This is the beginning of a holiday weekend in Canada. For those who do not live here, let me explain. It is not a celebration of happy gay men as my title may lead you to think. No, it is in honour of our head of state's birthday. Queen Lizzie. It falls on the weekend closest to May 24. Although that is not Lizzie's birthday at all, it is old Queen Victoria's. Liz may be queen and all, but she doesn't get her own day.
We treat this weekend as the unofficial beginning of summer. Cottages are opened up and aired of their winter mustiness, gardens are planted, boats are washed and waxed, decks are power washed, the first camping trips of the season are taken, and much beer is drunk. But unless they happen to attend the movie starring Helen Murrin this weekend, no one will actually think of the Queen at all.
In fact, most of us call this "the May 24 long weekend," not Victoria Day. I read that in a recent poll, less than 10 % of young Canadians even know the Queen is our head of state. There are no parades, speeches, or even square dances this weekend honouring the monarch. Well, except maybe for the butterfly. But not for Liz. In Eastern Canada, there will be a few fireworks marking the day, but here in the west we save our fireworks for a really important occasion, Halloween.It is not clear to me, and to many Canadians, why we cling to the monarchy, and the Commonwealth. There are no benefits, and the Queen wields no actual power over us. Perhaps it is just inertia and reluctance to challenge tradition. Or unwillingness to give up a long weekend dedicated mostly to quaffing large amounts of Molson Canadian Lager.
I'll drink to that.
Today's dream travel destination: Buckingham Palace, where Vicky's birthday is likely not celebrated by guzzling lager in the sun.
12 comments:
Your blogpost makes me feel quite homesick!
I'll raise a glass of lager tonight to celebrate with you but, unfortunately, it won't be a Molson's.
Heheh. I'd completely forgotten about Victoria Day.
When I worked at the British Embassy there was always a Queen's Birthday celebration in June. It was the queen's "official" birthday, even though her real birthday is some other time (April I think). I could never figure that out, either.
It's a generational thing. When I was growing up it was always Victoria Day. Other than that, it's the day you plant out your tomatoes. As for the Queen and Canadians, I concur thoroughly. Except for the Queen herself. I like her. I think her majesty's "a pretty nice girl," but after she goes, to hell with the rest of them. Time to cut the cord, as it were.
Happy Long Weekend whatever you choose to call it and however you choose to celebrate it.
Ian
dumdad, Can't you find a Moosehead Beer or Molson Export in Vegas to toast the queen?
alda, Lizzie's birthday is April 21. So why June, I wonder?
V.
Ian, Yes old Liz has had her moments. Like when she drove ambulances in London during the blitz. Jolly good show, what?
V.
I am behind any excuse for a beer swilling holiday! Our official first day of summer is Memorial Day in the States, the last Monday in May. No fireworks, but some communities have parades. We have barbeque and beers while admiring our lovely freshly-planted gardens and groaning about our aching backs.
I hope you've had a lovely weekend.
That Candian tie to the British royal family is an odd one to me. But any excuse for a holiday. I remember watching the changing of the guard as a teenager on a visit to England. Those hats look so uncomfortable to me.
CDW, It was lovely, thank you. But too short!
CS, Ridiculous hats, no? Imagine them in mid summer.
I think it's only for the long weekend....
Oh, and here in Quebec, it's no longer Vic day, it's Patriot's day. Who cares.
Jazz, You folks have it made, you get the Queen's birthday, AND bastille day off!
Dumdad, I re-read this and realize I wrote Vegas instead of Paris. Maybe because B and I were hoping to fly to Vegas and drive to the Grand Canyon this weekend, so it was on my mind. Duh.
V - Unfortunately we don't get Bastille day. We do get St. Jean Baptiste on June 24, but in my great vanity, I prefer to think of it as we get my birthday off.
Course you guys get a day off in August while we slave away at our desks.
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