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In my last post, I may have given the impression that I am anti-Fathers Day. I’m really not. I’m pretty much against all the current holidays. There are too many of them, nobody knows or cares what they mean anymore, and they are all too commercialized. President’s Day is now about selling cars. Do you know how many American Presidents my daughter in high school can name? Obama and George Washington. I’m afraid to ask her what the 4th of July is really about.
My pre-schooler knows what holidays are about. Presents. She was ticked off all Father’s Day because she was told there is no such thing as “Kid’s Day.”
Fortunately, I’m pretty convinced that within the next fifty years she will be running at least this country, if not the whole world. As her chief adviser, one of the first things I plan to propose is a complete overhaul of the holiday system. All “obligation” holidays like Valentine’s day will be gone. Religious holidays will be left to the people that actually practice religion. We’ll leave Independence Day alone, and four new holidays will be created. Three day weekends will be increased to four.
1. In February of 1678, Boston became the first city in America to institute a paid fire company. On March 1st, 1961, John F Kennedy established the Peace Corps. I propose the last Friday in February be called Public Service Day. We don’t need to celebrate the birthdays of dead presidents or guilt anyone into buying roses or chocolates. We need to appreciate our police officers and everyone else that devotes their lives to our public safety and the improvement of the lives of others.
2. Armed Forces Day will be moved to June 6, in honor of the thousands of lives lost during the Normandy landing in 1944. I don’t think we need separate Memorial and Veterans Days. Every man and woman that dons the uniform knows that they could potentially be called upon to make the ultimate sacrifice for their country. We should be honoring our dead, but also should be doing more to honor and respect all those that serve.
3. There are no harvests to be celebrated anymore, and no factual basis for the Pilgrim – Native American dinner story that we all know, so I’m moving the entire Thanksgiving holiday to September 11. I can think of no better day to gather with family and friends to celebrate all of life’s blessings. This is day when we are reminded that tomorrow isn’t promised to any of us. I’m keeping a day set aside for appreciation.
4. On November 19, 1963, Abraham Lincoln gave the Gettysburg Address, one of the greatest and most important speeches in American history. He talked about a “new birth of freedom” and re-affirmed the principle that America was built on the proposition of “all men created equal.” Our last holiday of the year should be Diversity Day.
What do you think? Five holidays spread out throughout the year. Four days off from work for each one.
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This post was previously published on www.thirstydaddy.com and is republished here with permission from the author.
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