Image courtesy of Pxhere.
NEW YORK—With Memorial Day just around the corner, many of us are thinking about summer parties already. Planning a Memorial Day celebration can be overwhelming. There’s so much to take into account: the guest list, the food, the decorations, the drinks. Thankfully for all us optical-nerds, there’s no shortage of fun ways to inject a little optical joy into our parties alongside the abundance of American flags, and getting the party planning out of the way early means more time to relax and commemorate this Memorial Day Weekend, which is as good a reason as any to get shopping now. Here’s a roundup of some of our favorite optical treats to help make your Memorial Day, no matter what you’re planning, stand out.







  
Glasses Shaped Glass Toppers—prevent
drink-related mix-ups with these adorable
wine glass toppers. Image courtesy of Amazon.
Glasses Shaped Bottle Opener—for those who’d
prefer to drink from a bottle, a tiny glasses-shaped
bottle opener is the perfect way to have a little optical
fun while hydrating. Image courtesy of Amazon.


  
Sunglass Sugar Cookies—want to
try your hand at royal icing? Making
these cute cookies is the easy part,
but whipping up some royal icing and
learning how to pipe a cookie is a great
way to spend time with kids or friends,
and create some tasty art.
Image courtesy of Cookie Connection.
Frames On Your Flip Flops—perfect for pool
parties, or for someone going in and out
of the house during a backyard party.
Image Courtesy of Cafe Press.


  
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle—as we all become
more and more aware of our effect on Earth,
a reusable bag covered in trendy frames is
the perfect way to show a little love to the
planet that raised us all. Plus, there’s no
better way to lug snacks and other supplies
to the local Memorial Day parade.
Image courtesy of Society 6.
Perfectly Printed Reminder—Your guests will
probably remember to slap some sunscreen on
this Memorial Day Weekend, but will they remember
just how important sunglasses are in protecting us
from the new summer sun as well? Nicole
Nguyen, OD, created a pretty print that will do
exactly that. Nguyen’s Eye Scribbles shop is full of
cute optical art, and this print is perfect to hang
by the back door as art and an important health
PSA. Image courtesy of Nicole Nguyen, OD, on Etsy


This Memorial Day, take some time to honor those who serve and those who have fallen, and spend some time with family, friends, and loved ones.



Image courtesy of Cpl. Fareeza Ali/USMC.
As always, we celebrate Memorial Day to pause and honor those who served this country. For many Americans, honors for those who have fallen and those who continue to serve take on many forms. There are plenty of opportunities for the optical community to give back. Charities like the Blind Veterans Association and Freedom Guide Dogs for the Blind offer help to veterans with low or no vision, and accept donations.

May is also Military Appreciation Month, and we celebrate Armed Forces Day on the third Saturday in May—today, May 18. This year, National Vision is supporting Military Appreciation Month with a 15 percent discount for military members, veterans, and military families all month. Reade Fahs, CEO of National Vision said, “Members of the U.S. Armed forces and their families have given so much to our country, and we are proud to be able to offer this small token of our appreciation. Whether you or your family needs a new pair of prescription glasses or contact lenses, we can’t think of a group of people more deserving of extra appreciation.”