I just drove through downtown London and noticed the Christmas decorations are all up. It warms the heart to see wreaths and bows on the 9th of November.
I couldn’t help but compare our infatuation with “Christmas” and our remembrance of soldiers and others who have sacrificed. We have decorations up 8 weeks before His birthday so we can deposit His spirit in the bank. Maybe we should commercialize Remembrance Day so it gets a fair shake. Sacrifice is sacrifice. Maybe we should hoist blinking Poppies in September and have Remembrance bargains at Toys ‘R’ Us… but that would be crass.
What is the difference between a 16 year old lad laying down his life for mine on earth and Christ laying His down? There must have been a few relatively sinless soldiers. Maybe freedom has a different place in my heart because it was absent for a time. I’m grateful the twerp with the funny moustache didn’t succeed in telling us what colour our skin and eyes should be or what religion we should follow.
I would consider it a bad day if I had to drag my electric chair up a hill so they could fasten me into it. Wallowing in a trench for months isn’t a holiday either. Knowing for sure you’re going to be nailed to a cross would be stressful but weeks on end with bullets whizzing by your head with the same intention isn’t exactly comforting. What might either be like?
For parts of Canada we are given a statutory holiday in February. Here in Ontario it is “Family Day”. On the 11th day at the 11th hour many are only allowed to stop for one minute. Maybe it’s for the best since many would squander a Remembrance Day holiday. The mall has better parking than the Cenotaph and we would only succeed in dishonouring those who sacrificed.
Maybe 60 seconds is all we can stand. If we actually spent an hour thinking about what has been done for us in either case we would weep. It might be sacrilegious but for me sacrificing your life for someone else on earth means you’re a saviour. Lest I forget it!
Brett Batten 
excellent post–I do not think Christmas decorations should be put up before Remembrance Day–and that should be a rule–but who am I to dictate this–it is just how I feel. You have clearly and concisely made a wonderful case for Remembrance Day–through a little research, I found out that Ontario and Quebec are the only provinces that do not get a day off–though if you notice the government does. I would not want the day wasted at the Mall either–so I am torn about whether it should be a “holiday”. Anyway — this post was thoughtful and thought provoking.
Thank you. I agree about the Christmas decorations, it seems a conflict of loyalties. As I stated in another comment I would be curious to know how many youngsters that were at the Santa Claus Parade were at the cenotaph. One might be less magical but the other is certainly more meaningful.
things really do get too mixed up sometimes–I think we can give Remembrance Day its due, then start the holiday season–even if it is less magical, it is what we should teach them–I agree with you
i dont know if it is coincidence or not, but we too have martyrs day tomorrow on 11/11
I’m curious as to your location and I like the wording of martyrs day.
i live in lebanon, and just to be too much honest, the government of canada considers those martyrs as terrorists…
Don’t take it personally, they also considered George W. Bush a president:)
if you are interested, i posted something about those martyrs yesterday here:
http://dogmaandgeopolitics.wordpress.com/2012/11/14/the-day-of-martyrs-real-martyrs/
it is not my own blog am just a participant
this is my own way of sayying thank you to those martyrs, i know that without their sacrifice i wouldnt be living the happy, free and honerable live i am living now
Thanks for the link Hasan. We observe Remembrance day on the exact time and day peace was made. I am curious to know if there is any significance to your date of remembrance.
as i said, 11/11 was the day that martyr sacrificed his life as the first and largest step on our way to victory and freedom
by the way we have other days where we celebrate the martyrs and remeber them, this day is for those that fall fighting Israel, we have another day for those that were killed by the Ottoman Impire during WW1
Such a good point! Thank you for you service and your sacrifice. I’m not Canadian, but I respect what you did for your country, as our soldiers have for mine.
You are mistaken in assuming I have served in the forces but it’s nice to know it sounds like something a veteran might wish to say.
Well said Brett. And it’s time it was said too. In NZ (and Australia) Remembrance Day receives little recognition. A mention in the news and maybe the dignatries down at the centotaph fro a memorial. Our remembrance comes on ANZAC Day (25 April). Often there seems more publicity over whether or not the shops are shut, but admittedly in recent years there seems to be a little more understanding and respect, even from the young. I think it’s a good thing.
Thanks Cate. I got a little stirred when I saw the Christmas decorations before Remembrance Day had it’s honour. I wonder how many kids were in line for the Santa Claus parade in comparison to the Remembrance Day service. Santa brings presents but others have brought the peace.
Thoughtful. Thanks for sharing. 🙂
Thanks for taking the time to read my post.