Remembrance Day

Loopyseven

I remember the poppies and Flanders Fields poem from when I was a kid, but I think it is from the years we lived outside Toronto (I was 10 and 11), and not from the States.

TurtlesAllTheWayDown

You guys are right about the ribbon - I looked into it. The song just popularized the practice in the 1970s, but it originated in the 19th century.

kikibaby

I work for the City government, and I'm off work tomorrow.  I've never seen the poppies in Colorado or Florida (that I remember at least).

redheadfsu

Two links describing that in the US poppies are on memorial day not veterans day.

http://www.legion-aux.org/Programs/Poppy/index.aspx

http://www1.va.gov/opa/vetsday/vetday_faq.asp

aMrsin09

Interesting that the US does poppoe for Memorial Day while the rest do it for Veterans/Rememberance Day.  Maybe MI does poppies for both because I always remember feeling bad for the old Vets standing outside in the cold/snow selling them..

aMrsin09

And now that our moment of silece is over, I'm off to run errands since tomorrow I get to go play ;-)

smokeybailey

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_remembrance-day-1?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:2a934e91-b672-4239-aed3-59d0d853cd21Post:48c25e2e-bae5-4375-a52c-52fc10dddb5c">Remembrance Day</a>:
[QUOTE]I'm Canadian and too ignorant / embarrassed to ask anyone these questions in real life:  Do Americans get Nov 11 off? Is it a stat holiday? Do Americans wear poppies? 
Posted by shoegal715[/QUOTE]

I didn't read any of the posts yet, but saw the first one was wrong.

Do Americans get Nov 11 off? Some of us do.
Is it a state holiday? Yes.
Do Americans wear poppies?  Usually poppies are reserved for Memorial Day.

November 11th is Veteran's Day.  I have seen some poppies around but mostly it was MD.

smokeybailey

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_remembrance-day-1?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:2a934e91-b672-4239-aed3-59d0d853cd21Post:1c4de14f-2e0e-4d97-acc9-8af71b967b74">Re: Remembrance Day</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: Remembrance Day : That's on the border too! I don't see poppies around here, but maybe it's just a school kid thing. The yellow ribbon/veteran thing is a Vietnam song. I'ts a song by Tony Orlando and Dawn and it inspired people to wear yellow ribbons to symbolize they were wishing for the safe return of soldiers. So it's much more recent than the poppies thing.
Posted by msmerymac[/QUOTE]


You don't see poppies around here, Mery?  Usually, the Vets will sell them in front of grocery stories around Memorial Day. I totally am familiar with poppies and I'm pretty far from Canada.  I thought poppies were an American thing...

ichellemay1

I used to see Vets here in Texas selling poppies when I was a kid.  I thought it was Memorial Day, but it could've been Veterans' Day (or both).

davidnance

I live in TN.  Here, and in Geogia where I previously lived, Veterans of Foreign Wars (BFW) take donations for Veteran programs/homes outside of grocery stores, Walmart, etc.. If you make a donation, they give you a paper poppy to wear. I am proudly wearing one on my purse this week in honor/ memory of my Daddy, a WWII Veteran.

Nebb

Can I ask why vetrans day and memorial day are so far apart and not celebrated together?

andy71781

Courts are closed tomorrow.  Wooohoo!

Nebb

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_remembrance-day-1?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:2a934e91-b672-4239-aed3-59d0d853cd21Post:e0bb3d44-2b01-4ce4-b9ba-e5dbefa80294">Re: Remembrance Day</a>:
[QUOTE]Veteran's day is to commemorate the end of WW I (which ended 11/11). Memorial Day is more of a general commemoration and was first enacted to honor Civil War soldiers.
Posted by mag920[/QUOTE]
Hmm I suppose that makes sense to me. Canada celebrates the birthday of a queen who died in the 1800's so I cant really comment.

tenofcups4me

I've never heard of or been aware of poppies for Veterans Day or Memorial Day. I guess it's possible I just never noticed, but that seems a long time to have never noticed that!

