Here in Holland, people usually take most of their 4, 5, or 6 weeks of vacation time during the summer months. Europe in general tends to take "the summer off". As a result, there are few (no) public holidays at this time of year.
In Canada, however, life centres around summer long weekends. People hibernate all winter in their homes dreaming of finally being able to enjoy the summer sun and a bit of free time. This hibernation is officially ended on May 24th, the Victoria Day weekend. Known as Memorial Day in the U.S., more commonly known as the May Two-Four in Canada, this is the unofficial start of summer. And Labour Day (shared in both countries) marks the unofficial end.
If you have a summer home in Canada, this is the weekend that the boat came out of the water, the heater got it's winter service, and all your friends stayed over for the weekend to help with the work and to drink your beer. Today people with hangovers will pack the highways with cars and campers and boat trailers as they wearily drive home to their daily worries, jobs, and eventually to their winter hibernation.
Sorry to hear your summer is over. I hope no one tells the weather.
Aside: Ironically I've been sick this weekend and called in sick for work today. It wasn't my intention to not work on Canada's most important summer holiday, but that was the result. I'm with you in spirit... even if I don't have a hangover or sunburn or stories of water skiing.
Monday, September 03, 2007
Happy Labour Day, Canada!
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10 comments:
I am working i-on labour day, hell...I work Christmas eve sometimes. iceland belongs to the European tradition of taking teh summer off, and working through the winter. Thank goodness I get winte rvacation,too.
I love how you spelled "Labour". You'd make a good Brit!
I can't imagine what the whole country of Iceland would do on a cold winter holiday. Drinking and recovering from drinking are what Saturday and Sunday is for.
Colour, fibre, metre, neighbour. Without U I wouldn't be as good a Canadian. :)
Morgan, dear...I feel your spirit here EVERY day.
We will have three weeks more of hot to warm weather. Weatherman says 28 -29 all week. My comfort zone used to be 5 -35, but now it's 14 -20 (outside), so I hibernate winter AND summer. AUTUMN is my time of year.
Hi Minka! Since Canada's heritage is rooted in both English and French, spelling isn't the only difference. In the States, friends roar laughing when they hear Canadian pronunciation for the entrance hall to a home. They say "foy-er". That's how the word looks. In Canada, we use the French pronunciation. We say "foy-ya". When I'm there I say the word as often as I can because they get such a giggle out of it:-)
Morgan, I hope you, somehow, enjoyed your "sick day".....love, Mom
i had no idea "Labour Day" was such a big deal in Canada! pretty interesting!
hope you're feeling better, Morgan -- kind of tough to get in any good diving when your body's out of "sorts". that said, i think it's perfect that you "accidentally" wound up taking Labour Day off. trust me, laying around on the couch watching TV is as good a way to spend a "holiday" as any! ; )
I just went to a summer's end clearance sale .... it is going to get colder here, too -- by five or so degrees. Aloha from Hawaii, where summer never ends.
Quilly, no spring, no fall? You'll have to mark the time of year by whether the sperm whales are migrating, the turtles are nesting, or the tiger sharks are in town. Thank goodness you've got a marine biologist handy!
I've got to check your blog and get the latest news! Welcome to your new home! :-)
in the meantime, i'll just hang out over here in this "invisible" corner. fun fun fun. : P
Neva! There you are! I heard you in the room, but didn't see you standing there in the corner.
Sorry. *looks down*
I've been a bad blogger lately. But did you notice that you went up on the Blog Roll, even before I failed to see you here?
Neva sometimes writes in invisible ink ;)
J.D...I have had teh chance to listen to Morgan talk and I just love it when he says "about", "house" and another word I forgot now. Canadians sure are funny.
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