Finding ways to celebrate a loved one’s memory becomes vital for many after they pass away, as losing a loved one is always a tough event. While flower arrangements and other tributes are typical, there is a specific meaning associated with laying pennies on gravestones, especially for veterans and service members and their families.
A Tradition Worth Keeping
Though its exact roots are unknown, some have speculated that the custom of laying coins on gravestones originated during the Roman Empire. However, according to Snopes, there is insufficient evidence to back up this assertion. However, one thing is certain: people who have a strong bond with military people are aware of the sacrifices they make and are looking for a significant way to remember their lost colleagues.
It became increasingly difficult for people to express their emotions honestly during the Vietnam War. It became customary to place a coin on a soldier’s tomb to signify that someone had paid them a visit without running the danger of awkward talks regarding the political sides of the conflict. The gesture was a straightforward but effective way for people to express respect and unity.
Symbolic Honor Representations
Every penny placed on a gravestone has a special meaning associated with it. Here are few instances:
A penny is a sign that someone has paid their respects and visited the tomb.
Deeper emotional significance can be derived from a nickel, which represents a bond between the individual who left it and the dead soldier from boot camp.
A dime signifies cooperation, even if it was just briefly before splitting up.
The most important coin, the quarter, acts as a monument by informing the bereaved family that the person who left the coin was there during their time of grief.
These coins remind us of the sacrifices made by those who serve in the military and act as tangible representations of respect and tribute, bridging the gap between the past and present.
Past Gravestones
Not all military traditions involve coins, such as placing money on gravestones. Military troops are big fans of challenge coins, which have no monetary worth but are extremely significant. These coins, which stand for oneness, are frequently traded as trophies of friendship and honor.
Throughout history, coins have also had a variety of roles in cultural practices. They have been regarded as representations of good fortune, giving, and even riches. While this isn’t always the case, some people in the past were buried with their riches. For instance, it’s been reported that two dollars and fifty cents were buried with Abraham Lincoln’s eyes covered.
The deeper significance of laying pennies on gravestones is to commemorate and recognize the extraordinary efforts made by those who are serving in the military and their families, even though there may not be a clear relationship between money and this practice. It serves as a reminder to ourselves that their sacrifices are priceless.
My DIL Threw Away My Thanksgiving Dishes and Replaced Them with Her Own — My Granddaughter Got Revenge for Me
When my daughter-in-law threw out the Thanksgiving meal I spent hours cooking, I was heartbroken. But my 14-year-old granddaughter wasn’t about to let it slide.
I’ve always loved Thanksgiving. There’s something magical about gathering family around a table filled with food you’ve poured your heart into.
A Thanksgiving dinner | Source: Pexels
My turkey recipe? Passed down from my mother. My pecan pie? Perfected after years of trial and error. The mashed potatoes, the stuffing, the cranberry sauce, they’re all a part of me.
But hosting isn’t easy. My knees ache by the time I’m done peeling, chopping, and roasting. Still, I tell myself it’s worth it. My granddaughter, Chloe, always says, “Grandma, your food tastes like love.” Those words keep me going.
A teenage girl | Source: Pexels
This year, though, there was a wrinkle in my plans. My daughter-in-law, Candace, has never cared much for me or my cooking. She’s all about modern twists and store-bought shortcuts. We’ve never said anything outright, but I know how she feels. And she knows how I feel.
At least my son, Brad, and Chloe adore my food. Chloe even asked me last week if I could teach her my pie crust recipe. I told her I would when she was ready to commit to flour-covered counters and sticky fingers. She grinned and said, “Deal.”
Grandmother cooking with her daughter | Source: Pexels
By 3 p.m., I was bone-tired but proud. The turkey was golden, the pie was cooling, and the sides were perfectly seasoned. I cooked so much that it didn’t fit into my kitchen fridge, so I had to use the backup one in the garage.
I had just started setting the table when I heard the front door.
“Mom! We’re here!” Brad’s cheerful voice called out.
I blinked at the clock. “You’re early!”
