Let the rant begin.
Here in Great Britain, we had a public holiday today. It was called - wait for it - The Summer Bank Holiday. We won't be having another public holiday until December 25th which, in case you didn't know, is Christmas Day.
In Britain there are only eight public holidays each year but over in The USA, there are ten public holidays per year. By the way, Australians only get seven public holidays.
Three of our public holidays are just called "bank holidays" but over in America, every public holiday has special significance. You have got George Washington's Birthday, Martin Luther King Day, Labour Day, Memorial Day and since 2021 Juneteenth National Independence Day which marks and celebrates the end of slavery and occurs each June 19th.
Great Britain has a much longer and perhaps richer history than America and yet our public holidays appear to suggest that we are mostly concerned with when banks are closed. I would like to see another public holiday introduced in November and renaming of the three bank holidays - giving them more focused significance.
The extra holiday in November would be called "Heroes' Day" in acknowledgement of all those who served this country in wartime - especially those who laid down their lives.
My suggestions for the three existing bank holidays would be:-
Emmeline Pankhurst Day - in memory of Emmeline Pankhurst, the famous suffragette leader and as a reminder that the battle for gender equality continues. It may never end.
Rainbow Day - in recognition of the fact that this country has become a rainbow nation with citizens from across the world. The special day would also recognise our country's widespread dream of public acceptance - no matter what race, what religion, what eccentricity, what sexual orientation.
Health Day - celebrating the National Health Service and focusing on healthy habits. The media would promote various aspects of healthcare and there'd be sponsored walks, fun runs, free health checks and gym sessions. Just to get people thinking about good health.
There are not many high street banks left anyway so why should we be bothered if they are open or closed? Of course many citizens would refuse to participate in the associated national holiday events but these focuses would be hard to ignore and for millions of others, including children, the themes might reap untold benefits.
Rant over.
I'm not sure about other states but in my state it's Presidents' Day and honors Washington and Lincoln in mid-February. You would think we would honor George more in Washington State but we don't. :)
ReplyDeleteI relied on Google - probably shouldn't have done.
DeleteWell naming the days would show a little creativity
ReplyDeleteBetter than "bank holiday".
DeleteI like your suggestions for holidays. For Rainbow Day, you say "this country has become a rainbow nation with citizens from across the world". Of course I know that you know that, but I want to point it out nonetheless: Your country has ALWAYS been filled with people from across the world. Maybe not from as many different nations than now, and not as many of them, but there has been migration on this planet from the first time our ancestors left the wide grasslands of East Africa, and people have always mixed and mingled - sadly, often not in a peaceful manner, but the mix has always been there.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was in Ripon in July, I couldn't believe some of the statements my 90-year-old mother-in-law let off. "I want London to be English again!" was one of them. My sister and I just looked at each other. No point in getting into an argument with her.
I wonder when your mother-in-law was last in London. In terms of movement, the entire world is more dynamic than it has ever been. However, your mother-in-law's remark has sparked an idea for a new blogpost that may chime with her outlook.
Deleteit seems many of our Public Holidays fall on a Friday or a Monday so people get a long weekend away from work. Those that fall on a Sunday are often celebrated on a Monday instead so the people can still get a long weekend away from work. We're a lazy lot downunder and if we can get a day off work we'll take it!
ReplyDeleteWell, that's how it used to be anyway, I haven't kept track so perhaps things have changed.
I have heard that in "Down Under" you all move like koala bears.
DeleteAustralians are actually pretty hard working in comparison to international norms
DeleteI was joking Kylie.
DeleteI was talking to River really :)
DeleteSorry to butt in.
DeleteIt's fine, carry on conversing. I remember always giving 100% while I was working, but happy to take any holiday that came around.
DeleteHere in Ireland we also them in October and now St Brigid's Day in February. I often why they don't let people have the Friday off instead of the Monday when folk are probably spent up after the long weekend. I would have an Allotment and Garden public holiday.
ReplyDeleteAnother public holiday I would like to see is "Birthday Day" - allowing all workers to enjoy days off on their birthdays.
DeleteAustralia has nine public holidays plus my state of Victoria has four, making a total of thirteen. Even at the site I just checked left one state holiday out. Right, this is for this evening's post.
