falls on a friday this year.

now, since when are there federal holidays on fridays? don't they usually push them back to the following monday? is veterans day different somehow? has this happened every year and i just never noticed till now?

i'm confused! 'splain, lucy!

But MLK's birthday and presidents day, for instance, are also specific dates, no? and are nevertheless pushed along to the following monday? and yet veterans day is not. It befuddles my dumb cracker mind.

MLK's birthday & presidents day both have specific dates, but roving observed-on dates. Veterans day is always observed on Nov. 11, just like Christmas is always observed on Dec. 25, or Independence day is always officially observed on July 4. Those holidays that have observed-on days different from the actual dates of occurrence(always occur on Friday or Monday) are just a way for some people to have a 3-day weekend.

It's because Veteran's Day is a specific date (11-11).


The 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month.

Because of course that's when the armistice treaty was signed stopping hostilities on the Western Front.

Also called Armistice day.

falls on a friday this year.

now, since when are there federal holidays on fridays? don't they usually push them back to the following monday? is veterans day different somehow? has this happened every year and i just never noticed till now?

i'm confused! 'splain, lucy!




I think it is because of what Alchoholica said. It is not only observed in the U.S.




Cat

yeah, the armistice thing makes sense. I rather suspected the numerology of 11/11 was somehow pertinent.

Anyway, thanks for defuddling my cracker mind, yall.

I think it is because of what Alchoholica said. It is not only observed in the U.S.


Correct.

In most places it just has the name Armistice Day. I like that name better.

i think president's day used to be george washington's birthday.

i think president's day used to be george washington's birthday.



Lincoln's birthday was on the 12th and George's birthday was on the 22nd so they decided to combine the 2 (since we had a NEW holiday MLK's birthday). We can't have too many holidays can we?  ::)  The U.S. has less federal holidays (9) than any other country in the "western world".




Cat

I prefer holidays to remain on specific dates rather than shift them around to make a long weekend.  Whether you call it Veteran's Day or Armistice Day, I think it's important to at least remember why we're observing it on 11/11.  Otherwise it's, "Oh, another three-day weekend."  What if they made Independence Day the first Monday in July instead of the the Fourth of July?
:D
Unfortunately, now you've got towns doing the parades and fireworks on the whatever day in the first week is convenient.  When I was a kid, if the Fourth was a Wednesday, you celebrated on the Fourth because it was the Fourth, not on July 6th because that date was a Friday!  And if it rained on the Fourth, tough apples! 
Incidentally, I wish people would call it "Independence Day" not the "Fourth of July." 

I think it also stinks what happened with Halloween.  When I was a kid, Halloween was October 31st.  Period.  And you went Trick-or-Treating after dark.  If it rained, make a water-proof costume.  Now you've got towns doing Trick-or-Treat on, say, Saturday, October 29th in th broad frikkin' daylight!  Lame-o!

I prefer holidays to remain on specific dates rather than shift them around to make a long weekend.  Whether you call it Veteran's Day or Armistice Day, I think it's important to at least remember why we're observing it on 11/11.  Otherwise it's, "Oh, another three-day weekend."  What if they made Independence Day the first Monday in July instead of the the Fourth of July?
:D
Unfortunately, now you've got towns doing the parades and fireworks on the whatever day in the first week is convenient.  When I was a kid, if the Fourth was a Wednesday, you celebrated on the Fourth because it was the Fourth, not on July 6th because that date was a Friday!  And if it rained on the Fourth, tough apples! 
Incidentally, I wish people would call it "Independence Day" not the "Fourth of July." 

I think it also stinks what happened with Halloween.  When I was a kid, Halloween was October 31st.  Period.  And you went Trick-or-Treating after dark.  If it rained, make a water-proof costume.  Now you've got towns doing Trick-or-Treat on, say, Saturday, October 29th in th broad frikkin' daylight!  Lame-o!



Actually, we should be celebrating Independence Day on July 2nd. The Second Continental Congress voted to adopt Virgina's resolution (brought forth by Richard Henry Lee): Resolved, That these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent States, that they are absolved from all allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain is, and ought to be, totally dissolved.



Cat

Actually, we should be celebrating Independence Day on July 2nd. The Second Continental Congress voted to adopt Virgina's resolution (brought forth by Richard Henry Lee): Resolved, That these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent States, that they are absolved from all allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain is, and ought to be, totally dissolved.



