It's Not The 4th Of July....
This is not intended to offend anyone but to clarify.
The 4th of July is a date no different than December 25th or November 11th. Those dates and others are special holidays. We celebrate Independence Day, Veteran's Day, Memorial Day and others, not dates. We don't wish someone a "Merry December 25th" for example.
I'll get off my high horse but just trying to get folks to remember what we celebrate or commemorate on our various holidays. Not dates but special days that have history and meaning.
A late Happy Independence Day to all!
and a Canadian example...
North of the 49th parallel, we have a good example of a holiday, mostly now just called by its calendar date name, and for which many are unaware of what it truly stands for, or why. It's our "24th of May" holiday.
Originally, it was known as "Victoria Day", in honour of that long-reigning Queen's birthday. But, since she's been dead and gone for more than a century, and there have been at least 5 Monarchs since, male and female, it is currently celebrated as "the Queen's Birthday" (Elizabeth II). Truth is that her actual birthday falls on 21 April, but we continue to use the day originally set aside for Victoria. Are you confused yet??
Even stranger still, while Victoria was born on the actual 24th of May, 1819, the holiday is usually taken on the Monday closest to and preceding that actual date - - so it's kind of a 'moveable feast', as far as date goes (anywhere from the 18th to 24th), but still commonly referred to as the "24th of May", and you can count on getting that Monday off (as a statutory holiday), no matter its number. Still with me??
In the end, really only staunch monarchists care much about the reasons 'why' anymore. Most younger folks, into the first great party weekend of Canadian springtime, typically refer to it as "May Two-Four" weekend. Younger males especially seem to believe it was named for our regular size of case of beer (24 bottles), copious quantities of which are traditionally consumed. Most are seen leaving the local Beer Store on the preceding Friday afternoon happily saying "got my 'two-four' for the holiday".
So, what's behind this holiday's name???.... A good drunk; that's what!!