Rememberance Day Poppies

[Michael T]

Here in the UK we have Remembrance Day – the 11th of November, to commemorate and remember those who gave their lives in WW1, WW2 and beyond. This is symbolised by the wearing of poppies. As far back as I can remember these poppies have been simple affairs made of red paper with a black plastic centre and green plastic stem. (Those of you in the UK will know what I mean) The poppies were, and as far as I know, still are put together by veterans and then offered country-wide to the public for a donation in the weeks leading up to Remembrance Day. We wear our poppies with pride.
This year I’ve noticed on the TV that a lot of celebrities are wearing flashy jewellery ones (Strictly Come Dancing and The X Factor for example). I’ve just come off Facebook where someone has posted a link to a web-site that sells some of these flashy poppies. Apparently 10% of the purchase price is given in donation.

My question is – does anyone else find these ‘bling’ poppies rather distasteful? Is it right that some jewellery companies think they can make a quick profit by tapping into something so solemn? Isn’t turning these symbols into some sort of ‘fashion statement’ a sign of something wrong in society? Or perhaps you disagree? Personally I’ll be sticking to the simple paper version, because for me at least, the poppy's simplicity is part of what it stands for.

[JuniperWoolf]

Wow, I thought that it was just North America that did the poppy thing. I guess I learned something today.

re. the flashy poppies: I haven't noticed any yet but I agree that it seems distasteful not the least because only 10% goes to donation. I dislike the pink ribbon campaign for the same reason (turning charity into a fashion statement and morality symbol), and also because the small amount of pink ribbon money that actually gets donated doesn't go to breast cancer research, but to breast cancer "awareness" (like we're not "aware" of breast cancer). Still, if the poppies are flashy enough, maybe that 10% really adds up to a lot of money.

[Alexander III]

A week ago I gave a small some to charity and got a paper poppy. I have been and intent to wear it everyday untill the 11th, I wear it in my lapel button whole or breat pocket of my blazzer, as close to the heart as possible.

For me it is simply a sign of respect to the lost of the wars, a little symbol to remember the past and ensure not forgeting it.

I someone where to wear a real poppey instead of a paper one, I see no problem, in fact to me it is an even greater sign of respect, as the poppy is alive and slowly withers, it gives a sronger sense of life and rememberance than the paper poppy which rather than a symbol of remembereance looks more like art -deco. I still wear the paper poppy though, as it is more practicle, but to me men who wear real red poppys for rememberance are not being ostentatious just going out of their way a little more to show more respect.

[prendrelemick]

There is tyranny over the wearing of poppies at the moment. Woe betide any politician or presenter who fails to have one on show at all times. Now the latest "scandal" over the England Footballers has become a cause that even our esteemed prime minister has become embroiled in. The British Legion, who run - and benefit from the whole thing, have been a voice of common sense among all the "outrage" and pointed out that there are other ways of remembering the fallen, you don't have to wear a poppy.

(I choose to wear one though.)

[Emil Miller]

I have no interest in the England team or football in general, but the argument over wearing poppies is simply childish. Poppies have no religious or political connotations so why the objection?

[Scheherazade]

The British Legion, who run - and benefit from the whole thing, have been a voice of common sense among all the "outrage" and pointed out that there are other ways of remembering the fallen, you don't have to wear a poppy.I whole-heartedly agree.

Simply cannot understand why the footballers, who can or cannot tell you what the Poppy is actually about, believe that they simly must wear a poppy on that day. Rather than making and selling visual signs of so-called respect, we should maybe concentrate on educating people so at least they can tell when and the World Wars happened. Imagine my disappointment when I found out that most of my (adult) students could not even make a close enough guess.

I don't wear the poppy. If I come across the charity collectors at the supermarkets, I drop some change into the box but never take the poppy, in the hope that they can sell it to someone else and make another pound.

[jajdude]

I wondered if the poppy became popular mainly due to the old poem "In Flanders Fields". Looking it up I discovered Flanders is "a geographical region located in parts of present-day Belgium, France and the Netherlands."

and

"The poppies referred to in the poem grew in profusion in Flanders in the disturbed earth of the battlefields and cemeteries where war casualties were buried[2] and thus became a symbol of Remembrance Day (see Remembrance poppy). The poem is often part of Remembrance Day solemnities in Allied countries which contributed troops to World War I, particularly in countries of the British Empire that did so."

The poem was written by a Canadian named John McCrae around 1915. There is even a quotation from it on the Canadian ten-dollar bill - "The reverse side depicts images related to warfare and remembrance"

*Quoted parts from Wikipedia.