ReplyDeleteDon't you already have some kind of holiday to commemorate those who fought in wars? I like your other suggestions for the extra holidays, but you wouldn't want them in winter?
Nope. We do not have a public holiday to commemorate those who fought in wars. Your first paragraph proves that Google doesn't always get things right when you ask it.
DeleteI like your thinking, yorkie
ReplyDeleteAnd I like your comment.
DeleteWhenever you buy a calendar there are always many more 'holiday dates'. St Andrew, St. George. And of course the pagan holidays which tally with the seasons. Following of course the medieval holiday dates which tally with markets and harvesting.
ReplyDeleteOkay. Let's go for around twenty public holidays!
DeleteIn the USA, the extra Monday holidays were started during the early days of the depression of the late 1920's to allow the banks to close for an extra day. I do like your idea of naming them. For a couple of million pounds you could chair a committee to study names over the next five years and make recommendations to the King.
ReplyDeleteSounds like you know how such committees work.
DeleteWe have Veterans Day, Memorial Day, Labor Day, Presidents Day, MLK Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, Fourth of July and possibly more that I don't recall.
ReplyDeletePS Labor Day is next Monday which gives me a four-day weekend, followed by a three-day work week, and I am quite pleased by that!
Why? I know you love your work so much.
DeleteNow that I am retired I think all public holidays should be cancelled - make everyone work harder!
ReplyDeleteAre you turning into Eva Braun?
DeleteWell, your plan sounds sensible to me.
ReplyDeleteI am a sensible guy... most of the time!
DeleteIn Alberta we have twelve stat holidays. Our newest holiday is National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on September 30th. I didn't know why that day was chosen until I did a little research, it was the day the indigenous children were taken away from their homes and sent to residential school. It was the day that families were destroyed and children were sent away to often be abused, mentally, physically and sexually. It is our horror.
ReplyDeleteEvery Canadian should be taught the significance of the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.
DeleteWe have nine such public holidays in Sweden. Allt but two are connected with major Christian holidays (+ New Year). Six of them sometimes coincide with ordinary weekends. The only three that never do that are Good Friday, Easter Monday and Ascension Day (Thursday). Our two "profane" hoiidays are 1st May (Labour day) and 6 June (our national day). The banks, though, seem to have a LOT more holidays than just those... Actually there are hardly any banks left where you can just walk in and talk to anyone eye to eye anymore, even on an ordinary weekday, unless you've made an appointment beforehand!
ReplyDeleteBanks have quickly become part of history. I will try to explain them to my grandchildren before I die.
DeleteOf course, now that I am retired, every day is a holiday. A lot of people still have to work on the holidays in the US.
ReplyDeleteYup, I guess McDonalds have to keep going.
DeleteWe may have more holidays but several of those listed do not result in days off for the vast majority of folks or small businesses, the exception being for those in Federal offices who take everyday they can off since it is at taxpayer expense.
ReplyDeleteNo I detect a note of acidic bitterness?
DeleteI have a younger brother who works for the Forest Service. It is a running joke between us about how many days off a year he gets between holidays and paid time off for vacations and illnesses. Whenever he mentions a day off, I immediately respond, "You're welcome!"
DeleteI agree. I've always found the reference to "bank" holidays a little weird. Let's give them a purpose! And I'm with you on the November holiday as well. I mean, there is Remembrance Day, but I guess that's usually celebrated on a Sunday so there's no associated holiday?
ReplyDeletePerhaps you saw this about the history of bank holidays:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/articles/z48djhv
Sounds like a good plan. I have a hard time keeping straight the difference between holidays and statutory holidays. But with a little help from Google and the government of Canada, I have pinned down the statutory holidays (paid days) in my country and there are 10 of them and not one is called a bank holiday. There are an additional 3 public holidays but one of those excludes Quebec and one is for Quebec only, so for any one province there are 12 public holidays altogether. Confused yet? You know, my mother's dementia has taken away her understanding of what the holidays are, including Christmas and Easter, which are probably the most important ones for folks of her age. This happened about two years ago, while she was still classified as mildly cognitively impaired. It makes me sad for her.
ReplyDelete