus of the holiday from honoring fallen servicemen and women to becoming the "unofficial beginning of summer."
For most Americans, Christmas and Independence Day top the list of the nation's most important holidays. Valentine's Day and St. Patrick's Day have been at the bottom of the list for several years now.