why do you wear a poppy?

My great grandfather’s name is on the Thiepval memorial. He left a widow with 6 children, my grandma was 4 when her father was killed. That’s why I wear a poppy.

Wow! That's me told. Quite a generalisation too.

Personally I think wear one or don't wear one. We have the freedom of choice.

Having close contact with miliary who have helped in the Ukraine I'm not sure we should condemn all modern soldiers to the fiery pit!

Ok so you have been in the UK for some years now but don’t understand the poppy? Hmmm… there is literally media on this issue and what the poppy means every single year.

I call BS

Google will easily answer this.

The only thing that comes along with poppy season, as regular as clockwork, are goady threads about poppies.

Proud Canadian visiting London and yes wearing a poppy.
In memory of family who served in WW1 and WW2 along with ongoing efforts at peacekeeping.

I don't wear one / but only because I don't remember to change it from jacket to jacket etc, I buy one each year to support veterans.

I donated this morning and got an enamel badge - it has the year 2025 on it so it is (quite rightly) only for one year.
Im grateful for all the sacrifices of our service people and will continue to donate and support the cause forever

Not sure if this poem has been shared yet but for me it is why poppies will always be associated with WW1 and Remembrance Sunday: www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/47380/in-flanders-fields

I live in a city with a large military base. There is a Remembrance Day Service held here every year . . . . it is extremely well attended by people of all ages. My father served in the army during the second world war and my brother in the wars in Iraq & Afghanistan. I wear a poppy & attend the Remembrance Day Service to remember friends of my father & brother who didn't return home and to show gratefulness for the sacrifices of so many, many service personnel.

Can I suggest that you watch the Festival of Remembrance on BBC1 on Saturday evening & the Service of Remembrance from the Cenotaph on Sunday morning? The individual stories of courage & loss which are told at these events are poignant & heartbreaking and a reminder to us all of why we should always remember the sacrifices made for us to live in peace

If you or one of your relatives died fighting for their country against nazism wouldn’t you want people to remember that sacrifice? That’s what the poppy is. I never understand this increasing antagonism and watering down of it. Unless you’re a nazi or a fan of Hitler’s work, everyone should be remembering.

Of the sales of red poppies, a small percentage goes to veterans of war and the vast majority of the money goes directly to the British legion / armed forces.
This supports future war.
all the information is available to read on their site.

I don't wear a poppy any more. as I think it's become very performative. Most people now wear the same enamel.poppy year after year, so it doesn't support veterans financially.

I do support veterans in other ways, but I don't feel the need to show it.

I also feel that as the last few veterans from WW1 and 2 are now rapidly dwindling, it doesn't hold the same meaning.

I really don't like the way society has made wearing a poppy a value statement. No-one should be forced to wear it.

OP, how long have you been living in the UK? Are you based in England, Wales, Scotland or N.I.? I’m struggling to believe you are posting in good faith but maybe you could give a bit more context

I beg to differ. You are being goady. I don’t wear a poppy but put plenty in poppy appeal box. People who wear a poppy are honouring the people who made a great sacrifice.

OP, there is no similarity at all between what the poppy means to people in the UK and the class based experience you describe in Russia. There have already been plenty of wonderful responses on here which explain why people in the UK wear the poppy. It means a great deal to many of us to honour and remember the sacrifices of others. It’s important to listen to those voices and not impose your ideas from Russia. There is no class connection in England. However you may find more poppies are worn by the older generation in general.

For remembrance of those who gave their lives.

I despise the hectoring people get if they choose not to wear one or wear a white one or whatever.

I think it's social contagion. Hardly anyone wears one round me, but there's poppies and displays all over the place.

I personally choose to remember privately without funding the present day RBL.

If it was only about remembering the people from the great wars then maybe but it be a cold day in hell before I give money to or support any charity of movement ‘honouring’ the British paratroopers who murdered civilians in Northern Ireland and got away with it.

@oiolehnvn i am not British either. But lived in Britain (until recently) for almost 20 years. I wear a poppy to remember those who have lost their lives for us to be able to enjoy the liberties in the UK. The UK might not be perfect but there is a lot to celebrate and be grateful for. It’s not about romanticising war - but the bravery of those who fight it when they have no control over when and why they go to war. I would also add that despite everything crazy going on in the US one thing they do well is celebrating their troops. We should learn to do that as well.

The poppy and Remembrance have never been about celebrating or glorifying war.

The falsehood that suggests otherwise has allowed all sorts of muddle-headed and unrelated causes to attempt to hijack Remembrance to further their own dubious agendas.

Remembrance is inclusive of everyone. And it has nothing to do with national jingoism or war.

We will remember them.

To remember all those who have died in conflict. We also go to our local remembrance day service. My ds is 20 and has gone every year since he was born. It's very important to me and to him. We have relatives who died during WW2.
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