The practice of red poppies on Memorial Day originated in 1918 with Moina Michael, who was inspired by Canadian John McCrae's famous poem, "In Flanders Fields" (1915). The tradition spread from the United States to France via Anne Guerin, who poineered the selling of poppies, real or facsimile, as a way to raise money for various causes to benefit veterans and the victims of war. Through her advocacy, the sale of poppies for charitable causes spread to The United Kingdom, Canada, New Zealand and Australia.
White poppies are sometimes worn in this context, and symbolize looking forward to peace, rather than back at sacrifice.
I thought poppies were for Remembrance Day?
ReplyDeleteRemembrance Day is the British name for the same holiday.
ReplyDeleteDecoration Day in a military sense has nothing to do with how we in the then-British Empire remember our war Fallen. It's observed by some churches re their members who passed on in the past year.
ReplyDeleteRemembrance Day is a 1930's change from Armistice Day, meaning November 1l, begun at King George V's request re November 1919, the first commemorative, including the Australian's suggestion of the Great Silence at 11/11/11.
In some Canadian provinces/territories it is a legal holiday. Mme. Guerin introduced French war widow-made replicas to us, originally as a Tag Day item for French war orphan support, gradually engaging an emerging Vets group, and finally blessing us using them for our own old soldiers' and family support.