Folding the Canadian flag?

[TheOfficialBren]

Oh - not at all - the flag is the Stars and Bars - and as the day is usually sunny and warm the flag gets to either air or dry out after washing in the shade of the apple trees.

Anne the Pleater :ootd:

Oh. Well very nice. As an American, thank you for being kind to our flag. We love our British friends and family, too, and try to treat your emblems with equal courtesy.

[sydnie7]

Just one of those transatlantic language things, but "Stars and Bars" commonly refers to the Confederate flag while the 50-state U.S. flag is the "Stars and Stripes." One assumes that Anne's version is the Stars and Stripes but I've been wrong before

[Old Hippie]

Seems you've probably got the straight goods. As an immigrant from the U.S. I was surprised that Canadians do not treat the Maple Leaf with the same ceremony the U.S. treats Old Glory. Folding the Stars and Stripes in ceremonial fashion -- as I have done many times -- never fails to invoke those emotions I felt in moments of great solemnity and, occasionally, deep sorrow. In a civilian context, showing respect and honouring any national flag as an outward symbol of the inward idea of the nation demonstrates, if nothing else, our appreciation for the high ideals that lead us to reach beyond our petty concerns toward greatness.

I have the flag that accompanied my father on his last journey. It is still folded as the Guard of Honour presented it, stored along with the cartridge casings from the salute fired at the end of the ceremony. It's only a part of the memory, overwhelmed by other sounds and images of that day. Significant mostly to me -- I mention it only because it was about this time of year, and it's on my mind again.

:ootd:

[Pleater]

I just checked with my husband and it was his great uncle, his grandmother's brother not his uncle as I thought I remembered. I think it must be the stars and stripes, it has just always been referred to as the 'stars and bars' - we do not have any present connection with the USA as the flag came to my husband's family as the great uncle did not marry.

So the number of stars is sort of like tree rings... I will count them next time I take the flag out of its box.

Anne the Pleater :ootd:

[Spartan Tartan]

Anne, if the pattern is circular and that is an original flag (meaning, not a replica made recently), I imagine it would be rather old. It could be rather valuable as an antique. Just FYI.

Concentric circles (with no large center star) goes back to around 1870 and represented 37 states. That is a good ways back for our relative history given in 1877 it changed after adding another state. Pretty cool old flag you may have there.

[MikeS]

Just one of those transatlantic language things, but "Stars and Bars" commonly refers to the Confederate flag while the 50-state U.S. flag is the "Stars and Stripes." One assumes that Anne's version is the Stars and Stripes but I've been wrong before

Confederate flag is what I initially thought too, since I recently sent one to a internet friend that lives in Yorkshire. She wanted it because she liked the design and I ended up explaining the connection to slavery and that most people find it offensive. (At least in the northern states.)

"Stars and Bars"

[EagleJCS]

Confederate flag is what I initially thought too, since I recently sent one to a internet friend that lives in Yorkshire.

Sorry to continue this hijack, but the 'Stars and Bars' refers to the original flag of the CSA, flown from March 1861 to May 1863. This one:



The flag you're showing, MikeS, is the CSA naval jack, which is a lengthening of the battle flag, a.k.a. the 'Southern Cross' (originally a square flag). It was never officially the CSA national flag, though it was incorporated into the second and third designs. Living in a 'border state' with a few friends who do re-enactments, you learn a few things...

[David Thorpe]

Very interesting, John. I did not know about the different flags of the Confederacy, being familiar with only what is commonly called the "Stars and Bars". No worries about the "hijack". I got what I needed and much more in the bargain. Thanks to all for an enlightening discussion.

[MikeS]

The flag you're showing, MikeS, is the CSA naval jack, which is a lengthening of the battle flag, a.k.a. the 'Southern Cross' (originally a square flag). It was never officially the CSA national flag, though it was incorporated into the second and third designs. Living in a 'border state' with a few friends who do re-enactments, you learn a few things...

Don't think i've ever seen that flag. Google 'stars and bars' and you see that both flags come up equally. Just highlights the different versions of history that the north and south have.

[JohntheBiker]

Love this forum! Only on this kilt site could you move from the folding the Canadian flag to a discussion of the variants of the flags of the CSA in a quite logical fashion.