To me, Veterans Day seems like a non-holiday -- like it's on the calendar but isn't really celebrated or acknowledged --  while Memorial Day is a big deal, both for time off to play and from a remembrance point if that's applicable.

bdulli13

I get poppies every year at Memorial Day for my family and have since I was a kid. I am always sure to save a $20 to donate to the VFW guys. This year was particularly special, as I lost a friend in Afghanistan, and I keep that poppy on my dashboard at all times. Although poppies are generally reserved for the Memorial Day holiday here in the US, I am sure no one is going to shun you if you wear one tomorrow. In fact, maybe I will wear mine.

smokeybailey

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_remembrance-day-1?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:2a934e91-b672-4239-aed3-59d0d853cd21Post:2c3fe7a6-74de-4c31-9a58-b04491c4a6ba">Re: Remembrance Day</a>:
[QUOTE]I've never heard of or been aware of poppies for Veterans Day or Memorial Day. I guess it's possible I just never noticed, but that seems a long time to have never noticed that! <strong>To me, Veterans Day seems like a non-holiday -- like it's on the calendar but isn't really celebrated or acknowledged</strong> --  while Memorial Day is a big deal, both for time off to play and from a remembrance point if that's applicable.
Posted by tenofcups4me[/QUOTE]

That's sad. 

Ghoti

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_remembrance-day-1?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:2a934e91-b672-4239-aed3-59d0d853cd21Post:95b22da4-3054-40b6-a816-8b5d3e8e7793">Re: Remembrance Day</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: Remembrance Day : I think yellow ribbons are a new (last 10 years?) thing, we have them here too. Poppies have just always been a national (canadian, though I have seen them on british folk too) symbol on this day.
Posted by Nebb[/QUOTE]

Yellow ribbons go waaaay back, like world war 1 or something...Off to google the details..

Ghoti

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_remembrance-day-1?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:2a934e91-b672-4239-aed3-59d0d853cd21Post:2c3fe7a6-74de-4c31-9a58-b04491c4a6ba">Re: Remembrance Day</a>:
[QUOTE]I've never heard of or been aware of poppies for Veterans Day or Memorial Day. I guess it's possible I just never noticed, but that seems a long time to have never noticed that! To me, <strong>Veterans Day seems like a non-holiday -- like it's on the calendar but isn't really celebrated or acknowledged -</strong>-  while Memorial Day is a big deal, both for time off to play and from a remembrance point if that's applicable.
Posted by tenofcups4me[/QUOTE]
Ouch. I celebrate it, I've got a lot a family who are veterens and who still serve.

Nebb

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_remembrance-day-1?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:2a934e91-b672-4239-aed3-59d0d853cd21Post:70105c3b-0c05-4b27-8ccb-e02d24222bd4">Re: Remembrance Day</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: Remembrance Day : Yellow ribbons go waaaay back, like world war 1 or something...Off to google the details..
Posted by Ghoti[/QUOTE]
I THOUGHT so, I am imagining old radio microphones with women singing the song into it all tinny. I dont know why.

Ghoti

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_remembrance-day-1?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:2a934e91-b672-4239-aed3-59d0d853cd21Post:e0f096aa-86ac-459e-bff1-809bf607668d">Re: Remembrance Day</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: Remembrance Day : I THOUGHT so, I am imagining old radio microphones with women singing the song into it all tinny. I dont know why.
Posted by Nebb[/QUOTE]

LOL at the visual. My mom used to sing the "Tie a yellow ribbon round an old oak tree" all the time :D

Nebb

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_remembrance-day-1?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:2a934e91-b672-4239-aed3-59d0d853cd21Post:aa9aea51-2197-4311-9d90-139e9250bd79">Re: Remembrance Day</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: Remembrance Day : LOL at the visual. My mom used to sing the "Tie a yellow ribbon round an old oak tree" all the time :D
Posted by Ghoti[/QUOTE]
I recall my grandmother (who worked for the military in WW2) singing it to me when I was younger.

smokyhills

They've actually taken to mailing the poppies to me personally - I'm in the KW area - and I have no idea how or why or where my name got on that list. It comes in a little donation envelope the day after hallowe'en, every year. They usually have them at legion halls, if you want to pick one up.