A woman welcoming her son | Source: Pexels
Candace breezed into the kitchen, her blond hair perfectly styled, wearing heels no sane person would cook in. “Hi, Margaret,” she said, barely looking at me. “We thought we’d come early and help.”
“Help?” I repeated, stunned. Candace had never once offered to help with a meal in the 10 years she’d been part of this family.
An elderly woman and her daughter-in-law | Source: Pexels
Chloe bounded in behind her, a bright smile lighting up her face. “Hi, Grandma!” She hugged me tight, and I hugged her back, grateful for the warmth.
Candace clapped her hands. “So, what can I do?”
I hesitated. Was this some kind of olive branch? Or was she up to something? Brad smiled. “C’mon, Mom. Let her pitch in. You’ve done so much already.”
A thoughtful elderly woman | Source: Freepik
“Alright,” I said slowly. “Candace, you can watch the turkey. I’ll go freshen up for a minute.”
Upstairs, I meant to splash water on my face, maybe sit for a moment to rest my legs. But when I sat down, exhaustion took over. I must’ve dozed off because when I opened my eyes, the house was buzzing with voices.
A sleeping elderly woman | Source: Pexels
“Oh no,” I muttered, jumping up. I hurried downstairs and froze at the dining room doorway.
The table was set, and everyone was already eating. Candace sat at the head of the table, smiling as guests complimented her food.
“This turkey looks incredible,” Aunt Linda said, cutting into her slice.
Cutting turkey | Source: Pexels
“I worked so hard on it,” Candace said, tossing her hair.
I blinked. Worked hard? None of this looked like my food. My mashed potatoes were creamy, not clumpy. My stuffing had sage, not whatever green flecks this was. Where was my pecan pie?
Feeling a growing knot in my stomach, I slipped into the kitchen. The smell hit me first—sweet potatoes, turkey drippings, and… the trash?
A suspicious woman | Source: Pexels
I opened the trash can, and my heart dropped. There were my dishes, sealed containers and all, tossed in with coffee grounds and napkins.
My hands trembled. “What—”
“Grandma?” Chloe’s voice came from behind me. I turned, my eyes filling with tears of anger and hurt. “Did you see—”
Sweet potatoes in a trash bin | Source: Midjourney
“I saw,” she whispered, stepping closer. She looked around to make sure no one else was nearby. “She threw it all out when you were upstairs.”
My voice cracked. “Why would she—”
“Don’t worry,” Chloe said, taking my hand. Her eyes gleamed with something I couldn’t quite place. “I took care of it.”
A smiling teenage girl | Source: Pexels
“What do you mean?”
Chloe smiled. “Just trust me, Grandma. Come on, let’s go back to the table and watch the show.”
And with that, she pulled me toward the dining room, leaving the kitchen and my ruined dishes behind.
The dining room fell quiet. Forks hovered mid-air, and puzzled looks passed between the guests.
A photo of a Thanksgiving dinner | Source: Pexels
“This… uh…” Brad said, his brow furrowed as he chewed slowly. “It’s a little… intense?”
“I think I got a bad piece,” Aunt Linda murmured, reaching for her water glass. “Is it me, or is the stuffing… salty?”
“Salty?” Uncle Jim echoed, his face twisting into a grimace. “This isn’t salty; it’s seawater! What’s in this?”
A frowning elderly man | Source: Midjourney
Candace’s confident smile wavered. “Oh no,” she said, her voice a little too loud. “Really? It’s salty? I must’ve, uh, overdone the seasoning.” Her laugh sounded forced, and her cheeks turned pink. “I was rushing, you know, trying to get everything perfect.”
Chloe nudged me under the table. “Go ahead,” she whispered, her voice low and mischievous.
“What?” I whispered back.
A mischievous girl | Source: Midjourney
“Try it,” she said, barely holding back her grin.
I glanced at my plate. With growing suspicion, I cut a small piece of turkey and placed it in my mouth.
Immediately, my eyes widened. The turkey was so salty, it made my tongue burn. The stuffing wasn’t any better—it was inedible. I quickly reached for my water, trying not to laugh.
