We’re gearing up for a big weekend. Here are seven interesting stats about Memorial Day . . .
1. 25 cities around the country CLAIM to be the birthplace of Memorial Day. But the first state that officially recognized it as a holiday was New York in 1873.
2. 75% of us will go to a barbecue this weekend. It’s the second most-popular holiday for grilling. Fourth of July is first.
3. Between now and Labor Day, Americans will eat about 7 BILLION hot dogs. That’s 818 hot dogs every second.
4. 39.3 million Americans are traveling this weekend, up about 3% from last year. 88% are driving to their destination. Orlando is the most popular place to go.
5. 41% of us expect to buy something this weekend at a Memorial Day sale.
6. Be careful out there: There’s a 25% bump in cooking-related fires on Memorial Day. About 50,000 people will be injured in car accidents this weekend. And 44% of traffic fatalities will involve alcohol.
7. 42 million veterans have served in war time. And a total of 1.3 million Americans have lost their lives defending the United States. That’s an important stat since remembering THEM is what Memorial Day is really about.
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