[Delta40]

Yeah the bling thing doesn't go down so well with me, unless of course the veterans themselves are making them but I don't believe it for a moment and see it as another money making market to be cornered. Rememberance day is really popular in Australia too and we're wearing ours with pride.

[Lokasenna]

Yes, I find the bling rather tasteless - the whole point of the poppies is that they are supposed to be a 'simple' act of rememberance, no? It just turns it into yet another gaudy status symbol.

That said, I wish the poppies were a little sturdier - I always lose the damn things when they drop off without me noticing.

As for the political brouhaha, I think it is faintly ridiculous - if people want to wear a poppy, then let them. In what way could it be construed as offensive, even to the Germans?

[Helga]

I had to google poppies to see how they look like, I think the bling factor of things like this is something you can see anywhere in the world and I do think it is rather tacky. I know of at least one similar thing here on the ice.

Those paper poppies are a sweet way to remember and pay respect to those who died, and I have to say it is very lame when you buy a jewelry one and only 10% goes to charity!!

[jajdude]

I believe the poem merits consideration. It is what made the day. Though the flowers grew long before, this made the day of poppy. As far as I have gathered anyway.

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie,
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

[prendrelemick]

I seem to remember there was a really awful reply, written by a Canadian housewife, that became nearly as famous before sinking into obscurity.

[Delta40]

Please don't post poems you didn't write without the author's permission

[OrphanPip]

Wow, I thought that it was just North America that did the poppy thing. I guess I learned something today.

re. the flashy poppies: I haven't noticed any yet but I agree that it seems distasteful not the least because only 10% goes to donation. I dislike the pink ribbon campaign for the same reason (turning charity into a fashion statement and morality symbol), and also because the small amount of pink ribbon money that actually gets donated doesn't go to breast cancer research, but to breast cancer "awareness" (like we're not "aware" of breast cancer). Still, if the poppies are flashy enough, maybe that 10% really adds up to a lot of money.

They would be illegal in Canada, the poppy is trademarked by the Royal Canadian Legion, who only allows the small felt Canadian design to be sold by them for their own fundraising. They do make little poppy pins now, but they're not too flashy, the legion sells those too.

Edit: On a note related to the McRae poem, I saw the handwritten original at the Canadian War Museum a couple months ago in an exhibit on medicine and war.

[jajdude]

From the little I know of history it seems Canadian soldiers had a big role in helping to liberate the Netherlands from the madness of Germany. Not sure this applies here, yet it does somehow, though this was much later. The remembrance and memory hit me hard this year for some reason. Guess I'm getting old. Millions have killed millions. It is not a celebration. It is not a holiday. It is sad.

[stlukesguild]

the poppy is trademarked by the Royal Canadian Legion

How do you trademark a flower? That sounds as absurd as Coke trying to trademark its particular shade of red.:eek:

[JuniperWoolf]

From the little I know of history it seems Canadian soldiers had a big role in helping to liberate the Netherlands from the madness of Germany.

Canada has a lot of WWII (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_history_of_Canada_during_World_War_II) pride. Unlike the United States, we declared war on Germany only ten days after they invaded Poland. :prrr:

Haha, we love any historical tidbit that makes us look good in our compulsive competition with America (which is funny since I don't think many Americans are even aware that we feel the need to compete with them, that's how effective we've been).

[prendrelemick]

From the little I know of history it seems Canadian soldiers had a big role in helping to liberate the Netherlands from the madness of Germany. Not sure this applies here, yet it does somehow, though this was much later. The remembrance and memory hit me hard this year for some reason. Guess I'm getting old. Millions have killed millions. It is not a celebration. It is not a holiday. It is sad.


Good post. That is why I don't like the bling poppies, seems a bit inappropriate.

It is true that as you get older you are more affected. Ive just been watching a piece on the Russian convoys - a small episode in a global war - but it is right that we remember those men and what they did.

[OrphanPip]

From the little I know of history it seems Canadian soldiers had a big role in helping to liberate the Netherlands from the madness of Germany. Not sure this applies here, yet it does somehow, though this was much later. The remembrance and memory hit me hard this year for some reason. Guess I'm getting old. Millions have killed millions. It is not a celebration. It is not a holiday. It is sad.

If you visit Ottawa in the summer you can see the tulip gardens donated by the Dutch government every year. Part of the Dutch royal family was also sheltered in Canada during the war.




How do you trademark a flower? That sounds as absurd as Coke trying to trademark its particular shade of red.:eek:

It's not the flower itself though, but the stylized design that is used as a symbol in Canada. I suppose the goal is to prevent profiteering from the symbol by those unaffiliated with veterans.