It's fun having a Queen. Even if she's really just a figurehead, and not really even this country's figurehead. But for this weekend, we're celebrating the Queen's Birthday -- that is, the Queen of England -- by getting Monday off. (I could go into the whole commonwealth/republic explanation about Australia vis a vis England, but (a) I only superficially understand it, (b) most Australians only superficially understand it and (c) whatever the explanation is, rational thought is rarely considered. So there's really no point.)Beyond the day off of work, there are a couple of things that I especially love about this public holiday.* First, they don't even get a day off for the Queen's birthday in England! The motherland! What's that??!? And second, June 9 is absolutely not the Queen's birthday, for the current Queen (Elizabeth II) was born on April 21, 1926! But since 1936 (at least in Australia), the "Queen's Birthday" has been celebrated on the second Monday in June. And whenever Chaz gets his shot on the throne (if that ever happens), it'll become the "King's Birthday."
*And this very much falls into the Columbus/Presidents Day school of public holidays, i.e. not the holidays that you're kinda sorta supposed to commemorate but don't, but the holidays that are just there. They have zero substance. The Fluff holidays, if you will.
None of it makes sense, but I could care less. Threeeee daaaayyyyy weekennnnndddd!
No comments:
Post a Comment