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Britain Pondring Changing Holidays - Possible 'National' Day

Britain Pondring Changing Holidays - Possible 'National' Day

Old Mar 4th, 2011, 02:19 AM
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Britain Pondring Changing Holidays - Possible 'National' Day

Th following was garnered from a BBC e-mail of today:

Britain it seems is one of the few countries without a genuine National Day - a 4th of July or Bastille day like in States and France.

But perhaps this will soon chang by the scrapping the late May Bank Holiday in favor of an English National Holiday in April at St George's Day (England's patron saint I believe) and St David's day in March for a Welsh National Holiday.

Or for a British National Day in October called Trafalgar Daym where Brits can revel in its past military prowess and past military victories such as the 1805 Battle of Trafalgar.

Seems to this observor that creating two national holidays - one for the English and a different one for the Welsh vs a pan-British national day is a huge decision - and what about ("a-boot") Scotland - do they already have a national day and would it be scrapped for a British national day like Trafalgar Day?
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Old Mar 4th, 2011, 03:03 AM
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April & March dates are non-starters due to the fact that we already have two Easter Bank-Holidays which will always fall within those two months - it doesn't solve the issue of "fixture congestion" that is behind the move.

As for October - Trafalgar Day - it's the right time (we currently have to go from end August through to Christmas Day with no Bank-Holidays) but I'm not sure that it would ever become a "National Day" - no-one celebrates it now, why would they just because the government suggested they should. It's a non-event.

Besides which, it very much smacks of the kind of Edwardian jingoism which was blown to bits in the trenches of the Somme, Paschendale and the rest, forever extinguished from the national psyche. (I hasten to add that that's not to say that we haven't developed more modern forms of jingoism over the intervening years, but that particular brand of martial triumphalism is no longer a part of it.)

There's also a suggestion that it's the early May B-H which is the one to get the chop - and I'm strongly opposed to that going. I know it's the most recent addition but it's also they only one that is a true labour holiday; of the "working man", for the "working man". I think it's important for the nation to recognise that tradition and to show solidarity with the wider international labour movement.

In summary - late October's fine as a replacement for Whitsun B-H but don't try and turn it into some kind of spurious "National Day" - just be honest and call it October Bank-Holiday just like our August Bank-Holiday.

Alternatively - don't lose Whitsun at all and still institute October B-H, and when employers start bleating, point out it's in recognition that the British work more unpaid hours that any other Europeans - if I recall correctly amounting to something like 15 days annually on everage.

There, that's my twopenny'orth!
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Old Mar 4th, 2011, 03:35 AM
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It's always odd that we have two bank holidays in May, the second of which has no real function since it was fixed and lost its connection to Whitsun. I'd have argued for moving that to the same weekend as the sovereign's official birthday/Trooping the Colour/Derby Day, and making that a "national" day.

It's up to Scotland and Wales whether they have public holidays on their saints' days (I can't remember if they do, though they're not at the times of the most hospitable weather, for what that's worth). I'm agnostic about St George's Day, mainly because of the proximity to Easter.

It would be nice if they moved the August Bank Holiday back to the beginning of the month, as it used to be - and then something in September (Trafalgar Day is too late - might as well have one around Bonfire Night). Battle of Britain Day is the obvious one.
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Old Mar 4th, 2011, 03:59 AM
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I wish the Dutch would come up with another day off. Our last day is Whit Monday - then nothing to Christmas.

And tough luck if the days which aren't fixed due to the Christian Calender (Easter Monday, Ascension Day and Whit Monday) fall on a weekend because then we lose them all together.

So Christmas 2010 was a full weekend, no days off, New Years Day also, then there is Koninginnedag - also a Saturday this year, Christmas Day 2011 is on Sunday, so is New Year's Day, and Koninginnedag next year is a Sunday too - which means it is celebrated on - yes you guessed it the Saturday.

So of our total of 7 public holidays we get three of them as a day off this year .
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Old Mar 4th, 2011, 04:00 AM
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You've got to admire the "genius" who thought of having St George's Day (April 23rd) as a bank holiday instead of May Day on the grounds that it extends the holiday season and spreads the holidays about

For one thing the holiday season starts with Easter - which is normally the start of April but can be as late as the weekend of April 23rd - like it is this year (and yes it's the same April 23rd that is St George's Day). So it immediately fails on both extending the holiday season and spreading the holidays about.

Also despite the beliefs of the Con'Dem'd government May Day is a traditional English holiday (cue Morris Dancing & May Poles) so removing it would mean that tourism based on May Day would suffer.

