Extremes......

   11-11-11 at 11.11 ...One simple number, which - when put together means completely the opposite, depending where you are in the World.
On the 11-11 at 11.11 there are various things to be regarded!
In UK and other Commonwealth/ex-empire.....
Remembrance Day.   In USA
In France.......
Look through this list to see the different celebrations.

Holidays and observances[edit]

• Christian Feast Day:
  • Bartholomew of Grottaferrata (Roman Catholic Church)
  • Martin of Tours (Roman Catholic Church)
    • St. Martin's Day
  • Menas
  • Søren Kierkegaard (Lutheran Church)
  • Theodore the Studite
  • November 11 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)

• End of World War I related observances:
  • Armistice Day (New Zealand, France, Belgium and Serbia)
  • Independence Day, commemorates the anniversary of Poland's assumption of independent statehood in 1918 (Poland)
  • Remembrance Day (United Kingdom and the Commonwealth of Nations, including Australia and Canada)
  • Veterans Day, called Armistice Day until 1954, when the holiday was rededicated to be in honor all American military, naval, and Air Force, veterans. (United States)
• Independence Day, celebrates the independence of Angola from Portugal in 1975.
• Lāčplēsis Day (Latvia)
• Opening of carnival ("Karneval"/"Fasching"), on 11-11, at 11:11. (Germany, the Netherlands, and other countries)
• Pocky Day and Pretz Day (Japan)
• Pepero Day (South Korea)
• Republic Day (Maldives)
• Singles Day (China)
• Women's Day (Belgium)

External links[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related toNovember 11.

• BBC: On This Day
• The New York Times: On This Day
• On This Day in Canada

I've never really understood why, or how, the once upon a time enemies should go as far as to have such extremes on this day, except that 'Karneval' or 'Carneval. start came first, well before the various wars - Remembrance day came second, and Veterans Day came 3rd.
Many many years before, 'Karneval' or 'Carnival' started! Now called the 5th season of the year, it lasts until March/April  
' Carnival is a festive season which occurs immediately before Lent; the main events are usually during February. Carnival typically involves a public celebration or parade combining some elements of a circus, mask and public street party. People often dress up or masquerade during the celebrations, which mark an overturning of daily life.'
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carnival 
The history is interesting, but certainly the 'goings-on' are totally different from elsewhere in the World on the same day!
 

From carne vale[edit]

Folk etymologies^[2] exist which state that the word comes from the Late Latin expression carne vale, which means "farewell to meat", signifying that those were the last days when one could eat meat before the fasting of Lent. The word carne may also be translated as flesh, so suggesting carne vale as "a farewell to the flesh", a phrase actually embraced by certain Carnival celebrants who encourage letting go of your former (or everyday) self and embracing the carefree nature of the festival. However, explanations proceeding from carne vale seem to be folk etymologies and are not supported by philological evidence.^[2]

In any case, it all comes down, nowadays, to enormous parties everywhere in Germany and elsewhere. It can hardly be expected that the Germans celebrate losing two World Wars, the signing of a treaty at Versailles on the 11-11-1918 which effectively took away autonomy, but to go completely the opposite direction is strange too. Well 'Karneval' did come first! 

Actually, the same thing occurred to me when I first went to Germany in the early 60's and heard the German National Anthem - the same melody as used during the War, and I did wonder why they hadn't changed it at the end of the 'holocaust' Only much later (when I spoke German much better) did I realise the new text had nothing to do with the old text, but I dare say there are still some people who use the old text! 

In any case - this day 11-11-11 at 11.11 is just fully crammed with history!

Related articles

• Memorable Ideas for 11-11-11(scrapbooklady.typepad.com)

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