National holidays in Canada. Unusual Canadian holidays

In Canada, as in all countries of the world, there are holidays, which are considered federal and provincial for certain regions. Some of them are official and "red" days in the calendar, when everyone is resting. Residents love when the national holidays of Canada fall on the weekend, and you get a mini-vacation or long weekend. Some of them are fixed for a certain date, for example, the New Year - January 1, and some of them are floating, like Easter or Good Friday, are the same as in Russia.

New Year

This holiday in Canada is not as beloved as in Russia and less fussy, because it takes place after Christmas, which is very carefully prepared and awaited. Most often the New Year is celebrated on the street with friends or relatives, they go to the square of the city where the concert is held. It ends with a bunch of chimes, and some of the residents go home, and some can go to the ice rink, where you can spend time with live music.

Canada Day Holiday

The main national day is July 1, because at that time in 1867 an act was signed on British North America, where the three provinces united into one and formed the state of Canada.

Governor Charles Stanley Monk urged all residents to celebrate this date, but it was not official until 1917. Until 1879, the holiday had a different name - Dominion Day, as it used to be called Canada.

Everything changed after the Second World War, when the government organized a special celebration, which was marked by the ceremony of carrying out the banner, and then a concert and fireworks were held.

October 27, 1982 the holiday was renamed and was named Canada Day. On July 1, every year there are such events as parades, festivals, carnivals, music concerts and salutes. The holidays and traditions of Canada are respected by the whole population, especially the moment when the oath of the citizen for the new resident is signed on the main square of the capital. There are no other standards, each provinces are considering their program.

A civil holiday in Canada

This is an interesting holiday, which does not have any historical, revolutionary background. It was created in the distant 19 century, only to not work on this day.

Even then, for the entire British Empire, the House of Commons legalized the day in early August as a bank holiday, and the well-known banker, politician, and archaeologist and biologist John Lubbock recommended that the day be considered "prudent and satisfactory."

Today, the first Monday of August is considered a Civil Holiday every year, although it differs by name depending on the province.

Christmas Eve and Christmas

In Canada, there are a lot of Catholics, for whom sacred festivals are important. On Christmas Eve, on Christmas Eve, everyone is preparing for the main holiday, when Jesus Christ was born. In the street everyone decorate with colorful lights, prepare gifts and buy food for dinner the next day. In the towns of Labrador and Newfoundland, fish are sold, and the money is distributed to the poor.

Catholic Christmas is one of the main and brightest holidays. After all, more than 77% of Christians live in the country, 43% of whom are Catholics. In the houses, in the main buildings and shops, set the Christmas trees, decorate the windows and the entrance to the house with Christmas wreaths. It's a holiday when relatives gather at a table, which you can not see for a whole year, but on this day all are united.

Good Friday, Easter, Easter Monday

Like Christmas - a holy holiday, so Good Friday is a very important time for Canadians. This is the darkest day that depends on the church calendar, and is officially considered a day off for the whole of Canada, as the government considers it important to enable Catholics and Protestants to focus on the sorrow for Jesus.

Traditionally, Catholics walk in dark clothes, blow out candles, close mirrors, do not get distracted by any matters and activities.

On Easter Sunday Easter comes, a feast to which even non-believers are preparing, thinking out how to set the table and decorate the house. The symbol is the Easter bunny, which is made in the form of a basket, and eggs and sweets are placed in it. This is a nationally beautiful national holiday of Canada, when people not only go to visit each other and to church, but also go to fairs, bazaars, where they sell tasty treats. On this day, they try to bring a special joy to the children: they decorate the house together, give gifts, go to church and eat sweets. However, in Canada there are two worldviews of this holiday - some harbor symbols such as a hare and colored eggs, and others - a candle and a fire.

The next day after Easter, ie Monday, is officially indicated as a day off, when people bless food and consecrate their home for the following year. But in reality only a few institutions do not work in this state holiday, yet the rest go to work.

National Holiday of Quebec

When the French began to settle in Canada, the religious festival of John the Baptist came along with them, which begins on June 23 and ends only the next day. Today this day is considered the Day of Franco-Canadian culture. Quebec is one of the largest "French" cities outside of France. French is native to 80% of the population.

