Watching the US election results, and I’m struck that none of the Americans is wearing a poppy. I know that Remembrance Day is a Canadian holiday set aside to mark the armistice that ended the First World War, but what about other countries? Is the poppy a tradition in Europe as well?
Asked on the 90th anniversary of the death of Wilfred Owen.
It’s a Veterans day thing in the states.
The poppy is extensively used in Europe.
I always assumed it never caught on in the United States because we entered World War I so late and didn’t lose so many soldiers in that war.
As a child in Nawth Ca’lina, I recall ‘Buddy Poppies’ being sold by the VFW.
I saw poppies growing up all the time, but that was a different town. Not so popular here. So, varies by region.
In Flanders Fields where the poppies grow
amid the crosses, row on row
It is perhaps a misperception, but watching the results on CBC, all the reporters have a poppy in their lapel. I’ve yet to see any of the Americans being interviewed wearing one. Made me curious…
And there goes Rex Murphy making a liar of me - all the Canadian commentators except Rex.
I really do hate to nit-pick, but the first stanza goes:
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.
It’s certainly a tradition in Australia, most particularly associated with WWI as you’ve mentioned.
We don’t have a national holiday set aside just for the armistice (It’s included in our ‘rememberance day’ style holiday and events on Anzac Day on 25th April) but you will see Poppies around on the 11th of November - you generally have little fabric/plastic ones being sold to raise money for returned services charities.
I have always understood the Poppies to be more of a Commonwealth countries + France kind of deal.
Our local VFW sells (you make a donation) the “Buddy Poppy” via our local grocery store. I always get two every year; one for my car, and one for my work truck (I hang them from the rear-view mirror).
I think we should start the tradition in the US - any US Dopers want a poppy mailed to them? Uh, I guess it would be for next year now.
They’re readily available here. Just go to a VFW or Legion post.
Another Commonwealth custom is the practice of veterans wearing their medals in patriotic holidays - this has been proposed in the States but hasn’t seemed to catch on.
I wonder if in the US it looks too ‘old soviet pensioner’.
Definitely worn in the UK; especially by the Royals.
I proudly wear a poppy every year. I stuffed a fiver into the poppy box this year and the (obvious by age) vet asked me to take a bunch of extras. Nope. I took my one poppy and will wear it with pride for the next few weeks.
I love you veterans. Sincerely.
I always ask my co-workers if they know why we celebrate veterans day on nov 11, and what it used to be called. Sadly, the young ones rarely know.
thanks for the link Minister, I never could get that one straight. I kinda think the last stanza sucks, I wonder how many boys walked into machinegun fire because of it.
I much prefer this one: I have a rendezvous with death
Poppies here in NZ are worn on the 25/4, ANZAC day. They are sold to raise money for care of veterans.
Can’t recall seeing anyone wearing them for Armistice.
They were always widely worn in our small Southern town on November 11th when I was a kid in the Fifties. I’d forgotten.
They were worn up north (Michigan) when I was young. I think it started to die out in the 60s. I vividly recall them being worn when I was a kid, but only on Nov. 11th. Why 11/11? Because that was Armistice Day for World War I.