Why the Jubilee June this year?

[Mr Shine]

The recent jubilee celebrations marked 59 years since the coronation of QEII. 60 years since her accession would have been in February, 4 months ago. Nothing happened in June 1952, so why all the bunting and street partys this year?

[sandra_nz]

To conincide with an existing public holiday, and to allow for better weather.

Well, one out of two ain't bad.

[DrFidelius]

For sufficiently imprecise values of "better," of course.

[postcards]

The Queen's official birthday is traditionally celebrated in June.

[LawMonkey]

What a strange concept--to have a "My Birthday (observed)" while still alive. On the other hand, I like this idea of sticking it a completely arbitrary place to maximize the likelihood of good weather. We should consider this with President's Day, and maybe a few other minor holidays that aren't by-their-nature tied to a specific date or time of year. Spread things out a bit--there's quite a glut of holidays in the early part of the year, and then a dearth later on.

[Bytegeist]

Originally Posted by LawMonkey

... I like this idea of sticking it a completely arbitrary place to maximize the likelihood of good weather. We should consider this with President's Day ...

Except that President's Day isn't a vacation day for anyone (that I've ever heard of), so the weather then doesn't much matter. That holiday mostly just serves as an advertising gimmick for car dealerships and mattress stores. The pitchmen on the TV commercials dress up as Washington or Lincoln.

(Funny how they never dress as Fillmore or Coolidge, say.)

Spread things out a bit--there's quite a glut of holidays in the early part of the year, and then a dearth later on.

Agree with this though.

[Ethilrist]

It's good to be Queen.

[Duckster]

Originally Posted by Bytegeist

Except that President's Day isn't a vacation day for anyone (that I've ever heard of), so the weather then doesn't much matter.

This holiday is designated as "Washington's Birthday" in section 6103(a) of title 5 of the United States Code, which is the law that specifies holidays for Federal employees. Though other institutions such as state and local governments and private businesses may use other names, it is our policy to always refer to holidays by the names designated in the law.

http://www.opm.gov/operating_status_...edhol/2012.asp

As a federal holiday, federal employees, by and large, have the day off. State and local government employees are subject to any local authority and may/may not have the day off. Private employees are subject to the whim of their employers.

[Elendil's Heir]

Both New York and Mass. celebrate Evacuation Days, marking the dates on which British troops pulled out during the American Revolution. By sheer coincidence, the Mass. one is on the same day as St. Patrick's Day: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evacuat...(Massachusetts)

Or you could always get a state job in Vermont and enjoy this unique holiday: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bennington_Battle_Day

[Loach]

The coronation was on June 2nd. I remember that because it is my birthday and I was looking at what happened on that date in history.

[Bijou Drains]

Move to southern Louisiana and you get 2 days off for Mardi Gras

[Ace309]

No cite except a news article I remember reading 10 years ago, but the Queen chooses not to celebrate in February because it marks the day her father died.

[t-bonham@scc.net]

Originally Posted by LawMonkey

What a strange concept--to have a "My Birthday (observed)" while still alive.

Every time I've had a party for my birthday, i have been alive for it. (Sometimes the next day, i felt like I was dying...)

Seems like even stranger to celebrate your birthday when not alive!

[matt_mcl]

In the Netherlands, I understand the current Queen celebrates Queen's Day not on her birthday (31 January) but on her mother's (30 April), both because of the better weather and because people were used to the 30 April date.

[Bozuit]

Originally Posted by matt_mcl

In the Netherlands, I understand the current Queen celebrates Queen's Day not on her birthday (31 January) but on her mother's (30 April), both because of the better weather and because people were used to the 30 April date.

Plus there's the added bonus of it being the date of Hitler's death!

[Eliahna]

Originally Posted by Ace309

No cite except a news article I remember reading 10 years ago, but the Queen chooses not to celebrate in February because it marks the day her father died.

Yes, whenever someone asked why they celebrated the coronation instead of the ascension I wondered why they thought the Queen would want to throw a big party to celebrate 60 years since her Dad died.

I was also asked this week why we celebrate the Queen's birthday on a date that isn't her birthday. It's handy to have it fixed in the calendar forevermore, independent of the current monarch's actual birthday. They aren't all going to rack up 60 years in the job - the next one won't, and the one after that is increasingly unlikely to. What if one of our future monarchs was inconsiderate enough to be born on an existing public holiday, or deep in mid-winter? Also, this way it's always on a Monday so woohoo! three day weekend!

[Bozuit]

Originally Posted by Eliahna

What if one of our future monarchs was inconsiderate enough to be born on an existing public holiday, or deep in mid-winter? Also, this way it's always on a Monday so woohoo! three day weekend!

Potential parents of potential monarchs are only allowed to have sex at certain points of the year. Conception at the end of March would be a huge no-no.

[Eliahna]

Originally Posted by Bozuit

Potential parents of potential monarchs are only allowed to have sex at certain points of the year. Conception at the end of March would be a huge no-no.

Everyone thinks the monarch has all this power, but it turns out the people even get to dictate when she can shag. It's NOT good to be the Queen!