I see here in my handy-dandy Day Runner, that Monday, Aug 26 is “Summer Bank Holiday” in the UK? Why is there this holiday? Are other businesses and government agencies closed on this day? Does everyone get the day off to go gather with family and friends? I see also that Ireland is left out of the festivities until October 28’s “October Bank Holiday.”
Do we give or get gifts???
http://www.takeourword.com/TOW135/page2.html
“The term started out referring to days when banks (in the U.K.) were closed so that bank employees could have a holiday. Before 1834, banks observed 33 days a year as bank holidays, and these were mostly saints’ days and the typical church holidays like Christmas and Easter. In 1834, however, bank workers had most of those taken away such that the only holidays left were Good Friday, May 1st, November 1st, and Christmas Day. Yet, someone felt for the poor bank workers, so that in 1871, Sir John Lubbock’s Act was passed, naming the following as bank holidays in England and Ireland: Easter Monday, Whit Monday, the first Monday in August, and Boxing Day (December 26). In Scotland they got New Year’s Day, May Day, the first Monday in August, and Christmas Day. These holidays came to be appropriated by non-bank workers, but the term had already stuck.”
And no, you don’t get gifts.
Well, in that case, enjoy your day off. Except that 8/26 is the last Monday in August. I see Scotland and Ireland had their day on 8/5, the first Monday.
Have a great holiday. Too bad about the gifts, though.
It’s on Monday. It’s now Friday afternoon. The pubs are open.
God is in his heaven, and Owl will soon be off for a long weekend.
A few years ago the August Bank Holiday was changed from the first to the last Monday in August. Because this is the last public holiday before Christmas there are plans to bridge this gap by having an extra one in October. Trafalgar day has been suggested - that should annoy our French neighbours !
That’s two good reasons I can think of.
And being a public servant I also get the Queen’s birthday off. Which is nice.
[minor hijack I read in a book of anecdotes]
Once, several years ago, Prince Charles was touring in a commonwealth country (Oz?) and had been hoping to go to some official function. When he got there he was informed by his hosts that they were sorry, but it wasn’t going on this week because of a bank holiday.
“Another bank holiday?” replied the Prince, disappointed. “What’s this one for?”
“Uh, well, over here we like to call it the Queen’s birthday.”
[/hijack]
–Cliffy
Compared to the rest of Europe we get fewer public holidays. We miss out on some of the religious ones and , because we have not been invaded or occupied we don’t get Liberation or Independance days. Under the EU Working Time Directive all employees are now entitled to 20 days paid leave. A report published today by a trade union has stated that some tight-fisted companies are including the 8 Bank Holidays as part of this entitlement instead of having them as extras. I am lucky I get 33 day’s leave plus the 8 Bank Holidays.
This would be roughly similar to “federal” holidays in the USA.
That was my assumption about these bank holidays. The thing that strikes me as odd is that the holiday seems entirely contrived (not that that should make it any less worthy). US national holidays are declared due to some national event such as Independence Day, to commemorate a movement, such as the upcoming Labor Day, or to honor a citizen, such as President’s Day or MLK Day.
The UK bank holidays seem to be simply “Okay, let’s close the banks today.” At any rate, I hope all our friends across the pond enjoy their long weekend. Ours (in US and Canada (Labor Day and Labour Day, respectively))comes up next weekend.
Still think presents would be a great idea, though!
Is anyone else from the US thinking that they really need to move?
Most of our Bank Holidays are not realy contrived. Christmas Day , Boxing Day ( Dec. 26th.) New Year’s Day , Good Friday and Easter Mondaycan be tagged to something definate. The last Monday in May as its origins in Whitsun ( 7th Sunday after Easter ) . This used to vary the same as Easter but a few years ago it was decided to fix it in its present position . The first Monday in May is a “Labour Day” that is also taken in most of Europe. Thus the only "contrived "one is August Bank Holiday. If any of the Christmas and New Year holidays happen at the week-end then the Bank Holiday moves to the following Monday/ Tuesday.
Russia has its May Day celebrations where it parades its (snigger) military might (well ok once we watched and crapped ourselves) The USA has its Independence Day celebrations where it celebrates the birth of a proud nation (snigger) and the Uk, erm closes its banks. Ho-hum. I remember Michael Moore raising the same point and I agree, Something like Trafalgar Day would be nice.
The problem with a Trafalgar Day is that it would have to be in October. Which would you prefer, a day off work in October or one in August? This is the big advantage of picking a date for reasons other than historical significance; it can be one on which there is at least a remote chance of the weather being nice (as indeed it is this weekend). One complication about using other dates during the summer would be that many of these clash with traditional local holidays such as the Glasgow fair week.
It’s an interesting issue. When last I looked, average US incomes were still slightly higher than those for comparable occupations in Europe but, taking national and average annual holidays into account balanced things out…and that was before France went to a 35 hours week.
http://www.brook.edu/dybdocroot/fp/cusf/analysis/workweek.htm
“Debates over the impact of the 35 hour work week are likely to persist long into the future. Ultimately, whether or not the move will help or hurt France’s economy will depend on whether new labor flexibility can create enough productivity growth and wage restraint to offset the new labor costs associated with a shorter work week. But whatever the economic verdict, politically there is no question that the French government has succeeded in applying a complex, socially contentious, and economically ill-advised policy reform with unexpected elan.”
More work = more money = less play
But as I said above, the reason why Trafalgar Day might be chosen is to bridge that long gap between August Bank Holiday and Christmas Day.
Should cheer up the Spanish as we hit their beaches over the long ‘Nelson’ weekend 
This reminds me of the utterly mean pettiness of that nasty bitch Margaret Thatcher.
She was responsible for a temporary chage to out national holidays simply based upon blind and ignorant prejudice.
The first Monday in May is known as International Labour Day, we in the UK generally use the term Mayday, and for the overwhelming majority of Britons all it signifies is the beginning of summer and the chance to eat cucumber sandwiches inside a soggy marquee, ankle deep in mud.
Ms T decided that it had associations with Communism and instead replaced it with a poxy day off in October so that we could all be patriotic and celebrate Nelson’s victory at Trafalgar.
What it really meant was that we got soaked by colder rain.
She’s such an arrogant bitch!!