As we Americans all know, most of our single day observances are celebrated on a Monday; Columbus Day, Presidents’ Day, etc. In Illinois, Lincoln’s Birthday is celebrated on whatever day is actually his birthday. That’s understandable. However, Veterans’ Day is also celebrated on a specific day no matter what day of the week that is.
I Googled why and was surprised to see this:
" Congress signed the Uniform Holiday Bill in 1968 to ensure that a few federal holidays, like Veterans Day, would be celebrated on a Monday. This was to encourage more travel and family activities over the long weekend, so it may stimulate the economy."
So, now to my question. Why is it that Illinois has chosen to celebrate it like Lincoln’s birthday instead of like Columbus Day or Presidents’ Day? There seems to be no logic to it. I couldn’t find an answer via Google.
Veterans Day is always November 11th as WWI ended at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month. Can you cite that Illinois is doing something different? Or are you asking why Illinois is observing Veterans Day on the normal day that every other state observes it?
One quick check shows Winnebago County observing it on Nov 11th as is normal.
According to this list of Illinois State Holidays 2021, it is still 11 November.
Also fixed title as it is just Veterans Day, no apostrophe
So, are you saying that Google is incorrect when it says that Veterans’ Day" is included in the 1968 “Uniform Holiday Bill”, or are you saying that it is but states in general choose to ignore it and celebrate it on the 11th of November anyway?
I Googled: “Is Veterans’ Day part of the Uniform Holiday Bill?” and got this:
The Act was designed to increase the number of three-day weekends for federal employees, a favorite goal of the travel industry. Veterans Day was removed from this list of “always-on-Monday” holidays when it was moved back to its traditional date of November 11, by act of Congress in 1975, effective 1978.
Do you lot get a day off for Veterans/Remembrance Day? Lucky you, we just have to stand still in silence for two minutes, then go back to work (UK, and no, standing still in silence isn’t compulsory).
Wow, I find that surprising given the fact that the British went through way more in WWI than we did and, because of the incessant Nazi bombing, virtually everyone in the entire nation became, in effect, veterans.
This Thursday, when I am relaxed at home sipping my coffee, I will silently take note of your plight.
I’ll be the first to point out that you are confusing WW1 and WW2. WW2 involved Nazis and bombing. WW1 involved trench warfare and the advent of mechanised warfare. In most respects WW1 was the more horrible for the combatants. WW2 shifted the misery to the civilians in a range of awful ways. November the 11th commemorates WW1, but then adsorbs the other wars.
Here in Australia we celebrate ANZAC Day. It is also a holiday that is always celebrated on the defined date, and interestingly, if it falls on a weekend, there is usually no holiday that year at all. Whereas other holidays (such as new year’s day), if they fall on a weekend, the following Monday becomes a holiday.
To be fair, the Germans did bomb London pretty hard in WWI, nothing like the Blitz, but around 5000 civilians killed IRC. But yes, no Nazis and nothing like WWII.
Actually, no. I am fully aware that they were different wars, but I am also aware that “Veterans’ Day” is supposed to be an observance for ALL veterans, not just the veterans of WWI. If anyone believes that the veterans who died in WWI are somehow more important than the veterans who died in WWII, Korea, Vietnam, etc, please feel free to post those feelings now.
You read his post wrong. No one suggested veterans from one war were more important than another.
You associated Nazis with WWI and usually people think of the Blitz in WWII when it comes to bombing over the bombing campaign by the Germans in WWI. (that by the way included using airships)
Also Veterans day is about all Vets, not just those that died. It is only living Vets that get a free coffee from some places on Thursday. No WWI Vets left now.
Memorial Day is the day to remember those that died in war.
Those two minutes on Nov 11 are a time to reflect on all the people who died because the people in power decided that war was the best solution for whatever problem they had.
It is not confined to any individual conflict or to any country or nationality.
