Remembrance Day and Poppies

I've worn a white poppy for the last few years. Most people have liked it but a few have said they don't agree.

The FA allows poppies on football shirts so League football teams will all have them but FIFA doesn't so international teams will not be allowed a poppy

You can buy wristbands, slapbands, pencils, hairslides, etc etc, all sell very well in our local schools - it all raises money for a good cause.

Just wanted to say that it is up to you what you wear, I am not criticising you I am just saying what I think. I do not feel comfortable helping a jeweller to make a profit out of these poppies, but then if the seller gives a percentage of the price to the charity then where is the harm? I have always kept my poppy for the Remembrance Day itself, wearing it before, to me, is like advertising Christmas decorations in October.

My 2 x Grandsons will be marching this Remembrance Day, one in the CCF the other with the Scouts. My Granddaughter will be with the Brownies. They all know what a big sacrifice these young made so that they could have a good life.

trisher
Here is a link to the Poppy Factory:
www.visitrichmond.co.uk/thedms.aspx?dms=3&venue=3502268

The England football team have worn armbands with a poppy on them in the past, and will probably be doing the same this year - there was a report about this on BBC Breakfast this morning.

I always give a generous donation to the poppy appeal each year. This year I was given a poppy as usual but the man also insisted I take one of the little bracelets. If I am wearing my waterproof jacket I do not want to attach a pin to secure a poppy so I will wear my bracelet with pride. If I am wearing my woollen coat I will wear my paper poppy with pride. Just because I have a bracelet does not mean that I will not donate next year. I will continue to donate as much as I can, as I feel that no matter how much I give it will never compare to what those people have done and continue to do for their country and ultimately, each and every one of us.

I have a small ceramic poppy which I start wearing at the beginning of November, but I also buy a paper poppy every year. At the weekend there were cadets in various shopping centres selling them

If anyone is wearing an ordinary poppy in early October it must be a relic from a previous year!

We only handed out the poppy boxes last week ready to start selling on launch day, 27th October.

I think there is a lot more 'poppy memorabilia' around now because I believe the marketing has been outsourced.

Anyway, all profits go to a good cause, families are helped as well as servicemen and ex-servicemen and not many people seem to realise that Help for Heroes bought properties to turn into centres for rehabilitation for injured servicemen but that the RBL actually helps run them.

I wear one of each the red poppy for remembrance and the white one for peace.

I buy a poppy to remember all those who fell in battle, be it WWI, WWII, Falklands, Gulf or any other war. War is evil! So many men killed and for what? These glitzy brooches are not what it is all about. It is not about fashion, it is about support.

Now Putin is all set to start WWIII and there seems to be no one able to stand in his way. He is a very dangerous man imo.

Since the lovely little brooch poppies from BritishLegion cost about £15 then that makes up for the fact that I would normally spend £1 each year so they have it in advance and if I don't live 15 years then they are better off..

I have a gitzy brooch one because I invariably lose my poppy or stick myself with the pin. However, I always buy a large one for my car so the British Legion still get my money.

I am sure they have worn poppies before. I think it is only this year that FIFA have banned them, that is why it has made the news

We were in Rouen last week, and my attention was caught by the display in a jeweller's window of what looked like varnished BL poppies made into necklaces, brooches etc. I wondered whether anyone had commented adversely on these, and as it happened the proprietor noticed me looking at them so I asked her. She had had no idea they had any significance at all for Brits - French people don't wear any commemorative item on Remembrance Day, though they do visit local war memorials on the day to pay their respects. Maybe not many Brits go into French jewellers ... But this did make me think - what the poppy 'means' is a creation of our culture, and I've noticed over the years that the protocol attached to it and the reverence accorded to it has increased. It is taken as a marker of how patriotic people are, and not to wear one at all is seen as disrespectful. Even though in theory we respect people's right to their opinion, wearing a white poppy, as Quakers often do, is seen as an act of rebellion, and rather than signifying a commitment to living in peace, is often interpreted as treachery. I rarely wear any marker of affiliation, though I did wear my college scarf when I was at uni, and I rarely wear a poppy - they always fall off when I'm not looking - but I do buy one or two, of each colour if I can, and prop them up here and there around the house as a signal for reflection, not least because I value the work if the British Legion as well as wanting to spport people working to resolve conflict in peaceful ways. But using the poppy as an obligatory outward show of respect, as the BBC so notoriously does, is going too far for me, hence the rant! Does any of you wear a white poppy?

FIFA has never allowed anything political to be worn,

Jamesiesgran you can buy white poppies from Amazon though I got mine from our local Scottish Socialist Party

A bit off thread here but I saw an article yesterday saying the England football team would not be allowed to wear poppies on their shirts when they play near Remembrance Sunday. The ruling had come from FIFA as they said it was "political". They should hang their heads in shame. I think it's disgraceful.

Although I actually made my own with white paper and an old red poppy!

You can find background information and ways to buy white poppies at www.ppu.org.uk/whitepoppy/index.html.

Greyduster, I couldn't agree more about the BBC!

Greyduster, do you remember a big fuss a few years ago when news readers were told NOT to wear poppies as 'it might offend'? Some PC rubbish was being spouted, I think by the BBC. Perhaps they are going to other extremes now on TV. As I recall Muslims were interviewed on local news and they were amazed at the stupidity; one said he thought the poppies symbolised respect for the fallen, whoever they were, and he couldn't understand why this was being said. As I recall the whole thing blew over very quickly and the newsreaders were wearing them again.

I do agree though that the simple paper/cloth poppy seems to mark what is being expressed rather better than glitter and stones.
How can anyone who saw it ever forget that last scene of Blackadder, when they all went 'over the top' and the scene of unspeakable carnage slowly changed to a field of poppies?

Am I wrong in thinking that the original poppies were made by disabled servicemen and that the money went to them? If so it would seem that the original idea has probably changed anyway and the 'bling' ones are just an extension of this.

I made a beaded poppy last year but donated to the fund separately. There is a lady who sells a pattern for making your own beaded brooch, all proceeds go to the British Legion and I understand she raised over £10,000 last year. Good for her!

I'm finding it difficult to buy a poppy locally. Even DH is experiencing a problem this year. Where have you bought one?

I have mixed feelings too about 'fancy' poppies. I know any kind will be helping the RBL, but there something about the simplicity of the basic paper ones.