rememberance day - the new christmas?

[Zingari]

didn't this used to be a one day recognition...

it seems that it has now started weeks before?

is this because:

a. people feel in some way obliged to wear a poppy.

b. it is seen as 'cool'

c. the charity has overstepped it's influence.

i'm thinking more about what i have seen on the news channels, but i'm guessing it is also prevalent amongst normal everyday folk-

has this 'remembrance' lost its real meaning now, should we even be remembering events that could be argued to now be 'ancient history', i know we are still 'making sacrifices', but the day marks an event 90 years ago?

do we need to have a two/three week period of acknowledgement for such events...?

DISCUSS.

yes an interesting observation .

My feeling about the seeming poppy day growth , is that it is part of a peak and trough mood/Zeitgeist within the country .

I remember my parents / grandparents used to take it very seriously as WW2 was still very much in their minds .And there were lots of marching bands in the streets etc And there was much frowning on anyone who showed the slightest disrespect

Later as I got older , it seemed to fade as the flower power generation seemed give it less relevance and the "White Poppy" became more popular ( do they still get distributed ? )

. Then there seemed a resurgence after the Falklands war for a few years . Then another period of decline, and now with the recent wars another resurgence.

but I do think that there are more mass showings of public grief in the UK now , I think it started with the death of Diana

[Daggers]

I think it started with the death of Diana

Diana's dead?

Auntie Diana?

First Father Poppy and now this! And what a way to find out!

[Tommy G]

Ooo, I'm being thrown out of a thread am I, best get your daddy on it then. I am taking issue with the whole question you posted and not name calling. There is no overkill on rememberance day as far as I can see (but it may look like that from Norway), two weeks of minor media interest in the most important times of the 20th century and the sacrifices that are ongoing can not be compared to Christmas.

To be fair you are very blunt with your posts with the attitude ''I am right everytime despite what anyone says.''

So I can see where Valerenga is coming from

[Guest]

To be fair you are very blunt with your posts with the attitude ''I am right everytime despite what anyone says.''

He's not the only one.

[Houdini Logic]

yes an interesting observation .

My feeling about the seeming poppy day growth , is that it is part of a peak and trough mood/Zeitgeist within the country .

I remember my parents / grandparents used to take it very seriously as WW2 was still very much in their minds .And there were lots of marching bands in the streets etc And there was much frowning on anyone who showed the slightest disrespect

Later as I got older , it seemed to fade as the flower power generation seemed give it less relevance and the "White Poppy" became more popular ( do they still get distributed ? )

. Then there seemed a resurgence after the Falklands war for a few years . Then another period of decline, and now with the recent wars another resurgence.

but I do think that there are more mass showings of public grief in the UK now , I think it started with the death of Diana

I was speaking with a friend at work who said that during his time at school (in the 70's I would imagine), it wasn't uncommon for them not to have a silence on Nov 11th. He said at the time his parents/grandparents thought it was disgraceful.

I know we certainly bought poppies and had a silence every year when I was at school (early 90's) so it seems like there was a period of time when rememberance day just didn't happen, or maybe it did but on a much smaller scale.

It would have been interesting to talk about this but people are too oversensitive on this subject - too quick to jump up straight without actually understanding the point - and I can't be bothered with that.

Nevermind.

[Webbo]

I was speaking with a friend at work who said that during his time at school (in the 70's I would imagine), it wasn't uncommon for them not to have a silence on Nov 11th. He said at the time his parents/grandparents thought it was disgraceful.

I know we certainly bought poppies and had a silence every year when I was at school (early 90's) so it seems like there was a period of time when rememberance day just didn't happen, or maybe it did but on a much smaller scale.

It would have been interesting to talk about this but people are too oversensitive on this subject - too quick to jump up straight without actually understanding the point - and I can't be bothered with that.

Nevermind.

I don't remember ever having a minutes silence when I was at school during the 70s but then we weren't involved in any genuine shooting wars (except NI) at the time.

I can't remember when this all started again, probably after the Falklands war. I think The Sun had a campaign to re-introduce it.

[BoneDog]

Saw this the other day on same subject

Mark Steel

[Houdini Logic]

Saw this the other day on same subject

Mark Steel

My god, I thought I was cynical...

[stez]

well, people have died for his right to express his self

[skinnydipper]

I don't have a problem with an extended period for fund raising around remembrance day as it's the one time in the year that their cause is to the fore. They must struggle to compete with the numerous other charities in the remainder of the year.

There are two aspects of charity fund raising that piss me off. The aggressive shove it in your face tin rattling thats prevalent in the High Street . There is one supermarket that has charity muggers (chuggers) constantly at it's entrance.A few years ago I'd have put something in the tin but now I prefer to give a dollop of cash a few times a year to comic relief or as sponsorship to people who are raising money for a particular cause

I particularly dislike those collectors in the greyhound waistcoats who try to get you to sign up to something. A year or so ago I was approached by such a collector.I told her i didn't have time to stop so she told me that i was missing out on free cash. I told her I was still in a rush but that I'd have the free cash anyway. Never did get it.

Perhaps it's a sign of the times that many charities have to be more aggressive

[samlcfc]

I don't have a problem with an extended period for fund raising around remembrance day as it's the one time in the year that their cause is to the fore. They must struggle to compete with the numerous other charities in the remainder of the year.

This is true. They have to extend the period if they are to raise any type of significant money. Plus its not just remembering that day. Its being thankful i think for every day that we live of our own free will and being thankful for those that are serving now aswell.