November 11th

Hello everyone,
How was your weekend? Did you go out for Shichi-Go-San? Did you have other events planned? Do you know what day it was last Saturday - on November 11th?

In Japan, November 11th is known as Pockey day. Lots of students like this day.
But in many countries it is known as Remembrance Day. What does this mean?

It marks the day World War One ended, at 11am on the 11th day of the 11th month, in 1918. But now, the anniversary is used to remember all the people who have died in wars - not just World War One.
A two-minute silence is held at 11am to remember the people who have died in wars.
So November 11th is the day where many of us remember and honor the sacrifices by people in the wars. Around this time, just after Halloween and shortly before the 11th (and shortly after as well), you see many people wearing poppies on their collar or lapel. These have become the symbol for this special day.
Every year, volunteers make poppies available around the world and people make a donation in order to get their poppy. The money raised from these donations is used to help servicemen and women who are still alive, whose lives have been changed by wars that they fought in.
So if you see someone wearing a poppy in November, now you know why.