To be sad we've done nothing.

[Needtosleep4days]

I can hear everyone outside having fun. Everyone's in their front gardens laughing and talking. I've got a headache and feel sick. So I'm in bed. I've had to shut the window to drown out the noise.

All my friends have had afternoon tea, BBQs and fun today. I figured we are locked down and it's just another day.

Now I feel bad ive not done anything. My kids are only 2 and 5 so war is too much for them to understand anyway. But I feel I've missed the point of today judging by everyone else.

I have shared a picture of my wonderful Grandad on Facebook who fort in berma. Very proud to be his Grandchild.

I can't believe I didn't realise how big today was going to be.

We haven't done anything. My OH is quite uncomfortable with the nationalism, to be honest.

I didn't do anything. I'm not impressed by the current need to make an occasion out of everything. Preferably a social media documented occasion.

I PUT A POOPY OUT!!!!

this is the celebration we all didn't know we needed on this truly momentous day

Take a bow @Samtsirch

I'm glad others have had a quiet day. I was hoping to see the red arrows today but they just missed us. Lincolnshire I live in so they are based near us. I think it would have been nice if they had flown over more parts of the country.

My neighbours are still shouting across the street and laughing. I wonder when they will go in lol!!! Thanks for chatting to me!

I like the idea of August 14th!!!

My dad is 93. He joined the army on Boys Service at 15 in 1942 and stayed in the army for 10 years after WW2. He was the youngest of 11 and all his brothers, bar 1 who would these days be deemed SEN, saw active service - Dunkirk, D-Day, atlantic convoys etc. His sisters were in the land army or munitions factories. My mum was a child in London during the blitz. They didn't party today but preferred to have a quiet moment remembering the sacrifices of people from many nations.

It does seem life is one staged picture now for social media!

I've seen filters on people's scones lol. Even scones are not pretty enough

@countrygirl99 what a bunch of hero's in your family that's exactly what today is about. Bless them all and I hope they have enjoyed the quiet I dare say many are thinking of the hero's today

OP, you don’t need a lot of public virtue signalling in order to remember VE Day. You were privately grateful for your grandfather - that’s enough.
I didn’t do anything today to commemorate it either. My parents were in the RAF and WAAF during the war - dad was a rear gunner on bomber missions and also worked on air sea rescue. FIL fought at the horror of Monte Cassino, saw many of his men blown up in front of him.
MIL spent 4 years in a Japanese concentration camp in what was then the Dutch East Indies. They all did their bit and the whole country owes a debt of gratitude to their generation. But we can acknowledge that debt in the privacy of our hearts and prayers, without needing to parade it.

I'm not doing anything because I find the whole thing very jingoistic.

Needtosleep Dont feel bad, Have a quiet moment to yourself, that is all that is needed. I had a walk on the beach on my own this morning and thought of my poor Dad growing up without his Dad who died in the war.

@Babdoc

Wow they sounded so brave. Thanks for sharing their story. You are absolutely right. As long as we remember them

@lowlandLucky

You just can't imagine it can you. So sad for so many. My Grandad died from cancer in the end. He never got the long life he deserved after all he did for us.

We haven’t done anything either op. Facebook has been making me feel a bit inadequate today!

I dknt want to go.out there most of my neighbours are not following social distancing and most of them have multiple member that dont live there with them. Breeding groung

We haven’t done anything, we spoke about the war (in terms my 5&6 year old could understand)
You can quietly remember and respect something without posting about it on Facebook/having a party. Don’t beat yourself up at all.

We had a picnic with our immediate neighbours across the gardens. All socially distant but we could chat. If you didn’t do anything, that’s perfectly ok and you shouldn’t feel you’ve missed out or we’re wrong. I’m old enough to remember the 50th VE Day.

I told my children about the day and what it meant at the time, but we choose to mark the occasion that sometimes terrible things happen in the world, but it is important to work together (across national boundaries) to stand up against, and defeat fascism. There is a relevance we can learn from, and I think it should be remembered. Ordinary people needed help, and ordinary people went to their aid. In horrible times on earth there will always be helpers. This is the message I give to my kids, not one of victory over nations but battles against ideas and triumph against adversity.

@NewtonPulsifer, but did you put a poopy out

You should feel youve done the right thing for your children, 2 and 5 year olds dont need to add knowing about WW2 right now. Youve kept them home safe and their routine and not focused on an extremely traumatic time, so all good! Theres time for all that later on dont worry.

@livefornaps I will do tomorrow when the pork pie has worked it’s way through

Don’t feel bad. We did a little but no big party or anything. Just celebrate next year. ☺️

@NewtonPulsifer I salute and commend you

I've not done anything either. Husband has been in the shed playing darts online with his friends (he didn't want to celebrate VE day). I've been watching Game of Thrones online with older daughter. We took the dog out for a walk and chatted with a few people sat in their front gardens. Both my parents were in WWII, My dad was a desert rat and my mum was a WAIF on an airbase in Lincolnshire. I've thought about both of them throughout the day as it was meaningful to me. I didn't want to sit out in the blazing sun having a picnic feeling a bit odd.

Op I've be nothing different either. I've been at work (NHS) and in fact we did go and stand outside in the sun for the silence - and unthought to myself how lucky we are that we can do that.

I drive home through a mass of driveway street parties - mostly socially distancing so fair enough, but even if I'd been at home I'd not have wanted to do that especially.

How lovely that you have a pic of your grandad to share. My parents were too young to be in the war and I never knew my gps, so you have done something more than me there.

Let's all raise a glass tonight to those who gave so much for our future.

I went to my friends small BBQ AND drinks, just six people in all.
M y friends partner who is about 6o, is very much into the history of the first world war, and the WW2, He had put old flags up in the garden, and other items that he has collected, as in a few old army uniforms and tin hats, a bit like Dad's Army it was.

I was the oldest there, I am 78., and was telling them all, that I well remember the street party we had,in 1945, when I was about 3 years old. So it depends what age you are really, to know the significance of the VE day anniversary.

You’re very Brave, 78!