Today is another holiday in these here parts. Not a Stat Holiday. A Civic Holiday.
It is Natal Day in some parts of the Maritimes. Heritage Day in Alberta. It is known simply as Civic Holiday in NWT, Nunavut and Ontario. Except where it is known as something else. Like Simcoe Day in Toronto. Or if you live in Ottawa, where it is Colonel By Day. Or in Burlington where it is Joseph Brant Day. In Brantford it is Founders Day. This comes as a surprise to most people, who really only care that it is a day of no work.
Except it isn't really a day of no work for everyone. It may not even be a paid holiday, if you don't have to work.
This is all very confusing. And even a little banal.
Besides, doesn't everyone just call it the August Long Weekend?
I call it the August Long Weekend and really, the other way to call it or significance is not important to me. It's a long weekend! Not that I get to sleep in anyway, my beast is waking me up at the normal time! lol
ReplyDeleteFireworks are nice and you get a great seat on your balcony :)
"Colonel By Day" sounds really silly when you say it out loud. It IS kind of a weird holiday when most shops and stuff are open. I find these non-holiday holidays really confusing, too. But I'm glad I have the day off.
ReplyDeleteUA: The view is perfect. And no crowds, no straining of the neck!
ReplyDeleteAnd waking up with the thought that you don't have to go into work is sooo wonderful, yes?!
XUP: Perhaps we should just use the British model and have a 'Bank Holiday'.
ReplyDeleteExcept in Quebec where it's no particular day at all and as such, work is on the agenda...
ReplyDeleteAt least the weather sucks here, so it's less annoying to be at work.
Jazz: I guess it's just not the same having your holiday in June. That l-o-n-g time between July 1st and whenever Labour Day falls is unbearable for the most of us, LOL!!
ReplyDeleteWow, I've lived in Ottawa my whole life until last February and I certainly never realized it was called "Colonel By day". To be honest, I don't think I really realized the holiday existed when I was a kid and we were off from school in August anyway.
ReplyDeleteNoha: Yeah, I never knew about the Colonel By Day until this year. I learned of Jo Brant Day a couple of years ago - to be honest I thought it had been changed to Simcoe Day for everybody! Had never heard of Natal or Heritage Day either. What a confusing country this is!
ReplyDeleteCrikey - too many names for a day off. Hope you all enjoyed the extra day.
ReplyDeleteWe have to wait til the end of August for our next Bank Holiday in the UK and then it is all the way to Christmas before we get another public holiday - boo hoo.
I love fireworks - what bliss to be able to sit and watch on your balcony. Was it a good display?
MA
MA: yes, they were actually better than the July 1st display.
ReplyDeleteInterestingly, I discovred, while looking up this day, that it was modeled after your Bank Holiday, which I always thought was the first Monday in Aug, too. What, is the weather better by the third Monday??
Now, I thought you guys were like the Brits, and just called it a "bank holiday." Oh well. Any excuse to get out of work would be fine by me. ;-)
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