Memorial Day's Dos and Don'ts: 3 Things to Get Your Favorite Vets (and 3 to Avoid)

It’s only a few weeks away until Memorial Day, a celebration that is notoriously hard to gift shopping for. But it doesn't have to be. Here are 3 things to get (and to desperately avoid) when visiting your honorable vets this year.

1. Do: Flowers

Flowers are on top of the list for all Memorial Day gifts. They are elegant, appropriate, and above all, super affordable, which makes them the perfect way to show appreciation for your favorite vets. 

The difficult thing about flowers as gifts is how predictable and boring they are as gifts. Instead of the typical store-bought bouquet, why not try something with a little more flare this year? Many stores arrange flowers thematically, giving you many beautiful options to choose from. 

Nothing screams Memorial Day more than a red, white and blue themed bouquet. Amongst the stores that allow customization and thematic flower delivery, Enjoy Flowers offers free shipping always on all their flower orders. To arrange your own Memorial Day flower bouquet, contact them directly via their phone number or through live chat on their homepage.

2. Don’t: Gun Holsters

It’s natural to correlate vets with firearms. After all, all vets have some forms of weapon training upon recruitment, meaning they know how to use a gun.

That doesn’t mean all vets own a gun, however. The truth is guns are probably one of the least owned items by any vets after being discharged. They easily trigger unwanted memories and traumas, especially for those who were stationed in battle-heavy areas.

Just in case your favorite vet does own a gun, a holster from Concealment Express makes a great gift. With quick and free shipping for all orders over $45, you can receive your purchase almost immediately after placing an order.

3. Do: Wine

Wine is probably not on top of anyone’s Memorial Day list for gift-idea. Something about the drink sounds almost too pretentious a gift, or that it should only be brought when being invited to dinners.

That, however, is a common misconception about wine in gift-giving. Wine makes an awesome gift because it goes with every occasion. Plus, there’s no pressure for the recipient to drink it upon receiving. Instead, they can choose to leave the bottle for as long as they can, as wine only tastes better with age.

This year, give your favorite vet a bottle of a bottle of wine from Grapes Wine. Known for their dedication towards providing good-quality wine for an even better price, the store lets you build your own wine case for any purposes, including Memorial Day gift-giving.

Bonus: All orders in Connecticut are shipped free with Grapes Wine.

4. Don’t: Summer Vacation (That You Pay For)

Although they are only reserved to veterans that are closed to you, a cruise ship tour or a prepaid travel plan is an awesome gift to anyone this summer. With travel agencies like Tours4Fun allowing reservation to extend to a month after purchase, booking a getaway trip for your favorite veteran has never been easier.

However, with how the COVID-19 pandemic continues to wreak havoc in different countries, it’s a good idea to put any travel plan you have this year on hold. Many countries and cities still do not allow entrance, due to fear of letting in even stronger strains of COVID-19. In countries that do, public gathering is either limited or closed, killing any thrills and excitement that a trip can bring.

Thus, maybe save that trip as a gift for the next year?

5. Do: Funny shirts

For many people, a funny, slightly offensive shirt, is never a good idea for a gift. Appropriateness in gift-giving still holds high-value to many, especially for a solemn occasion like Memorial Day.

People underestimate the power of humor. Whether it’s lame dad jokes or dark macabre humors, being funny has never been more valuable. This is even more true when it comes to veterans, whose sense of humor is thickened by the time they spent on the field.

Thus, don’t worry about any vets being a snowflake when it comes to humor. Something personal, or an inside joke from their time in the force will definitely put a smile on their face. 

Apparel platforms like Teepublic have an amazing collection of inappropriate military t-shirts. Coupled with their often-launched discounts, get your vets the funniest shirt this Memorial Day before their prices go back up!

6. Don’t: Fake Medal of Honors

Not all heroes wear medals. So, you might be tempted to buy a set of fake medals from online forgers as a gift, because what better way to show your appreciation than awarding them with their own set of medals, right? Right?

It’s undeniable that fake medals look cool. You can most likely get away with shopping for a fake medal, except for the Medal of Honors. Unless designated, any acts to forge a Medal of Honors is criminal. Thus, look carefully before purchasing any set of fake military medals. The legal nuance behind them isn’t worth the trouble.

If you want to look for a safe place to buy fake medals - those that are allowed at least, try USA Military Medals. They specialize in authentic military medals, and will look awesome on your favorite vet’s display case.

Also, they ship all orders of $99 free of charge.