Sneaky Holidays

This is another long holiday weekend. They tend to sneak up on me. During my years holding down the proverbial “day job” I didn’t get to commemorate Chris Columbus, George Washington, or MLK by sleeping late and catching up on old sitcoms. I was just plain glad to have the standard ones off. However, when one is employed in health care, staff are mandated to work their “fair share” of the biggies: Thanksgiving, Christmas, and the 4th of July. I recall the fateful day when the holiday work schedule was posted on the clinical laboratory bulletin board and everyone gathered round to evaluate, trying to avoid getting involved in a fist fight or two.

Researching the official holidays and observances list, I am intrigued by some which are unique:Holiday1

  • Evacuation Day is celebrated in Massachusetts on March 17. It sounds like an advertisement for national don’t-forget-to-take-your-laxative day. But no — it celebrates the date when British troops evacuated Boston during the Revolutionary War. It was the first victory of the American Revolution so take you hats off to those hardy folks in the Bay State for their exemplary victory.
  • National Tartan Day celebrates the Scottish Day of Independence. I thought they were part of the United Kingdom – so this is a poser. The Scottish Declaration Holiday2of Independence was signed on April 6, 1320. The American Declaration of Independence was, in fact, modeled on this particular document. Almost half of the signers of the American Declaration of Independence were of Scottish descent. So three cheers for the folks wearing plaids and belting out a tune or two in of Gaelic on April 6.
  • National Explosive Ordnance Disposal Day is a United States observance held on the first Saturday in May. It is of mega Holiday3importance as it honors members of the U.S. Armed Forces who have risked their lives in disposing explosives. Kudos to those brave young warriors working to protect us all.

As I review the 201 holidays and Observances, I am surprised by (WOW!) the total number but also struck by the solemnity of each. So I think I’ll post this list  in a prominent place on my refrigerator door as a reminder that almost every day of the year there is something or someone special to celebrate.