‘Already on’: Leeds folk reveal when they will start wearing Remembrance Day poppies in 2026
We asked our readers when they put on their poppies!
Remembrance Day is just around the corner and you might have started seeing the familiar sight of poppies starting to appear once again.
The nights have started to draw in and you might be trying to hastily assemble a Halloween costume before going trick or treating this week, but it is almost time to remember our fallen soldiers.
Before you know it, it will be Remembrance Sunday and poppies will be everywhere. However, when exactly you decide to pin your poppy on might be different for each of us.
We decided to ask the Yorkshire Evening Post’s readers on Facebook when they will be starting to wear their poppies. Here is how people responded:
When will people wear poppies in Leeds?
Our question to readers on Facebook sparked plenty of responses - with many people revealing that they have already started wearing a poppy.
Barbara Williams wrote: “I have a poppy on my coat all year long.” Aadam Ward echoed: “I have big one on me car all year round.”
Jan Warden replied: “Got one on my bag all year. And on my coat from Friday.” Ryan Howley added: “Been wearing one since last Friday.”
Tina Patience said: “I wear metal poppy pin badges ALL YEAR ROUND.
A lady I met while walking my dog just bought me a purple one for the animals too.”
Tracey Ashcroft replied: “Already wearing mine.” Rachel Chester concurred: “I'm already wearing my poppy, I wear it to show my respect for all our fallen soldiers.”
When is Remembrance Day in 2026?
The official Remembrance Day falls on exactly the same date each year - November 11. For 2026, this happens to take place on a Wednesday.
However, Remembrance Sunday - the day when remembrance events take place and wreaths are laid to cenotaphs and memorials around the country will fall earlier this year. It is set to take place on Sunday, November 8, in 2026.
When is the two-minute silence for Remembrance Day?
Part of the tradition of Remembrance Day is for people across the country to fall silent for two minutes. It takes place at 11am on November 11, marking the moment the armistice that brought an end to World War 1 began.
How to wear your poppy?
On its website, the Royal British Legion explains: “There is no right or wrong way to wear your poppy and choosing how to wear one is a matter of personal choice. Most commonly, people choose to pin their poppy to the right or left of their chest.
“However you choose to wear your poppy, it is incredibly meaningful for those who serve and their families.”
Why do we wear poppies?
If you have ever wondered why the humble poppy became the symbol of remembrance, it is linked to the poem In Flanders Field.
The Royal British Legion explains: “Poppy seeds, brought to the surface by the violent churning of the earth, began to sprout in the light. Soon, millions of bright poppies covered the ruined landscape.
“The sight was witnessed by the troops. They picked them as keepsakes or enclosed in letters sent home.”
Canadian doctor Lieutenant Colonel John McRae immortalised the sight in his famous poem In Flanders Field, published in 1915.
The charity adds: “The red poppy is the symbol of Remembrance. It remembers the sacrifices of those who have served their nation. It shows support for today’s Armed Forces community. It represents hope for a peaceful future.
“For more than a century it has been worn, collected in wreaths, its petals dropped, and represented in countless ways as a mark of respect and Remembrance. To wear one is a personal choice and is greatly appreciated by the Royal British Legion.
“What the poppy represents helps to bring society together to recognise, remember and support the Armed Forces community.”