Over the past few years, on Nov. 1 my social media becomes flooded with the same thing: posts asking people not to put up Christmas decorations until after Remembrance Day.
In the spirit of full disclosure, my husband currently serves in the Canadian Forces. I am a proud military wife, I attend Remembrance Day services and we do not put up any Christmas decorations until December.
However, the decorating aspect doesn’t have much to do with Remembrance Day. I do the decorating and as a full-time student usually don’t have time until after exams.
Before we were posted to base Gagetown, I knew very few serving members or veterans and even less about the Canadian Forces. Early on in my time here I started hearing comments, usually from long-serving military wives, not to start decorating for Christmas until after the 11th. As a proud, young military wife who wanted to make friends in an unfamiliar place, I never questioned it.
Kassandra Vale is a military wife with a long list of veterans in her family. She served in the Canadian Forces as a reservist for a few years.
Vale’s experience, my own as well, shows these social media posts are perpetuated by people with some military affiliation, but not members themselves. Friends or extended family of serving members are the most adamant on this subject. Maybe because serving members are advised to maintain a sense of impartiality and avoid these debates.
Vale doesn’t encourage people to decorate on Nov. 1, but she’s fairly adamant they should decorate whenever they like.
“One has nothing to do with the other,” said Vale. “Soldiers fought for our rights to choose how we will act within societal laws, so if I want to hang up Christmas decorations in September, well that’s my right to do so and soldiers made it that way.”
Adrien Guindon comes from a long line of veterans and serving members of the Canadian military. He served for three years himself but voluntarily released just over a year ago. He wishes people would restrain themselves from decorating until at least Nov. 12.
“It’s terribly disrespectful to see people just jumping on the Christmas bandwagon,” said Guindon. What bothers him the most is that it feels like it’s a product of consumerism and not people truly getting into the Christmas spirit.
Hartlen-Gillan describes herself as pretty moderate on most things. She’s a military wife and her mother and step-father have both served as well.
She said she might not put up decorations before Remembrance Day because she is so entrenched within the community. But it was never an issue because growing up, her family didn’t decorate before December anyways. She feels this request is something new and sparked by social media.
“I’ve seen people in the military community even being on both sides of the debate,” said Hartlen-Gillan. “I think it comes down to your own personal beliefs and you and your family decide is best.”
With or without decorations, they all put forth their own requests for people to remember serving members, veterans and their families this time of year.
“It almost feels like people are starting to forget and starting to take for granted the freedom that we have,” said Guindon.
He tells people to “go nuts” with Christmas decorations after Nov. 11 but to use the beginning of the month to brush up on their history and learn about the military.
Hartlen-Gillan said it’s as simple as taking a personal moment at 11 a.m. on Remembrance Day and observing a minute or two of silent reflection.
“It’s not always about the loss for me,” said Hartlen-Gillan. “It’s just thinking about the sacrifices that these people are making.”
Vale would like to see people simply acknowledging veterans this time of year.
“When you’re at the store and you see the veterans there selling their poppies, don’t overt eye contact and avoid them like the plague,” said Vale. “Make eye contact, say ‘hello’, say ‘thank you’. Even if you say nothing, just smile.”
