National holidays

[De Lorimier]

It's july 24 here in Québec and it's the St-Jean-Baptiste, the Québec national holiday. Last night there was a huge concert in Québec city. More than 150,000 persons went on "Abraham's plain" to see singers, comedians, actors, poets and other artist entertain them and celebrate our nation. Tonight, there's another giant show in Montréal where more than 200,000 persons will attend. In these shows there's always great patriotic/folkloric tunes and political messages. The "St-Jean's fire" are an old custom around here, people gather around huge fires to dance and have a good time. The holiday is getting funnier now, all the communities and different ethnic groups are really involved and the old concept of nation is falling apart for something better, more open.

In a week, on july first, is "Canada day", Canada's national holiday. In Québec these celebration have another sense but are another great time to party. The concept is the same for the shows except all the politics are left off.

I'd like to hear from all the fanatics about their national holidays, their way to celebrate, old customs, etc...

I went to a party in my hometown last night and had a great time even though some moron fell in the fire (it seems like there's always a drunken idiot who does that) and I'm going to the concert in Montréal tonight.

Ruhm, Friends, Party, that's my way to celebrate my national holiday, what's yours?

 

[Hitro]

Well our national holiday is the "Day of German Unification", the 3rd of October. But I have no special rituals for that nor do I celebrate it in any way. I also don't know anybody who does.
Maybe because it's quite new, maybe because it's not directly connected to the fall of the wall, as they didn't want take the actual day since it was the 9th of November.
But I don't think that would change much, patriotism is not very open here, also mainly for historic reasons.

 

[anarchywrksbest]

We had an extra holiday this year for the Queens Golden Jubilee, there were parties everywhere and a big concert at Buckingham Palace with Ozzy Osbourne, Quee, Elton John, Shirley bassie, Will Young, Cliff Richard and a whole lot of other british acts. It was great and the celebration last all year!

 

[tonberry]

Yup yesterday party was great. I not very pro-police but I admit they were nice for that day. Some people were selling drugs in front of their eye but they do nothing . Were you there
De Lorimier?

 

[Trabpukcip]

Originally posted by Hitro
But I don't think that would change much, patriotism is not very open here, also mainly for historic reasons.

I know what you mean since a german student came to my home last year and we talked about that. He was very surprise to see all those Canadian flags and Québec's flag at the airport since apparently in Germany people are used to hide their patriotism.

Personnaly I think that, of course, Germany has a lot of very bad thing in it's history, but so many country does... it would be unfair to let it get in the way of modern relationships. The actual Germany looks fine to me...

 

[philippe]

well we dont celebrate 11July (Flemmish holiday) AND 21 July Belgian holiday.reason:lack of patriotism and we stand with our both feet on the ground.
We only have patriotism in football and other sports.

 

[germanos]

In Holland we have three national 'holidays:

5 may; Bevrijdingsdag :(Liberation Day) On this date in 1945 the Nazi's officially surrenderd in the Dutch territory they still held. On the night before there is the commemoration of the casualties of this war. More and more these two dates are becoming commemoration of victims of war in general and celebration of freedom and independance in the broader sence. (In Dutch the word 'vrijheid' means both freedom and liberated)

30 april (subject to change): Koninginnedag :(Birthday of the Queen) very typical national holiday. The excuse of the birthday of the Queen inspires the Dutch in what they do best: Trade. People are clearing out their atticks and sell the stuff on the streets. A feast of Free Trade. More cunning people start selling foodstuffs, drinks etc. Games for Kids and Grownups(?) like throwing tomatos or eggs at 'famous Dutch' etc. Anything that will make a buck. Partytime!

5 december: Sinterklaas: Basically like Santa Claus, with some differences. Sinterklaas, assisted by his Black Pete's gives presents in the evening. The presents go accompanied by 'poems/rhymes', and sometimes are accompanied by/in some handicrafts of the Black Pete's. With this usaully the receiver is mocked. Bad habits and stuff are thrown out in the open, and there is lots of laughter and ridicule. The present is usually good though, which makes up for the embarrasment.
Not officially a holiday, although everybody leaves work early, usually after this celebration started at the workplace after lunchbreak. It is typically Dutch though, so it should belong in this list.

 

[Grisu]

august 1 is the swiss national holiday though there isn't that much of a celebration, just fireworks and some peopla start big fires on every hill/mountain (this is quite a view)

 

[Lab Monkey]

Did anyone else recieve an e-mail from (and I'm assuming that it wasn't a hoax) a New York kid who's father was a firefighter killed as a consequence of the 9/11 disaster. It was basically a chain petition that, once it recieved 250 (I think) signatures it should be returned to the sender where it would be presented as a petition to have 9/11 made a national firefighters day. Obviously so many of these would be doing the rounds that the eventual number of signatures would hit the thousands, or millions even.

I know that this is not strictly a holiday, but I was curious if anyone else had heard anything of this, or was it just a (very sick) joke?

 

[Switch625]

Originally posted by Lab Monkey
Did anyone else recieve an e-mail from (and I'm assuming that it wasn't a hoax) a New York kid who's father was a firefighter killed as a consequence of the 9/11 disaster. It was basically a chain petition that, once it recieved 250 (I think) signatures it should be returned to the sender where it would be presented as a petition to have 9/11 made a national firefighters day. Obviously so many of these would be doing the rounds that the eventual number of signatures would hit the thousands, or millions even.

I know that this is not strictly a holiday, but I was curious if anyone else had heard anything of this, or was it just a (very sick) joke?

It was a sick joke. Electronic petitions carry no weight, because they are so easy to fake. This was just another piece of crapola that clutters up inboxes everywhere.

 

[Rodgers]

Not being a London resident I only saw the Jubilee concert on TV and quickly turned it off. I don't want to sound like a killjoy but I thought it was rubbish - mainly due to the acts involved and I suppose thats a matter of personal taste.

Up here I don't know if there were ANY celebrations at all (I think one of my local pubs had a bbq) - every one was too engrossed in the world cup. I read some (probably overhyped) article about how Jubilee celebrations such as street parties were likely to get nowhere because of the need for expensive public indemnity insurance and loads of different permits (to sell alcohol, to close streets etc) being required by the local councils. If that was true then it's a real shame, especially when I think of how the Royal Wedding in 1981 (82?) and the Silver Jubilee were so entheusiastically celebrated. It seems were too good at stopping people having a good time here.

Other than the Jubilee I cant remember any public holidays that are celebrated with any sort of major events - other than New Year. Great country eh?

 

[Flatlander Fox]

4th of July is almost upon us, and everywhere in America people will be attempting to drunkenly blow up fireworks...

Or they will let their children blow off their little pretty fingers.

Or they will shoot a firework at another human and laugh when it hits them...

Happy 4th of July!

 

[Wolfe Tone]

I suppose our main holiday would be St Patrick's Day. It generally consists of parades and a lot of drink.

 

[knowltok2]

The US also has Memorial Day at the start of the summer, and Labor Day at the end of it. Along with the 4th of July, most people get those off. Bankers (me!) and government workers also get Martin Luther King Day, President's Day, Columbus Day, and Veterans' Day, in addition to the more standard Thanksgiving, Xmas, and New Year's Day. Some people get Easter off, but it is not a Federal holiday.

 

[anarchywrksbest]

Originally posted by Wolfe Tone
I suppose our main holiday would be St Patrick's Day. It generally consists of parades and a lot of drink.

Some of us don't get to celebrate St Patricks Day

 

[Wolfe Tone]

Originally posted by anarchywrksbest


Some of us don't get to celebrate St Patricks Day

Can I ask why?