Monday, August 27, 2012

Getting Creative with Holidays

Happy Monday, everyone! Here in the UK, it's the August Bank Holiday Weekend, which entitles us to one day off before plunging headlong into back-to-school, the Paralympics, and general September goodness.

I have to say, calling long weekends 'Bank Holidays' cracks me up. Is there really not a better name to celebrate a day off? When I first moved here, I remember asking people, 'But why is it a holiday?' I'd get a shrug accompanied by the very unsatisfying answer: 'Because the banks are closed.'

But why are the banks closed, I wanted to scream (but didn't -- I was already getting the British equivalent of the evil eye: the poker face). I need a reason to party, damn it!

So I've come up with my own handy-dandy names for bank holidays throughout the year:

Official Name                                Official Talli Roland Name                         
Early May Bank Holiday                  The long weekend in early May when it rains; 
                                               OR: The Maypole Capering Holiday
                       
Spring Bank Holiday                        The long weekend in Spring when it rains;
                                               OR: The Drink Outside Without Freezing Holiday

Summer Bank Holiday                     The long weekend in Summer when it rains;
                                               OR: Get Off Yer Head Before Summer Ends Holiday

And while I may not be able to get off my head at the moment, with the Notting Hill Carnival on just down the street, at least I can now party with ample justification! 

What would you rename your favourite holiday?

58 comments:

  1. *giggles* Sometimes I forget you aren't British! I much prefer your holiday name choices, and you're right, it does always rain!

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  2. LOL! I'm sorry it always rains on your long weekends! This makes me think of Labor Day holiday, which is *next* weekend for us over here across the pond.

    Hmm... what would I call it. I guess following your lead, it's pretty much always the weekend when a hurricane is/has been recently in the Gulf Coast weekend. Not great, but definitely rainy! :D <3

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  3. When I lived in Brighton I'd have called this Bank Holiday 'Avoid the beach, all the Londoners have invaded' holiday!

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  4. Are you saying it rains all the time? They need a holiday for when it doesn't!

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  5. I'm not thinking about holiday stuff, I just want to let you know that I like your new profile pic. You look groomed for success.

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  6. I have been confused about your bank holidays. Until now, I thought you guys wanted to celebrate your banks a few times a year.

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  7. I love it! I didn't realise today was a bank holiday until last friday. I'd booked a week and a half off work to go on holiday, came back and found out I had an extra day off! Score!

    I'd rename this holiday "The last time you'll see kids roaming the streets before they get sent back to youth prison (school)"

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  8. What about Boxing Day? That's a Bank Holiday especially for returning all those unwanted/wrong sized/unpleasant Christmas presents to the shops! And it usually rains then,too. Or snows. But it's useful because otherwise we'd probably forget and end up keeping those awful Jingle Bells sweaters and drawer liners and things.

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  9. You forgot New Year's Day Bank Holiday - or 'Hangover Day.'
    As a teacher Early Spring Bank Holiday was 'Hurray, a day off school' holiday.'
    Spring Bank Holiday was part of half-term break. I like your version:-)
    Summer Bank Holiday was 'Oh, no, back to school soon' day. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed my job (sometimes, no, most of the time) but now I'm retired every day's a holiday! (Believe it if you like;-))

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  10. Hee hee, "Bank" Holiday being the confusing factor but oh so true, and the damn things used to be closed by 4 of afternoon. I remember when shops were not allowed to open on Sundays, and towns had official half-day-a-week closing days (Wed/Thur) and some businesses i.e hairdressers, barbers and other shut up shop on Saturday afternoons.

    Worse, back in the good old days on summer bank holiday people queued to enter Cornwall. Devon became a tailback zone and "let's have a picnic", literally, on the roadside not uncommon! Brighton beach was akin to a human sardine tin when viewed from the air. But we had sun back then. British Summers now? Bloody awful. ;)

    Holiday 24/7 Tesco is the new bank holiday.

    best
    F

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  11. ''Time spent with Lovely Husband'' Holiday! Yes?

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  12. Oh that is just too funny! How about (since it's a bank holiday)
    "My Fingers are Sore from Counting Your Money" Holiday.

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  13. My birthday is my favourite holiday!! Yay!!

    Take care
    x

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  14. It's a bit of a different schedule regarding 'Bank Holidays' here in Scotland. This one, at the end of August, we prefer to use up on the 2nd January to give us a wee bit of extra help to get over Hogmanay. Very sensible indeed in my opinion. :)

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  15. Lol! Let's see...I would name the day after Christmas..."family overload - let's get loaded day" ;-) Cheers to your holiday!

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  16. Delightful!

    So what is the August one called
    The long weekend before Autumn when it rains
    OR
    It's back to the grindstone so suck it up

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  17. And there was I thinking you were about to say Bank Holiday equals raining again! LOL!

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  18. We refer to Halloween, Christmas, Valentine's Day and Easter as "the chocolate holidays." Easter is always a little sad because it's the last of the chocolate holidays until Halloween.

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  19. This is hilarious! I see Bank Holiday (UK) on the calendar and never understand it. This gave me an understanding of what is a Bank Holiday. Thanks, Talli!

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  20. Well, you've got to admit that calling them "Stat Holidays" like we do in Canada isn't much better. What's taking a holiday here- the statistics department?
    And hey, thanks for finally educating me on the August Bank Holiday! I always equated it with our August Long Weekend, the first weekend in August; but it's really the equivalent of Labour Day, on which we celebrate, umm, not labouring? Oh, I know, we celebrate having all the little children get back to labouring in school. Which is just a bit sadistic, when you think of it.

