Remembrance Sunday: Wearing a Poppy

The RED POPPY is primarily worn in remembrance of the nations war dead and it is well established as the recognised emblem. In the UK, where this tradition is found most, millions of poppies were sold last year and the appeal raised a massive £30m for the charity arm of the Royal British Legion. 

Around late October into November, thousands upon thousands of people in the UK wear a red poppy. But despite this massive support for our war dead from the two great wars, is there a certain etiquette when it actually comes to wearing one?

In this article we will briefly cover the tradition and the way this iconic emblem should be displayed.

Should you wear a poppy?

As already stated the poppy commemorates those who have died in war. Usually it covers the two world wars, but they are also worn to cover other conflicts too. The American teacher Moina Bell Michael started the tradition, who sold silk poppies to friends in a way to raise money for the ex-service community.

The poppy was proclaimed the national emblem of remembrance in the US, and in the UK, in 1920. The first official poppy day was in 1921.

In 2008, Britons bought 26m poppies. Still there are many who choose not to wear one. An example that was made public was when Channel 4 newsreader Jon Snow famously refused to wear one whilst on air. He reportedly said that he does not want to bow down to “poppy fascism.

What colour should the poppy be?

Well red is obviously the most popular, but the lesser-seen white poppy dates from 1933. This came about when the Women’s Co-operative Guild wanted a lasting symbol for peace and an end to all wars. Strangely the Royal British Legion flatly refused to be associated with their manufacture. This is when the Co-operative Wholesale Society took on their production.

Still this colour caused controversy and the white poppy was not meant to offend the memory of those who died in the Great War. Still many veterans felt white poppies undermined their contribution and the lasting meaning of the red poppy. Women lost their jobs back in the 1930’s for wearing white poppies as feelings ran high. Still the critics argue the red poppy already encompasses the sentiments of white one. The reason they say diverts funds for the Royal British Legion.