Am I a party pooper?

[notlyndasnell]

I don't mean to be a party pooper, but I cannot celebrate today, when tens of millions of people died as a result of WWII. I will remember those who died fighting and those who died at home. Those who didn't want war but only wanted to live their lives, go to work, raise their families, enjoy the company of friends - and who had that taken away from them.
As a mother of sons I am thankful - every day!- that we live in peaceful times and they don't have to go and fight some senseless war.
Most of my generation grew up in homes where the memories and trauma of two world wars were present and tangible in lots of ways. There was underlying fear that another war might happen, but also hope that it wouldn't. I learned not to take peace for granted: to be prepared for the worst and grateful for every year that went by without another conflict. And I learned to challenge those in power because we were taught at school what might happen if a nation unquestioningly trusted or followed their leaders instead of holding them to account.
So I won't be baking colourful cupcakes, putting up bunting or joining in the singalongs. I need a day of quiet contemplation and gratitude: for democracy and free speech, for peace and prosperity.
AIBU?

Meh. It’s a distraction mainly, isn’t it.
DD has spent the day glued to the TV watching all the VE stuff on the BBC, she has been really interesting in hearing people’s stories about the war, learning more about it, understanding how it affected people.

It’s quite easy to ignore it if you really want to.

I remembered during the 2 minutes silence at 11am today.
I remember most days of our war dead.
As a military family part tgexoarcel of our life.
We didn't have a tea party because I wasn't organised but I've hung out some bunting and raised a glass to those no lo hard with us.
I recall my grandmother telling me how wonderful VE day was. Rhe huge street party and the fwelongs of relief and elation. She lost her Fiance and her father and her home in WW2.

Its fine to celebrate in amongst remembering. You do your day your way but leftovers do it there way. Its good We are free to choose.

I did bake a nostalgic pineapple upside down cake though.

But with blueberries cos didn't have/couldn't get glance cherries. They wouldn't have had blueberries back then.

It's my eldest childs birthday today, my neighbours are celebrating but I'm not joining in. Call me a misery arse if you like but I just want to be with my DD today and I can't, I don't even know when I'll be able to see her again, neighbours can fuck off with their We'll meet again.

*glace

I live next to a military cemetery. My upstairs landing window looks on to it. I stood by the window at 11am and observed my 2mins silence and said thank you and that was enough for me.

In our cul de sac we have one empty house as both occupants are dead, wife from Covid and husband from a broken heart; we also have another more elderly neighbour in hospital with Covid. I don’t think any of us really felt like having a party today.

Not much to celebrate in my house as I live with partner who has cancer and is shielded as going through chemo. Unlikely to move beyond the sofa today,and 87 ye old mil who is in permanent state of internal reverie. Me and dog against the world!

Lots of interesting posts, thank you! I don't want to ignore VE Day, I know only too well what it is about and agree wholeheartedly that it must be remembered. And I'm not grumpy or miserable about the celebrations - just don't want to be peer pressured into joining in. I grew up on the continent, which may explain why I prefer a different style of remembering.

To those of you enjoying a bit of a drink etc I can only say good luck to you and have fun! And I mean it!!! Life is rubbish for loads of people right now and if this gives you a bit of a break - enjoy

Me and Dog walked through local cemetery this morning and I gave quiet acknowledgement to the ww1 grave markers. Dog rolled in fox excrement.

We've left Europe
Er - no we haven't, Europe is a continent. All we have done is leave the EU.

By the way, has anyone else noticed what is going on in Berlin today? They are celebrating the 75th anniversary of the victory over fascism.

We aren’t allowed in our local cemetery.

FGS, VE Day is celebrating peace, not war. I don’t know why some people have so much trouble understanding this.

Maybe they don’t want to, because it suits their agenda to think of it as jingoistic triumphalism (add whatever currently popular ‘ashamed to be British’ words you like.)
We haven’t done any celebrating here, but I’d have no problem if any of the neighbours had wanted to. My dd has, along with much of her street, and little Gdcs have enjoyed making bunting, etc.

Er - no we haven't, Europe is a continent. All we have done is leave the EU.
I was just about to say that.

The better way to spend today is to ask hard questions about the present. Stopping the march of the Alt-Right (and affiliated far-Right networks) before they tear our world apart again is time better spent.
I fundamentally disagree with this. We cannot just go and ban that. It wouldn't work the way people think. What is an appropriate and much better defence against these issues is education.
Hate is a response to fear. People fear what they don't know. Teach people. That's the only way to change it all. Not by suppressing.

My parents were in the huge crowds outside Buckingham Palace on VE Day. They said that the relief that it was all over was overwhelming. That's why they celebrated then, and would have celebrated again today, had they still been with us.

Oooo the current regime really isn't fascism.
Try north Korea for that particular party😳

You're entitled to not want to join in.
However, me personally, I can't see what's so wrong with celebrating the END of the war?!
(The end for Europe, before anyone jumps on me)
Your loved ones if you're lucky, coming home, no more war where you are after years of it - it'd have been a day of celebration, of happiness.
It's also important that future generations learn about it, I think so anyway.
Oh,k and the reason there's "such a big deal" made this year is because it's a significant anniversary.
The 50th one had lots of parties too.
There;s been street parties going on near me (each family sat in their own front garden, nowhere near each other, doing their own thing with their own party food)
Looked lovely.

I'm just getting very anxious about the 9pm Vera L. singalong....
I can already tell a lot of my neighbours have started on the sauce , by 9 o'clock there could well be a serious assault on the ears
😁

Where do you all live😱 It's silent in here

We've left Europe
So what continent are we on then?

Isn't today celebrating the end of war???

We cannot just go and ban that.

Where did you get ”ban” from? The post said “stopping the march”, which could just as well, and more effectively, mean education, hard questions, media standards and sunlight, sunlight, sunlight, exactly as you suggest.

On the main topic, the 50th VE Day celebrations were a biggish deal with dressing up, street parties etc, but without the Facebook/Intsa-ready pressure it wasn’t as pervasive. I also think it was more about the war and less about British stereotypes like scones and tea.

This time round I’ve found the emphasis on Brit stuff somewhat distasteful, as it’s same dog whistle Boris has spent his political career blowing to rally partisan support without having to actual commit to anything specific. If it wasn’t for his illness he’d have been insufferable this week.

So what continent are we on then?

We make our own continent now! With cheddar and proper queueing!

Round here those who have flags out have typically chosen the EU flag as their symbol of peace and unity in Europe.

Where did you get ”ban” from? The post said “stopping the march”, which could just as well, and more effectively, mean education, hard questions, media standards and sunlight, sunlight, sunlight, exactly as you suggest.

You are right. I have re-read it and my bad. In my defence my reading comprehension are of brain might be bit compromised by last night's cocktails