To be saddened by 'glamour and bling' poppies?

[LayMizzRarb]

Do people actually not understand what they represent? Am I alone in thinking that the poppy is a symbol of respect and remembrance for the hundreds of thousands of people who die in wars, and not as a fashion accessory ?
It's all very well the manufacturers saying they will give an amount of money per diamanté poppy sold to charity, but at the end of the day, they are still making a profit.

Don't give me the humpy faces. I spent 13 years working with WW1 veterans so I'm aware of the issues. The point is, that the important bit is that people remember, very closely followed by the money raised. It doesn't matter how you get that message across.

I don't mind them at all. But I can see why you aren't keen. And can see the arguments as to why at one time everyone wore a humble poppy but now these blingey ones come along and my poppy costs more than yours and looks nicer. Hmm not sure on this one.

I have a reusable crocheted one made by a British Legion affiliated Christian group, using donated wool, and also donate to the Poppy Appeal every year. I don't like wearing the paper ones because I feel guilty and disrespectful when I crumple/drop/break them, and socially irresponsible when I send them off to landfill on 11/12.

I'm not sure what I think about what the various "bling" varieties represent, but I really dislike the fact that some sellers mislead customers in order to profit from the appeal (sometimes even without donating at all). I was also very uncomfortable a few years ago about seeing several paper poppies plaited into headbands, anklets, rings etc for a popular TV talent show - "customising" them in that way seemed far more disrespectful to me than buying the RBL approved alternatives to the paper poppy, sort of like school children rebelling by wearing their ties around their heads... That might well be me being unreasonable, however.

It doesn't matter how you get that message across

Oh yes it does

I like the simplicity of the original Poppy. It is a design classic and needs no improving.

Posted too soon. When you see a field of Poppies or grow them (I love them) you realise that the fragility of the Poppy petals are so beautifully captured in that flimsy little paper version. The Poppy is such a beautiful flower precisely because it is not showy.

Sorry MrsDV, dinner called!

You get a veterans badge on retirement when you have completed 22 years service. It tends to turn up a couple of days before your first pension payment! As much as DH doesn't really 'do' the Army any more (doesn't go to reunions or anything) he does wear his badge (and strangely, won't let me hand in his old ID card)

It is weird isn't it? I'm sure many people feel pleased it raises more money yet uneasy with it too.

The simple poppy seemed to so well symbolise the terrible suffering of that generation- and the resilience too. I don't feel the bling poppy does that in the same way.

I have a blinged up poppy that I wear when appropriate.

It looks better and lasts. I still buy a paper one,.donate and wear alongside the sparkly one .

I would like to think we still remember the loss suffered regardless of the style of the poppy.

I can wear a "blinged" poppy and reflect on what Armistice day means.

My children wear the wristbands and they will wear their enamel pin. I will still put a fiver in the tin outside Tesco's.

It's impossible to get the modern day poppies to stay on, (since they have the green plastic stalks rather than the old pins) if you don't have a lapel with a buttonhole to put it in.

So last year I bought a felt one at a craft fair that has a proper safety pin at the back. I still donated to the poppy fund and I will do so this year, but it's far more practical for me when wearing a dress at work. Also impossible for my pupils to wear the ordinary ones as we don't have a blazer/shirt uniform, which is a shame.

Love the smaller enamel ones on the website (now I know they exist) but still feel a bit uneasy about the massive ones on Strictly - everybody's personal barometer on this is probably set a little bit differently.

fragility of the paper ones=fragility of life.

There's a kind of poetry in that (Romantic Fool that I am).

At first I looked at earrings and friendship braclets on the website and thought why?

But then I saw the charm bead and it struck me, The Great war was not the war to end all Wars. The RBL is still needed because soldiers are still being injured and killed.

A bereaved family member or friend might well buy a piece of poppy jewellery as a permanent reminder of a loved one and appreciate something they could wear outside November.

You don't wear poppies before 1 November or after the 11th

My daughter bought a poppy from a lovely veteran on the RBL stall in the supermarket last year. It was covered in stick on red 'gems'. He said that she should remember that people gave, but also that they live too. He didn't seem remotely offended by the poppy, he was sat sticking the gems on himself.

I have a tiny enamel badge, about the size of a 5p piece that I wear in November, that I bought from the RBL, because the paper ones do fall off, but I put money in the collecting box every morning at Charing Cross Station, there is a stall there for 10 days in November manned by soldiers.

As regards deely boppers and diamanté; a lad I was at school with was killed on his 21st birthday in the Falklands war. In his letter that he left for his family with the army he said he wanted people to celebrate his life and wear bright colours at his funeral.

This we did, although it felt quite strange, somehow irreverent. When I think of him now, especially as I have got older it is with a really deep respect, as I can truly appreciate the sacrifices he made.

Wearing novelty headwear to say to the world He, and the thousands before him have my respect ; to me trivialises it. It seems a frivolous gesture for someone sacrificing their life.

If I had £50 I would much rather 10p covered the cost of my poppy, and £49.90 went to a forces veteran or their family where it would do a world of good.

I have a sparkly one I wear all year round as we should always remember.

I donate in November to the appeal.

Very proud Navy OH :)

I hope our RSL is selling bling ones, I'll definitely buy one. I don't think that choosing a particular design over another is the problem, as long as money is going where it is needed and people remember why they are wearing them.

That will be interesting, to hear if the RSL sell them. I still find it pretty awesome that the RSL clubs have a minutes silence each evening in rememberance . (I hope they still do)

Most of the big ones don't anymore, but that's because they are now B-I-G business with the restaurants and pokie machines. I haven't seen any of the big ones do it for a long time, unless part of an official function.

I imagine the smaller local community ones still do. The one on Norfolk Island still does, every night without fail. I think it's fantastic.

I don't see the problem myself. If bought from a reputable company proceeds go to charity and that's a good thing isn't it?