"Don't you guys have an independence day?"

[owlstretchingtime]

[QUOTE=Steve Wright]
** looks at owlstretchingtime’s link **

Diana Day? Diana Day??? Where’s the projectile vomiting smiley when you need it?

“Celebrate the achievements of the late Diana Princess of Wales”, indeed. You don’t need a whole day for that … you’d need to pad it out a bit to get five seconds. “Looked winsome for the TV cameras”, and that’s about it.

[QUOTE]

Think of the attractions - for a whole day you get to be self-absorbed, shag anything that moves, get coked up to the gills and get driven round at 100mph by pissed frenchmen.

Beats flying flags in my book.

[Gotterfunken]

@Ross

St George

I love Wikipedia. I mean it. I love it as a man loves a woman.

That’s beautiful, Ross.

St. George is really popular all over Europe–the patron saint of Catalonia, Genoa, Malta, Portugal, and so forth, in addition to England. Why? Because he’s cool. Do you really need another reason?

And St. George’s Day is April 23rd simply because that’s his feast day. Except in the Eastern Orthodox Church, where it’s November 3rd. Oh, and except for Malta, which celebrates it on the fourth sunday of June–except on the Maltese island of Gozo, which celebrates it on the third Sunday of July. So it’s naturally April 23rd, except when it’s Nov. 3rd, June 26, or July 17.

[HPL]

@Steve Wright

There used to be an Empire Day, didn’t there? Back when we had an empire.

“…to commemorate Empire Day, when we try to remember the names of all those from the Sudbury area who so gallantly gave their lives to keep China British.”

From Monty Python’s Meaning of Life.

[glee]

I like the previous suggestion of ‘cup of tea and Countdown day.’

But surely the English will be celebrating 1966…

[owlstretchingtime]

@glee

But surely the English will be celebrating 1966…

We don’t like to mention that too much. Ask any Scotsman

[Beauty_Personified]

What about “Bangers and Faggots Day”? :giggle:

That said, what are some other “National” holidays in other places around the world?
Of course, we have “Canada Day” up here in… well… Canada.

Eh?

Anyhoo…

[Colophon]

@Jonathan Chance

Which leads to something I’ve always wondered about.

What’s proper manners for a poor 'umble Yank when faced with the prospect of celebrating July 4th with some folks around from Great Britain?

It somehow seems rude to say ‘Dude, let’s go celebrate that time we made the first chink in your world bestriding empire!’

First of all, I doubt if the majority of Britons even really know that July 4th celebrates the USA’s independence from Britain.

And in any case, those that do know are hardly likely to take offence. I mean, come on, this was in seventeen-mumblety-mumble. Now that the Queen Mum and Barbara Cartland are dead, there’s nobody left who was around then.

[Arch_Trout]

@Colophon

First of all, I doubt if the majority of Britons even really know that July 4th celebrates the USA’s independence from Britain.

And in any case, those that do know are hardly likely to take offence. I mean, come on, this was in seventeen-mumblety-mumble. Now that the Queen Mum and Barbara Cartland are dead, there’s nobody left who was around then.

You’ve not got much faith in the British education system have you?
Everyone i know is well aware of what the 4th july is.
I reckon that % wise, less americans know the significance of 4th july than britons.

[Celyn]

Perhaps we could have a Python Day.

Eventually I think Scotland will have an independence day, but an extra day of fun and merriment never hurt anyone.

[AngelicGemma]

@Colophon

First of all, I doubt if the majority of Britons even really know that July 4th celebrates the USA’s independence from Britain.

I don’t think you’re giving the British public enough credit either. I’m pretty sure most know what Independance Day is about.

[Lobsang]

@Colophon

And in any case, those that do know are hardly likely to take offence. I mean, come on, this was in seventeen-mumblety-mumble. Now that the Queen Mum and Barbara Cartland are dead, there’s nobody left who was around then.

As others said, we know, but we don’t know the details. One detail I heard, can you confirm, that After America gained it’s independence britain wanted to be alies almost immediately and America obliged.

[Miller]

@Lobsang

As others said, we know, but we don’t know the details. One detail I heard, can you confirm, that After America gained it’s independence britain wanted to be alies almost immediately and America obliged.

I don’t know about “immediately.” We did have that war in 1812, after all, which was almost forty years after independence.

[OtakuLoki]

@Miller

I don’t know about “immediately.” We did have that war in 1812, after all, which was almost forty years after independence.

Minor nitpick here. While we uppity colonials declared independance in 1776, the motherland didn’t accept reality until the Treaty of Paris was signed in 1783, it’s only 30 years after they accepted independance. (And the casus belli for the war of 1812 certainly leaves room for doubt about how… sincere His Majesty’s government was about accepting that.)
Hey, I did say it was a minor nitpick, right?

[Fish]

@AngelicGemma

I don’t think you’re giving the British public enough credit either. I’m pretty sure most know what Independance Day is about.

It was that one time when the aliens invaded and blew up the White House and Jeff Goldblum turned into a fly and gave them all the common cold, after which one of the aliens died, but then he came back to life and they ran away from the cops on those flying bicycles.

Meanwhile, pursued by the Empire’s sinister agents, Princess Leia races home aboard her starship, custodian of the stolen plans that can save her people and restore freedom to the galaxy…

[owlstretchingtime]

@Celyn

Eventually I think Scotland will have an independence day…

Something to guarantee joyous celebrations either side of Hadrian’s Wall.

[Arch_Trout]

@Fish

It was that one time when the aliens invaded and blew up the White House and Jeff Goldblum turned into a fly and gave them all the common cold, after which one of the aliens died, but then he came back to life and they ran away from the cops on those flying bicycles.

Meanwhile, pursued by the Empire’s sinister agents, Princess Leia races home aboard her starship, custodian of the stolen plans that can save her people and restore freedom to the galaxy…

Nice work.
That’s exactly it.