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Post by Deleted on Nov 11, 2009 11:48:29 GMT
Today is Veteran's Day in the U.S. and Remembrance Day in Canada.
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Post by bjd on Nov 11, 2009 12:41:29 GMT
I don't know that there is a specific name for it in France, but it is a holiday here today, even though some stores are open.
It's also my sister's birthday and I used to be jealous when we were kids because she used to get a day off school. I understand that it's not really a holiday in Canada any more though, except for civil servants.
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Post by lagatta on Nov 11, 2009 14:16:18 GMT
It is L'Armistice in France - In Canada, Remembrance Day/Jour du Souvenir, though French-speakers also say l'Armistice. Whether it is a public holiday in Canada depends on the province: not in Ontario and Québec, which have the largest populations.
Casimira, I don't really understand why you started a separate thread - because Spindrift's centred on the fact that the UK celebration is on the previous Sunday?
As I understand it, in the US this is to remember living veterans as opposed to Memorial Day which remembers those killed in wars? How about veterans who served but who are dead now, either from old age or unrelated disease or accident, or from the sequelae of wartime injury? Does Memorial Day refer to something specific, such as the Civil War?
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Post by Deleted on Nov 11, 2009 15:11:05 GMT
In France we have Armistice Day for WW1 and Victory Day for WW2. Whenever there is talk of getting rid of one of the holidays, the choice is always to get rid of Victory Day. In fact, it was abandoned for a couple of years, and then President Mitterrand put it back.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 11, 2009 17:16:13 GMT
Lagatta, I don't know. I just looked at the calendar and saw it was Veteran's Day here. Wasn't even thinking about the UK commemoration. Maybe they could be merged? Sorry.  |
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Post by cristina on Nov 11, 2009 18:20:33 GMT
As I understand it, in the US this is to remember living veterans as opposed to Memorial Day which remembers those killed in wars? How about veterans who served but who are dead now, either from old age or unrelated disease or accident, or from the sequelae of wartime injury? Does Memorial Day refer to something specific, such as the Civil War? Lagatta, In the US, Veteran's Day is meant to honor all veterans, both living and dead (regardless of how or when they died) while Memorial Day specifically remembers those who died while fighting. For about 5 or 6 years, in the early 70's, Veteran's Day was observed on the closest Monday, to provide a 3 day weekend. It wasn't too popular though as the majority of the population felt it was more important to retain the historical significance of the original holiday - Armistice Day. So in 1978, it went back being celebrated on November 11th. |
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Post by lagatta on Nov 11, 2009 22:25:55 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Nov 11, 2009 23:56:53 GMT
Which would explain why Memorial Day is barely observed here in the South and was a very big deal growing up in the North. |
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