The Legion is the motivating force behind the poppies, but a couple years ago they actually sued some bloggers for posting images of a poppy on their website on rememberance day. (That one went over like a lead balloon.) http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2005/11/08/legion-bourque-poppy051108.html and this year they're suing over a white poppy campaign (The white poppy signifies peace.) http://www.canada.com/news/Legion+threatens+distributor+white+poppies/3766140/story.html

Yellow ribbons specifically had a recurrence in Gulf War the First - I had cousins oveseas, and ALL of our families put yellow ribbons somewhere on the property - my great aunt's house looked like the trees had practically been gift-wrapped

mandysmear

Poppies are a really big deal.  I haven't seen them anywhere either though.  I don't know what's up with that. 

bdulli13

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_remembrance-day-1?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:2a934e91-b672-4239-aed3-59d0d853cd21Post:2c3fe7a6-74de-4c31-9a58-b04491c4a6ba">Re: Remembrance Day</a>:
[QUOTE]I've never heard of or been aware of poppies for Veterans Day or Memorial Day. I guess it's possible I just never noticed, but that seems a long time to have never noticed that! <strong>To me, Veterans Day seems like a non-holiday -- like it's on the calendar but isn't really celebrated or acknowledged --  while Memorial Day is a big deal, both for time off to play and from a remembrance point if that's applicable.</strong>
Posted by tenofcups4me[/QUOTE]


You know why you get time off to play? Because of VETERANS. So next time you're heading to the beach or sitting home because work is closed, keep that in mind. I celebrate Veterans Day every year, and every American should. They are why you can go to sleep every night with a roof over your head.

crfische

We totes did the poppies. I grew up in small town Minnesota.

JanoBean75

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_remembrance-day-1?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:2a934e91-b672-4239-aed3-59d0d853cd21Post:2c3059b6-89f8-4bc8-ab97-e0b16628807a">Re: Remembrance Day</a>:
[QUOTE]The answer is sometimes and sometimes. Schools and government offices get it off. I used to, then they took away a bunch of our holidays. Boo. We used to buy paper poppies to support the VFW when I was in school. The only holidays in the US we're required to have off are: Memorial Day, July 4, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's Day. There are over half a dozen more state and federal holidays that don't "require" time off. <strong>However, some jobs are exempt from that requirement, like retail.</strong>
Posted by msmerymac[/QUOTE]

Yeah, we only get Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas "off" in the sense of being closed.

Today is a regular work day for me.

I don't think I've ever heard of the poppies. That's a really nice way to show support.

tenofcups4me

WTF? I wasn't even speaking about me or my personal feelings, simply that on a national level Veterans Day doesn't get the same attention that Memorial Day does. Witnessed at least partially by the fact that most of us in the U.S. don't get the day off and it's not treated like a national holiday on the same level as Memorial Day. I hardly see anything in my post to say I don't respect veterans.

TurtlesAllTheWayDown

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_remembrance-day-1?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:2a934e91-b672-4239-aed3-59d0d853cd21Post:76eb4c55-7dec-4ed6-95bc-44c0467e8db5">Re: Remembrance Day</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: Remembrance Day : Yeah, we only get Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas "off" in the sense of being closed. Today is a regular work day for me. I don't think I've ever heard of the poppies. That's a really nice way to show support.
Posted by JanoBean75[/QUOTE]

I once worked at a movie theater. They paid us time and half on Thanksgiving and Christmas. That was it.

TurtlesAllTheWayDown

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_remembrance-day-1?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:2a934e91-b672-4239-aed3-59d0d853cd21Post:0239ae24-bde3-4669-8611-ecc89d3837e6">Re: Remembrance Day</a>:
[QUOTE]WTF? I wasn't even speaking about me or my personal feelings, simply that on a national level Veterans Day doesn't get the same attention that Memorial Day does. Witnessed at least partially by the fact that most of us in the U.S. don't get the day off and it's not treated like a national holiday on the same level as Memorial Day. I hardly see anything in my post to say I don't respect veterans.
Posted by tenofcups4me[/QUOTE]

I actually might disagree. I think with the "day off" at Memorial Day, people treat it like a holiday weekend (it is) and the non-official "beginning of summer" so there's a lot of BBQing, boating, vacationing, and not necessarily observence. Kind of like MLK day, which should be a day of service, but is usually just a long weekend. Because Veteran's Day is always on the 11th, which is sometimes the middle of the week, I think it's MORE about honoring the military.