Best Holiday Ever
As I write this it s less than one week away from my favourite holiday in the whole year. It’s the basis for the August long weekend, the holiday observed to some degree and under various names across most of the country, known here in Manitoba as simply Civic Holiday. A holiday for its own sake, which is just what I like about it.
The origins of Civic Holiday are as inspiring as the holiday itself – borne of pragmatism and devoid of any artificially imposed meaning. The holiday was originally conceived by Toronto City Council in 1869 as a summer “day of recreation”, and in 1875 settled on the first Monday in August, which it remains today. The holiday was not proclaimed provincially (hence the name) but soon spread to other municipalities in Ontario and eventually most of the rest of Canada. Since then, the name and purpose of the holiday has been corrupted in many places. It is British Columbia Day, Saskatchewan Day, and New Brunswick Day in those provinces; Heritage Day in Alberta; Natal Day in Nova Scotia and PEI; and in Ontario various municipalities have renamed it based on local history, even in Toronto where it originated it is now known as Simcoe Day. And alas, it is not recognised at all in Newfoundland and Labrador, Quebec, and Yukon. However in Manitoba, NWT, Nunavut, and much of Ontario, the holiday maintains its original, meaningless yet inspired nomenclature.
So what is it I like about it? It’s a day off, no strings attached. Pretty much every other holiday has some sort of meaning or tradition attached to it that limits the enjoyment. Even if it’s something trivial or no longer relevant, if the holiday is in honour of something, or requires some sort of observance, that detracts even if very slightly from the pure joy of not having to work. Here is what is wrong with every other holiday:
New Year’s Day – obligation to make plans to go out New Year’s Eve and inflated expectations of having a great time, always leaves me feeling a little unsatisfied. The holiday itself is then used for getting over a hangover and making New Year’s resolutions. Bah.
Valentine’s Day – not a day off. Totally commercialised. Forced sappy romanticism. Lame.
Flag Day – not a day off. No one cares about it. Nothing happens.
St. Patrick’s Day – not a day off. Usually a contrived conflagration of drinking and Irish heritage that doesn’t do justice to either. Case in point: green beer.
Good Friday – Don’t go out and have fun because Jesus died today, many years ago. For your sins. Feel guilty about having a good time. Everything is closed. Don’t even try to have fun.
Easter Monday – Not everyone gets a day off. Inevitable family obligations on the Sunday, little chance to just enjoy the time off.
Victoria Day – named after an old dead queen, effectively celebrating the monarchy and British imperialism. Supposedly the unofficial start of summer, but the weather often doesn’t agree.
Canada Day – celebrating our nation, not a bad thing in itself but too easily co-opted by fake beer-commercial patriotism and the like. Not always on a weekend. Fireworks are usually lame.
Labour Day – a day off work, basically celebrating the achievements of the labour movement who fought so that we can have things like days off, 40-hour work weeks, living wages, decent working conditions, etc. Almost makes me feel guilty for enjoying the day off. Plus, it’s the unofficial end of summer, which is kinda depressing.
Thanksgiving – family obligations. Too much food. Starting to get cold out.
Remembrance Day - Don’t go out and have fun because a bunch of people fought and died in wars, many years ago. For your freedom, etc. (or due to some complicated geopolitical reasons driven by the global elite that don’t really affect us in a meaningful way – but that’s beside the point). Feel guilty about having a good time. Everything is closed. Don’t even try to have fun.
Christmas Eve – I only get a half day off. Boo.
Christmas – ridiculously commercialised. Build-up is way too long. Christmas shopping sucks. Numerous family obligations including the extended family, pretty much eating up all spare time for weeks. Overrated.
Boxing Day – if I’m lucky, a chance to unwind after Christmas. But there’s generally so much Christmas stuff it spills over. God help me if I have to go to a mall on Boxing Day.
So there’s my list of complaints (mind you, I wouln’t give up any of those days off even with a few shortcomings). Civic Holiday, on the other hand, is just pure enjoyment, with a long weekend every year, generally nice weather, and nothing to think about. The perfect holiday.