Shocked elderly woman | Source: Freepik
“Well,” I said, dabbing at my mouth, “that’s… something.”
Chloe giggled quietly, and I caught her wink.
The rest of the table wasn’t as composed. Aunt Linda set her fork down with a clink. “I can’t eat this,” she said gently, trying to smile but failing.
Uncle Jim wasn’t so diplomatic. “Candace, this stuffing could preserve a mummy.”
An angry elderly man | Source: Midjourney
Candace’s smile grew tighter. “Oh, I—I don’t know what happened,” she said, her voice pitching higher. “Maybe the turkey brine was too strong? Or the seasoning mix was bad?”
That was my cue. I stood, clearing my throat. “Well,” I said, raising my glass of sparkling cider, “let’s not worry too much about one little mishap. Cooking for a big crowd is no small task, after all.”
A woman toasting at a dinner | Source: Pexels
Brad smiled, relieved. “That’s true, Mom. Let’s toast to Candace for all her hard work today.”
“Oh, absolutely,” I added with a sweet smile. “Candace really outdid herself. And since everyone’s still hungry, I have a little surprise of my own.”
Candace’s smile froze. “You do?” she asked, her voice higher than usual.
A woman with a stiff smile | Source: Midjourney
“Oh, yes,” I said, setting my glass down. “I had a feeling we might need a backup plan, so I prepared some extra dishes. They’re out in the garage fridge. Brad, could you give me a hand?”
The room buzzed with murmurs as Brad followed me out. I opened the fridge, revealing my carefully prepared Thanksgiving dishes still in their containers, untouched.
“Wow, Mom,” Brad said, lifting the heavy pan of turkey. “You really went all out this year.”
A woman setting turkey on the table | Source: Pexels
“Just wanted to be prepared,” I said lightly, though my heart was racing with satisfaction.
We returned to the dining room, and I began setting my dishes on the table: the golden turkey, fluffy mashed potatoes, savory stuffing, and my famous pecan pie. The guests’ faces lit up.
“This looks amazing,” Aunt Linda said, her hands clasped in delight.
A smiling woman at a Thanksgiving dinner | Source: Pexels
“Finally, real food!” Uncle Jim said with a chuckle, earning a few laughs.
Candace sat stiffly, her lips pressed into a thin line. “Oh, you didn’t have to go to all that trouble, Margaret,” she said, her voice tight.
Later, after the guests had gone, I stood in the kitchen, wrapping leftovers in foil. Candace walked in, her heels clicking softly against the tile.
An ashamed woman | Source: Freepik
She cleared her throat. “Margaret, I just wanted to say… I’m sorry about earlier. I don’t know what came over me when I threw your food out. I just thought, you know, it might be too… old-fashioned.”
I looked at her for a moment, taking in her discomfort. “I appreciate the apology, Candace,” I said finally, keeping my tone even. “I know you were trying to help in your own way.”
She nodded, but I could tell she wasn’t used to admitting fault.
A smiling woman talking to her daughter-in-law | Source: Pexels
As she left the kitchen, Chloe appeared, her hands full of pie plates. “Grandma, your food saved Thanksgiving,” she said, grinning.
I laughed softly. “I think you had a hand in that, sweetheart.”
“Mom’s never going to forget this,” she said, her grin widening.
A smiling girl at a dinner | Source: Midjourney
“Well,” I said, pulling her into a hug, “the important thing is that you stood up for me. That means more to me than you’ll ever know.”
Chloe beamed. “Anything for you, Grandma.”
As I turned out the kitchen lights that night, I felt a deep sense of gratitude. The day hadn’t gone as planned, but it had reminded me of something far more precious than tradition or perfect meals: the fierce, loyal love of my granddaughter.
An elderly woman hugging her granddaughter | Source: Midjourney
This work is inspired by real events and people, but it has been fictionalized for creative purposes. Names, characters, and details have been changed to protect privacy and enhance the narrative. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.
The author and publisher make no claims to the accuracy of events or the portrayal of characters and are not liable for any misinterpretation. This story is provided “as is,” and any opinions expressed are those of the characters and do not reflect the views of the author or publisher.
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