Memorial Day elicits memories of family visits, barbecues, days off of school, and the unofficial start of summer. It also reminds people of bumper-to-bumper traffic, cops on a mission to hunt down anyone driving above the speed limit and forced conversation with your weird uncle Eugene. Hopefully, this list of iPhone apps will help you to battle through the traffic and in-laws in order to remember what the holiday is all about: honoring the service men and women who gave their lives while serving our country.
For those who need reminding about why Memorial Day is celebrated, the free Wikipedia iPhone app gives a great history of Memorial Day. You can share the facts with your friends and family, and everyone loves a good history lesson at a family barbecue, right?
Since offering to host a family cookout requires time, planning, and clean-up, be generous and offer to bring a dessert to someone else’s house. While traffic may be brutal, the INRIX Traffic app (free) will use your phone’s GPS capabilities to warn you of congestion and guide you around major accidents and traffic jams. The less time stuck in the car with screaming kids or singing parents, the better.
If you’re the one hosting the barbecue at your house, take advantage of the Simple Soiree party planner iPhone app ($1.99). This all-in-one app allows you to keep track of guest lists, RSVPs, shopping lists, and to-dos. This will undoubtedly save you the embarrassment of shuffling through your miscellaneous scraps of paper in the grocery store, and you definitely won’t forget the hot dog buns this time. You can’t eat a hot dog without a hot dog bun, and you’ll never live it down if you forget the buns again.
For your friends and family that can’t make it to the big day, send them an e-card! The eCard Memorial Day iPhone app ($1.99) has a library full of themed e-cards to make sure no one feels left out. The patriotic cards are sure to express your sentiment adequately and make sure that everyone knows to honor our service men and women. You know, in case they forgot. I don’t think Hallmark makes Memorial Day cards, so this app is a great way to share the Memorial Day love.
Grilling out is the best way to kick off another summer season, so the Grill Guide iPhone app (99 cents) is a must-have. You’ll be fully prepared to grill chicken, burgers, steak, seafood, veggies, fruit, and probably anything else you can think of. I can’t think of anything else though, so let me know if you get creative with that grill. I’d like to give it a try.
So sit back, relax, and enjoy the day spent with your loved ones. These apps will practically do the work for you! Oh, and don’t forget to thank anyone you know who is serving, or who has served, in the armed forces. Their work allows us to have the day off of work to celebrate their work.
