THE TRADITIONS LIBRARY
Wearing a Remembrance Poppy
In the weeks leading up to Remembrance Day, November 11th, red poppies appear on coats, sweaters, and uniforms across Canada. Wearing one is a quiet, public act of remembrance, connecting an individual gesture with a much larger community.
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The Traditions Library
0064
CATEGORY
Remembrance
FREQUENCY
Annually
AGES
All Ages
COST
Free
The Story Behind It
The remembrance poppy is closely connected to Canadian physician and soldier John McCrae’s poem “In Flanders Fields.” In 1921, Anna Guérin brought her poppy fundraising proposal to Canada, where the Great War Veterans Association adopted it.
Today, the Royal Canadian Legion distributes poppies through its annual campaign. Donations support Veterans and their families, giving the symbol a practical purpose alongside its commemorative meaning.
What You'll Need
A remembrance poppy, with an optional donation to the Poppy Fund.
Make It Your Own
When putting on your poppy, take a moment to remember a particular person or learn whose service your community commemorates. With children, explain the flower’s meaning in simple terms so wearing it becomes an act of understanding as well as recognition.
There is a saying that if a Veteran pins your poppy on for you, it will never fall off. Whether or not it stays in place, that small interaction can become a meaningful memory of the person who helped you wear it.
How It’s Done
Obtain a poppy from a Legion volunteer or participating location. Poppies are distributed freely, and donations are welcome.
Wear it on the left side, close to the heart, during the remembrance period. After the ceremony, some people leave their poppy at the memorial as a final tribute, following the organizers’ directions. Others continue wearing it through the evening of November 11, then put it away carefully for another occasion. A poppy may be kept and reused; it does not need to be thrown away. If it is damaged, dispose of it respectfully.
Poppies may also be worn at other commemorative events throughout the year, including Veterans’ funerals and memorial services.