The logical holiday to remove is actually Easter Monday which is not and never has been a traditional or religious holiday and have that at the end of September. They could then move the Spring Bank Holiday into mid June (perhaps for Midsummer Festival) thus achiving the spread they need.
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Old Mar 4th, 2011, 05:24 AM
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The May Day holiday is a day on its own, not linked to a religious festival or school hoildays. You can therefore organise an event on the May Day Bank Holiday and be reasonably sure that many people will attend. The weather is usually good, too.

October does not seem a good time of year for a national holiday - too cold, likely to be wet, and with short days. Having said that, many countries celebrate 1st November - All Saints Day.

It seems to me like another move by a right-wing government to remove a holiday which is in recognition of working people and their efforts. Perhaps we will get a special day off to remember the bankers.
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Old Mar 4th, 2011, 06:24 AM
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St George's Day or Trafalgar Day. Smashing ideas.

http://www.thedailymash.co.uk/news/s...-201103043594/
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Old Mar 4th, 2011, 07:49 AM
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AHA. It's all about extending the tourist season, if you actually read the paper in which it's buried. I love the optimism of this particular argument:

As an extra bonus, celebrating UK Day in late October should stop retailers from putting up their Christmas decorations until after it’s finished too.

Bless.
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Old Mar 4th, 2011, 07:56 AM
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"... celebrating UK Day..."

That phrase makes me roar with laughter. Not sure why. Maybe becasue I just think it's a ridiculous notion.
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Old Mar 4th, 2011, 08:00 AM
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PatrickLondon - thats hilarious!

Woudlnt it encourage a huge push for xmas shopping even earlier because the stores can market doing it on a day off and get it out of the way earlier!
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Old Mar 4th, 2011, 08:02 AM
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Funny the Germans are said to have the most paid days off and work the least but are the most productive in Europe.

will increasing paid time off increase productivity - I am one that thinks it may. Britain and Holland need more holidays - though IME many Dutch seem to have Monday mornings off - thus Sunday night is a huge night at the pub - is this correct hetismij?
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Old Mar 4th, 2011, 08:09 AM
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Why not just leave things as they are OR give us all an extra day.

I don't want my day off moved to freezing October, I like May, it's the only thing that gets me through the long horrible winter.

I'm sure my English collegues working here in Wales,will love to have St David's day off and have to work on their National day.......not

JUST LEAVE THE BL@@DY THING ALONE !!!!
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Old Mar 4th, 2011, 08:15 AM
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I'm only up for it if it's an 'extra' day, not a 'moved' one.
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Old Mar 4th, 2011, 09:39 AM
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Actually, we do already have an obvious UK Day. The Act of Union came into effect in 1707 on.....

May 1st.
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Old Mar 4th, 2011, 09:41 AM
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What about my birthday? That would be better.
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Old Mar 4th, 2011, 09:52 AM
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well tha only officail public holidays i get are christmas day and boxing day,New years day and the 2nd january (official holiday in Scotland).
all other public holidays are incorporated into our annual leave.
unless the whole of the UK can agree on a day to all celebarte it ain;t going to happen.if it is to encourage tourism then it is only going to affect those folk who get the days off and will makr no difference to foreign tourists apart from the asking on the forums ,"it is UK national day will everything be closed"
The only people really affected by public holidays are those working in banks and public authorities,the rest of us work as normal.
I wonder how much of an outcry there would be if everything closed on Public holidays,no transport ,no cinema,no TV,no leisure facilities,no shops, no police ,no fire brigade,no ambulances,no hospitals ............. totally stupid I know but it does seem over all very few people actually get Public holidays.
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Old Mar 5th, 2011, 12:19 AM
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What no-one's pointed out in this thread is what's NOT in the DCNS proposals "to revive tourism" (www.culture.gov.uk/news/news_stories/7899.aspx)

The fatheaded idea we should move to year-round Berlin time has been chucked back into the "too difficult" box. Where it'll most likely stay for the next century.

Intersting, though, that no-one in Germany has ever trotted out any arguments for moving to Minsk time. All that pseudo-science about saving lives and saving energy would apply just as strongly. Sign of German chauvinimsm? Or German common sense?
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Old Mar 5th, 2011, 02:07 AM
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Scotland has different holidays ie doesn't have the end of August one. And just to complicate things, holidays are diferent in different cities....still messes with my head!
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Old Mar 5th, 2011, 06:52 AM
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Scotland doesn't have Easter Monday either - though it does have the 2nd January.

Oddly enough the Scottish August Bank Holiday is one day when the banks will be open as they all operate on English time.

I'd also point out that the UK wide Spring Bank Holiday which is normally the last Monday in May is being shifted to the 4th June in 2012 for the Queen's Jubilee
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Old Mar 5th, 2011, 06:59 AM
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Boxing Day = is it an official holiday and is it observed in all parts of the U K? - The day after Christmas when even many trains do not run, etc.

Are banks open on Boxing Day?

curious
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