When is Remembrance Day 2024 and when do you start wearing a poppy?

It is almost time to don your poppies. Each year, on Remembrance Day, a long list of countries take the opportunity to honour the soldiers who died in the line of duty during the First World War.

It is also a day to remember the sacrifice and service of the people who defended our freedoms over the decades.

From people wearing poppies to moments of silence in memorial, there are lots of things that are associated with the special occasion. 

With days left until we celebrate Remembrance Day, here is a look at when it is, when Brits usually start wearing their poppies and what they symbolise.

Every year, the country takes the opportunity to show its gratitude and respect for the people who died in wars around the world on Remembrance Sunday. 

The day coincides with the actual day World War I ended, which was at 11am on November 11, 1918. 

So, because of that, this year, Remembrance Day will be celebrated on Monday, November 11, with Remembrance Sunday the day before, on November 10.

Many people will start wearing their poppies from October 31, as this will be 11 days before Remembrance Day. 

However, some will wait until the end of Halloween and Bonfire Night festivities before they start wearing it. 

Buying a poppy is easy, with countless shops selling them. However, if you would like to buy the Royal British Legion (RBL) poppy, the money will go towards the charity, which helps thousands of people every year.

There’s a lot of debate about which side you’re meant to pin your poppy badge to.

A lot of people argue that a poppy should be worn on your left side, close to your heart. This is also the side where people who serve in the armed forces wear their medals.

However, according to the Royal British Legion, there’s no “correct way” to wear a poppy if you don’t serve in the military.

They explain on the website that “it’s a matter of personal choice whether someone chooses to wear a poppy and how they choose to wear it. We simply ask that if you do wear a poppy, you wear it with pride.”

The poppies are a nod to World War One. During the war, the farms and fields across France and Belgium were devastated by the impact of battles, with no plants growing on them. 

In 1915, Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae wrote about poppies in his famous poem, In Flanders Fields.

When the war finally ended and the land started recovering, one of the first plants to reappear was red poppies.

Because of this, red poppies became synonymous with the war, and the sacrifice made by brave soldiers.

The RBL explains that the American War Secretary, Moina Michael, then bought poppies to raise money for those in need following the war.

This symbolic badge was later adopted by the RBL in 1921, who launched their first Poppy Appeal that year.