Today Canadians celebrate Victoria Day which commemorates Queen Victoria’s birthday. I suspect most Canadians do not know or care what the day commemorates. The traditional way to celebrate the day (or more often the whole weekend) is to head to a cottage or campground and drink oneself into oblivion. For this reason the holiday has become known as “May two four” for most people (since the day of the Queen’s birthday is May 24). The long weekend concludes with fireworks displays sometime after dark. As teenagers we used to drive around shooting roman candles out the windows of our cars.
I know almost nothing about Queen Victoria other than the fact that it seems she wore black all her life and I have no interest in getting drunk today. What I do know is that Victoria has provided Canadians with a great excuse to take a day off. I am spending the day assembling bunk beds, going to a potluck/picnic and just generally not working. I laugh at all the Americans who have to work today, realizing that you will be laughing at me next Monday when you have your day off.
