Veterans Day: What's Open, Closed In Seal Beach, Los Alamitos

LOS ALAMITOS, CA —The post office and most banks and some schools will be closed in Orange County on Thursday in observance of Veterans Day, a federal holiday that honors veterans of the U.S. armed forces.

In Orange County, Los Alamitos Unified School District is celebrating the holiday, with both Thursday and Friday off school.

Newport Mesa Unified School District is off Thursday for Veterans Day. Saddleback Valley Unified School District is off Thursday, as is Capistrano Unified School District.

Last weekend, many gathered for a day of service to honor veterans, such as those in Lake Forest who gathered to clean area parks. This year, Veterans Day, commemorated annually on Nov. 11, falls on a Thursday.

Veterans Day was first celebrated in 1919 to honor those who fought in World War I. It was initially called Armistice Day and was renamed Veterans Day in 1954.

The holiday’s origin is tied to the armistice, a temporary end of hostilities, between the Allied nations and Germany, signed in France on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month.

It became Veterans Day in 1954, shortly following the end of the Korean War and less than a decade after World War II after various veterans service organizations urged Congress to encompass veterans of all wars in their honor.

While some ceremonies, parades and services may be canceled or altered as the coronavirus pandemic continues, restaurants and other businesses will continue to show their appreciation for veterans and active military members.

Where can veterans eat for free?

Applebee’s, BJ's, Chili’s Grill and Bar and Denny's are among the national restaurant chains offering free or discounted meals for veterans on Nov. 11, and 7-Eleven is offering a free cup of coffee or Big Gulp.

READ: Where Vets & Military Can Eat Free On Veterans Day 2021

Other places, such as Golden Corral, have offers for veterans extended throughout November.

Unlike Memorial Day, a federal holiday on the final Monday of May that is dedicated to those who have died while serving the United States, Veterans Day celebrates all past veterans and current active-duty military members.