So what am I doing this weekend? As always, heading out to Saskatoon for the annual Disc Odyssey tournament, which also happens to be my favourite tourney of the year. But that’s for another post.
The origins of Civic Holiday are as inspiring as the holiday itself – borne of pragmatism and devoid of any artificially imposed meaning. The holiday was originally conceived by Toronto City Council in 1869 as a summer “day of recreation”, and in 1875 settled on the first Monday in August, which it remains today. The holiday was not proclaimed provincially (hence the name) but soon spread to other municipalities in Ontario and eventually most of the rest of Canada. Since then, the name and purpose of the holiday has been corrupted in many places. It is British Columbia Day, Saskatchewan Day, and New Brunswick Day in those provinces; Heritage Day in Alberta; Natal Day in Nova Scotia and PEI; and in Ontario various municipalities have renamed it based on local history, even in Toronto where it originated it is now known as Simcoe Day. And alas, it is not recognised at all in Newfoundland and Labrador, Quebec, and Yukon. However in Manitoba, NWT, Nunavut, and much of Ontario, the holiday maintains its original, meaningless yet inspired nomenclature.
So what is it I like about it? It’s a day off, no strings attached. Pretty much every other holiday has some sort of meaning or tradition attached to it that limits the enjoyment. Even if it’s something trivial or no longer relevant, if the holiday is in honour of something, or requires some sort of observance, that detracts even if very slightly from the pure joy of not having to work. Here is what is wrong with every other holiday:
New Year’s Day – obligation to make plans to go out New Year’s Eve and inflated expectations of having a great time, always leaves me feeling a little unsatisfied. The holiday itself is then used for getting over a hangover and making New Year’s resolutions. Bah.
Valentine’s Day – not a day off. Totally commercialised. Forced sappy romanticism. Lame.
Flag Day – not a day off. No one cares about it. Nothing happens.
St. Patrick’s Day – not a day off. Usually a contrived conflagration of drinking and Irish heritage that doesn’t do justice to either. Case in point: green beer.
Good Friday – Don’t go out and have fun because Jesus died today, many years ago. For your sins. Feel guilty about having a good time. Everything is closed. Don’t even try to have fun.
Easter Monday – Not everyone gets a day off. Inevitable family obligations on the Sunday, little chance to just enjoy the time off.
Victoria Day – named after an old dead queen, effectively celebrating the monarchy and British imperialism. Supposedly the unofficial start of summer, but the weather often doesn’t agree.
Canada Day – celebrating our nation, not a bad thing in itself but too easily co-opted by fake beer-commercial patriotism and the like. Not always on a weekend. Fireworks are usually lame.
Labour Day – a day off work, basically celebrating the achievements of the labour movement who fought so that we can have things like days off, 40-hour work weeks, living wages, decent working conditions, etc. Almost makes me feel guilty for enjoying the day off. Plus, it’s the unofficial end of summer, which is kinda depressing.
Thanksgiving – family obligations. Too much food. Starting to get cold out.
Remembrance Day - Don’t go out and have fun because a bunch of people fought and died in wars, many years ago. For your freedom, etc. (or due to some complicated geopolitical reasons driven by the global elite that don’t really affect us in a meaningful way – but that’s beside the point). Feel guilty about having a good time. Everything is closed. Don’t even try to have fun.
Christmas Eve – I only get a half day off. Boo.
Christmas – ridiculously commercialised. Build-up is way too long. Christmas shopping sucks. Numerous family obligations including the extended family, pretty much eating up all spare time for weeks. Overrated.
Boxing Day – if I’m lucky, a chance to unwind after Christmas. But there’s generally so much Christmas stuff it spills over. God help me if I have to go to a mall on Boxing Day.
So there’s my list of complaints (mind you, I wouln’t give up any of those days off even with a few shortcomings). Civic Holiday, on the other hand, is just pure enjoyment, with a long weekend every year, generally nice weather, and nothing to think about. The perfect holiday.
So what am I doing this weekend? As always, heading out to Saskatoon for the annual Disc Odyssey tournament, which also happens to be my favourite tourney of the year. But that’s for another post.
posted by Druski at 7:08 a.m.
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