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  21. This is fun! Enjoy the Noting Hill Carnival! What a lovely place! Julie

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  22. In true bank holiday style it's been raining here pretty much all day! And dark? aren't the evenings drawing in again?

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  23. Enjoy your vague holiday, Talli! ;)

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  24. LOL! Always wondered what the bank holiday was all about.

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  25. I don't really have a favorite holiday, but I'd rename Christmas as the Cut in Front of Me in Line and I'll Pull Your Hair Holiday. And I'd rename Halloween as the My Love of Candy is Being Validated Holiday.

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  26. Hee,hee. Our worst public holiday name is " Day after New Year's Day" - has a ring to it, don't you think .... Have a great week!

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  27. I suppose Labor Day makes as much sense as a bank holiday. It's not like there are parades and rallies...it's a day off, last big long weekend of summer, sales, and bbqs. Not that I'm complaining...I love a long weekend!

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  28. I couldn't help quirking an eyebrow at the fact each of those holidays involved "long weekends when it rains". But at least you can get your party on, whether rain or shine.

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  29. So, bank holidays really are just days when the banks are closed? Interesting.

    Hope you enjoy your day, regardless. :)

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  30. I would rename Thanksgiving 'The Day Mom Works 24 Hours While Everyone Else Feasts and Naps.' And it also rains.

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  31. Tee hee. Love your renamed holidays.

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  32. Okay, you came up with some really creative renames!

    Hope you have a great day!

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  33. I do find those Bank Holidays a really odd notion over on that side of the pond...

    Here we've got Labor Day coming up, of course. Which to a student is like the last glance at freedom of a condemned man about to go to prison for a long time.

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  34. I'm sensing a wet theme to the bank holidays. I don't know where you get that idea from. Honestly I don't *watches nose grow*

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  35. HAHAHA I love the Talli Roland versions! Rather true, too. Ahhh bank holidays are brilliant.

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  36. I call the 2nd one in May (AKA Whitsun) a waste! They need to move it to October which has been talked about to spread out the holidays.
    This one is August is my fave as it's (currently, see above) the last one before Christmas!

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  37. I don't think I could be as creative as you with names but I agree it's silly to still call them bank holidays.

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  38. Here's the thing, Talli. When you're handed a gift, you don't question it - take it and run! That's the British attitude to bank holidays.

    On a serious note, there were four original bank holidays that corresponded to religious holidays - Mayday, Good Friday, All Saints day and Christmas Day. A parliamentary act was passed in 1871 by banker John Lubbock to make these national holidays. The English people were so happy about it they called the holidays Lubbock days after him but in time they became known as bank holidays since he was a banker too.

    Plus, when the banks are closed it makes it practically impossible for anyone else to do any work either. So a bank holiday makes sense in that way too. Nowaway, most national holidays are called bank holidays, not just the original four.

    Jai

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  39. I like YOUR themes, Talli! ; D)

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  40. Well, I like your names and I think with the right marketing, they just might catch on. You never know. :)

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  41. I'm so jealous about the holidays in the UK. Oh, but I so want to sell lots of books there. If I could have a following that would give me an excuse to fly over to see my best friend. I miss her dearly. :(

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  42. Here in New Zealand we call them "public holidays" and I've always wondered why the Brits focus on the banks being closed. We don't really "celebrate" in except for ANZAC day, which commemorates war veterans, and even then most people just watch the national ceremony on TV if anything. We don't do "holidays" like in North America. Christmas is really the one only that everyone actually does something for. I remember when we were in Canada on holiday over Waitangi Day (which celebrates the founding document of our country). We were asked how we celebrate it, and we were confused. "Uh... we have a day off work!"

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  43. I like your names, too, Talli. Has it rained every bank holiday? It certainly seems to - and it didn't stop here on Monday!

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  44. I wish we had bank holidays in the U.S.!!!

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  45. I like your holiday names MUCH better!!!

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  46. Fabulous post, I love your definition of bank holidays in the rain, lol. I'd rename Christmas Day, Never Sit Down Day.

    CJ x

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  47. So, I guess it rains a lot. :)

    End of May -- might still snow but the observatory opens holiday.

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  48. Hehe, excellent naming. You know, I visited my sister last spring and can you believe I got the one ENTIRE week when it was sunny every single day? I'm still pinching myself. Hope you enjoyed (are enjoying) the festival!

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  50. I would rename holidays Family Time or Stay Home Time. I hate going out during holidays and dodging all those drunk drivers that fill the roads. Stay home and drink, people. Like me.

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  51. I just lurve your holiday titles! Here in the Canaries - all holidays are fiesta days! Much better than bank holidays.

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  52. LOL! I love those. I'm pretty sure they're holidays because some government official wanted the day off. But hey, I'm glad they are regardless!

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  53. What about Another Rainy Day? Is that too simple.

    Check out my new book cover on my blog.

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  54. I didn't know the British equiv to the evil eye was the poker face. I love it when I learn something new. ;)

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  55. Hi Talli! Sorry I've been away so long. I hope all is well!

    I love the idea of calling it "Maypole Capering Holiday"! My anniversary is May 01. Now I can give it a more fun and inventive name like this :) These were funny!

    Cheers,
    Jen

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  56. Hahaha, love your names :-)

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  57. Love your suggestions. We should get at least one day off a month, for starters. But I desperately need a Guilt Free Read All Day Holiday.

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Coffee and wine for all!