Copying Holidays and Red-letter Days
 

So are any of your countries copying the holidays/red-letter days of other countries?

I'm asking because mine is and I'm wondering if Denmark is the only one. For the past 5 years or so the post offices has started to sell Valentine's cards on Valentine's day and Halloween cards on Halloween and some of the stores decorate their windows with special items from both holidays. The reason for this is of course profit which only pisses me off even more.

I don't see you people celebrate Fastelavn, Morten's aften (=Morten's evening) or Store Bededag (=big praying day) and why would you?! These are Danish red-letter days with deep roots in the history of my country and our customs and have therefore nothing to do with any countries abroad.

It's not only the motive of profit that annoys me. It's that it takes away a bit of the magic of other counties. Valentine's Day, Halloween and Thanksgiving is what makes America extra special and interesting. Ireland has Saint Patrick's Day and the Italians have La Befana. They will all seem less interesting if we all started celebrating them wouldn't you agree?

St Patrick's day is probably bigger in Boston than in Ireland.
Halloween is an old English event.
Cinco de Mayo? Spanish/south American.


When you consider that America really only has dates of wars to celebrate due to a lack of history compared to Europe, I guess they have to adopt the ones used by the countries from which their ancestors came from. (Sorry yanks, I couldn't help but twist the knife. ;) )

It's funny to see July 4th being bandied about by the media over here in the UK now.

We're also starting to get in on the more ethnic ceebrations in the UK now too. Diwali and other Asian celebrations. Notting hill carnival is very Carribean in origin.

WHAT?! Halloween isn't originally an American celebration?! Interesting!

Australia have never taken any notice of Halloween and Thanksgiving, but do celebrate Valentines Day. Well....those of us who are that way inclined do. We also do St. Pats Day in certain circles, mainly 'cos we have a large Irish population here. Plus it's a good excuse for a piss-up.

I know that there is a small village somewhere In Australia with Danish immegrants. I wonder if they've started spreading the word of Fastelavn, Morten's aften and Store Bededag?! I'm sure they are. Mark my words Ella... soon you're gonna be celebrating our red-letter days as well :p :cool:

http://www.pumpkinnook.com/hween/origin.htm
Jack O'Lantern:
http://pumpkinnook.com/facts/jack.htm

Oh, and sorry. When I say english, I'm commonly referring to the british Isles. It's an annoying Imperialist habit I have. ;)

It's been noted.
Although Halloween is an engish rooted event - trick or treating is an american addition to the holiday (and I hate it) st patricks day is the huge event it is because it's pretty much sponored and marketed by guinness.

interesting facts WillyPete! Thanks!

As it spread throughout Europe I wonder why Scandinavians didn't start celebrating Halloween as well :hmm:

We do that as well in Denmark but we call it "at rasle". Since at rasle isn't inspired by the English way ours is a little different; we rasler during daylight, we sing and we ask for money instead of candy :thumbsup:

every one should celebrate....annual beer drinking day ........with us Canadians....


it's easy.....just pick any day of any month.........crack open a wobbly pop and celebrate.......


i know you could pull it off Nancy. :D

something new every day.... :cool:

Growing emphasis on other holidays doesn't bother me so much as manufactured holidays such as Sweetest Day. I *hate* manufactured holidays. Almost as much as I hate holidays whose meaning has been usurped so much it may as well BE a manufactured holiday (see Christmas, et al).

I predict that in 10 years, there will be two separate holidays. There will be Xmas, the celebration of winter, gift giving, and snowmen, and it will be moved to the last Monday in December. Then there will be the Birth of Christ, a simple religious holiday occurring on December 25.

We got the Valentine and Halloween thing in Sweden too, but it has peaked and isn't marketed as fiercly as a few years ago. Also, Halloween keeps getting mixed up with All Saints Eve that is a big event celebrated the first Saturday of November, when you go out to the family graves and decorate them with flowers and candles. I'd say 90% thinks Halloween is the same day.

I don't think Halloween and Valentine's Day will ever have the same status as traditional Swedish holidays though, because there is no special pastries connected with that day. In Sweden, if it doesn't have a pastry, it's not important. Off my head I can list these days:
February 5 - Runeberg Pastry (don't forget to recite from Ensign Steel)
Fat Tuesday - Semla
March 25 - Waffles
June 6- National Day Pastry
Midsummer - fresh strawberry cake
July 14 - Princess Cake
Women's week- eat different cake six days in row
November 6- Gustav Adolf-Pastry
December 10 - the fanciest ice cream you can afford
December 13 - lussebulle and gingersnaps

Please note that those who eats semla outside of Fat Tuesday will be the first against the wall when the revolution comes. Savages.

:lol: of course I can!

You know, we already have two annual drinking days in Denmark as I've mentioned before. P-day and J-day :D :thumbsup:

in asia, valentine\'s day and christmas are big occasions for the young crowds and good opportunities for retailers. even though the majority are not as religious, people just enjoy \"excuses\" for any celebration. also, these two holidays fit nicely into the holiday schedule: christmas, then new year, then the chinese new year (chinese lunar calendar 1/1, normally in end jan. and early feb.), and then valentine\'s day. the merrier, the better i guess.

Pretty much all of Canada's holidays are stolen. Given the time of year, it would be prudent to mention Thanksgiving as one of them. :) Aside from Canada Day and a few of the days relating to the World Wars and such, such as Remembrance Day, all of our holidays (that I know of) originated somewhere else.