Cat


(I do tend to split hairs, and admit to chip on my shoulder so here goes)
Unless, of course you are a descendant of slaves, then maybe December 6 (1965) when the 13th Amendment was ratified would be much more appropriate. 

My father calls it Armistice Day.  He is a vet of both Korea and Vietnam and had deep feelings about the day.  The only time I ever see him get teary eyed is when he talks about what others have done for our country.

My father calls it Armistice Day.  He is a vet of both Korea and Vietnam and had deep feelings about the day.  The only time I ever see him get teary eyed is when he talks about what others have done for our country.


my grandfather on my mother's side flew bombers in WWII and korea. he never talks about it. my mom thinks it messed him up, thinking about all those civilians who were killed in all that bombing. howard zinn, antiwar activist, was a bombardier in WWII and he talks a lot about that -- how easy it is not to think about the human cost when you're in the air, staring through a sight, and how much it haunts you later.

My dad repaired planes.  He wasn't involved in any actual fighting.  He doesn't talk about it much either, but he will talk.

My grandfather, on the other hand, hardly talked about it at all.  He was a Marine.  He was at the flag raising on Iwo Jima.  He even got a purple heart.  He was shot in the behind.  His favorite joke was the picture he had of the beach where he was wounded.  He would ask if you wanted to see where he got shot. :lol

My dad took part in the invasion of Normandy, several actions in the Caribbean, and in the English Channal before the invasion (they got a unit citation for rescuing ditching pilots off Cherborg).  I honor and respect his service and that of so many others, and especially those who did not return to sire sons and daughters.  I must object, however, to Lil' Georie and his buddies Cheney, Rumsfeld et al, who used connections to get out of service in Vietnam using this solom day to slam legitimate critisizm of their misguided war and their total mishandling of it.  Honor our fallen, and keep your lies

  OUT

of our celebration.

I must object, however, to Lil' Georie and his buddies Cheney, Rumsfeld et al, who used connections to get out of service in Vietnam using this solom day to slam legitimate critisizm of their misguided war and their total mishandling of it.  Honor our fallen, and keep your lies

  OUT

of our celebration.


yeah, that was LAME. something like the 1000th misguided and cynical attempt by the administration to pull out of their tailspin. And just like all the rest of em, it actually ended up making him look WORSE.

Honoring American Veterans isn't something that comes naturally to this administration.
(Max Clelland, John McCain, John Kerry)

My father calls it Armistice Day.  He is a vet of both Korea and Vietnam and had deep feelings about the day.  The only time I ever see him get teary eyed is when he talks about what others have done for our country.


I grew up calling it Armistice Day and still use that quite often, then have to explain it.  I put out a few
flags, and call a good friend who is a Viet Vet to say hello.  It is a hard day for him,

My dad took part in the invasion of Normandy, several actions in the Caribbean, and in the English Channal before the invasion (they got a unit citation for rescuing ditching pilots off Cherborg).  I honor and respect his service and that of so many others, and especially those who did not return to sire sons and daughters.  I must object, however, to Lil' Georie and his buddies Cheney, Rumsfeld et al, who used connections to get out of service in Vietnam using this solom day to slam legitimate critisizm of their misguided war and their total mishandling of it.  Honor our fallen, and keep your lies

  OUT

of our celebration.



I wouldn't say that Veterans Day should be "celebrated". I say it should be "observed".  But I agree with you, Dubya shouldn't have used it for a forum to denounce his critics.



Cat

Here in Canada, we call it Remembrance Day

Here in Canada, we call it Remembrance Day


Same here. Anyone wearing (or was wearing) a poppy on Friday?

Same here. Anyone wearing (or was wearing) a poppy on Friday?

When is "Poppy Day" again?

Here in Canada, we call it Remembrance Day


In the UK there has been a move recently to observe both Armistice Day (with a minutes silence at 11 o'clock on 11th November) and Remembrance Sunday which is always the second Sunday in November.  In my town there is a parade of veterans, TA, uniformed youth groups, etc to the local war memorial where a service is held.  This includes a minutes silence at 11 o'clock.  Standing at the war memorial, which is a huge tower, with everyone silent and the poppy petals falling from the tower brings a tear to most people's eyes I think.