Unlike the whimsical flowers, Forget Me Not Day, on November 10 is a day to ensure that we really won’t forget. The holiday pays tribute to returning soldiers who have lost blood and limbs — things that truly can’t be forgotten — in the line of battle. Forget Me Not Day has been around since World War I, although it’s often lost in the hustle and bustle of preparing for Thanksgiving. 

HISTORY OF FORGET ME NOT DAY

Forget-me-nots are the tiny blue meadow flowers that are incredibly symbolic. From the loss of loved ones to simply missing a childhood friend, the flowers have become synonymous with feelings of missing and longing. In New Zealand, Forget Me Not Day is dedicated to those afflicted with, or who have lost loved ones due to the cognitive degenerative Alzheimer’s disease. And while there are some versions of Forget Me Not Day that celebrate this sort of loss or reconnecting with long-lost loved ones, this Forget Me Not day, we focus on something different, but also important. 

Forget Me Not Day as we know it was established following World War I, when Judge Robert S. Marx, himself a WWI veteran, declared the holiday in honor of veterans who had suffered physical losses in the line of battle — those who had lost limbs, blood, and other integral body parts. Along with the holiday, Marx inaugurated the tradition of selling the popular forget-me-not flowers, repurposing them to raise money for wounded veterans. 

Whatever reason you choose to recognize Forget Me Not Day, don’t forget the pretty blue flowers! Your contributions in buying those will surely go to one of a laundry list of good causes that receive support from flower sales each year.