draliman on life

Here is my post for Cee’s Share Your World. This is a special holiday edition as in America last Monday there was a holiday called “Memorial Day” in tribute to the men and women who have died serving in the armed forces.

We in the UK also had a holiday on that day, however it was late Spring bank holiday.

Every country in the world has lost men and women in some kind of Armed Forces. When does your country celebrate or mourn their deaths?
In the UK this day falls on the nearest Sunday to November 11th. This is also true of the British Commonwealth, which is apparently now called the “Commonwealth of Nations” (who knew it had changed its name?).

Also, on 11th November at 11am, the nation observes two minutes of silence (this includes media). At work, everyone who isn’t already on the phone switches to “do not disturb” and we use the silence on the radio to time it. The timing is due to the signing of the armistice at the end of the First World War (the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month).

It is common for people to buy and wear little paper poppies, which I imagine are symbolic of the poppy fields of France (poppies grew over some of the biggest battlefields).

What is your favourite holiday or holidays?
Crizzmuzz! I don’t like the three month build-up – I’m fed up with it by the end of November – but I like the growing excitement, the day spent with my parents, wrapping presents and watching the traditional Christmas film “Die Hard” the night before.

My Christmas jumper, modelled by me!

My high quality 100 foot Christmas tree flown in specially from Norway

How do you celebrate that holiday?
I’ve pretty much covered this in the previous question. I should learn to read ahead!