The day of John the Baptist is a day of patriots, which arose in 1834, when one of the publishers of the newspaper, Ljuger Duverne, considered that the French also needed a national holiday, which is still celebrated on a grand scale in this province.

Victoria Day

May 24, in 1819, Queen Victoria was born, and this day was a long time the main holiday of the British Empire. But many years have passed before it was considered national and official, and only since 1901 it is celebrated everywhere on Monday before May 25. This is the day when they remember Queen Victoria, who has done a lot for Canada, and as a sign of respect the Canadians call her the name of the city and the street, and her portrait is on a $ 20 Canadian bill. However, some magnificent celebrations are not held, and the day is just an extra weekend.

Unusual Holidays: Tulip Festival, International Earth Day, Boxing Day

What holidays in Canada are interesting and unusual, as well as well-known everywhere and collecting a large number of people?

The Tulip Festival, which takes place in Ottawa in the first week of May. One of the best events of spring, when the capital is buried in flowers, which are brought from Holland.

The history of the appearance of this holiday in Canada is interesting because during the World War there was a royal family from the Netherlands, and at this time Queen Margriet was born. To officially confirm the birth of the queen, it is necessary that this takes place on the territory of the country. The government of Canada went on a trick,

And the room where the child was born was recognized as the territory of the Netherlands.

Today the festival of tulips is thanks to the Dutch for the country that sheltered them in due time. The festival starts with a Bala of Tulips, where you can taste national dishes and drinks, and more than 5 million flowers blossom annually during the holiday.

Another celebration, which can be attributed to the unusual holidays in Canada, is Earth Day, which takes place on April 22. Almost every schoolboy takes the feasible part to remind everyone on what planet we live and how it should be protected. Knowingly, Canada, according to UNESCO, is one of the most favorable countries for living, and the government is struggling to ensure that plants and factories control the emission of harmful substances and install purification devices.

The holiday of gifts is no less original than the festival of tulips, and takes place on December 26, after Christmas. At first it was the feast of St. Stephen, who was the first Christian martyr. It was then that they began to prepare gifts and boxes of money that were intended for the poor.

Festival of Jazz

In June, every year for the past 30 years, the main jazz festival has been held, which was recorded in the Guinness Book of Records. In Montreal, there are popular artists and millions of spectators, and concerts are held on the coast of the Laurentian River, where from the night until the morning there is a variety of music, starting with classical jazz and pumping indie rock. Not only on the coast, but also in the city on concert stages music sounds.

Patriotic holidays

As mentioned earlier, in the province of Quebec on June 24 is a national holiday. In addition, there are also other major holidays in Canada, which are considered patriotic.

In 1995, Prime Minister Jean Chretien announced February 15 as Flag Day. It is interesting that only in 1965 the flag in the form of a maple leaf was first raised. Previously, they considered the image of the cross of St. George, when the territory owned by the British. Then the flag changed when ownership passed to the French. As the image used the banner of the Orleans dynasty - with lilies.

On the third Monday of February, another civil holiday is celebrated in Canada - Heritage Day, which received public recognition. Under the heritage of a set of physical and cultural resources. This day in the calendar reminds all residents of the country that you need to know the history and be proud of where you live.

The population of Canada is a merger of two nations, French and English, therefore two hymns are officially adopted, the day of which is celebrated on June 27. First the Canadians sang the British "Oh God, Save the Queen", then created a new hymn "Maple Leaf Forever", the French Canadians offered another song - "Oh, Canada", which gained popularity. Only since 1980, she received the official status of the national anthem.

Family Holidays

There are many people who honor national and religious holidays in Canada, but there are other important days that are connected with the family.

Mother's Day is a very important holiday for Canada, when everyone thanks their mothers for their affection, love and kindness. Back in 1914, American Anna Jarvis persuaded the president to create this holiday to thank not only his mother, who raised 11 children, but also all mothers for their work. A little later, the Canadians joined the festival.

On the third Sunday of June, the father's day is celebrated-as a reverence for paternity and boundless responsibility before the family. This is a popular men's holiday, when adult children visit their parents, arrange lunches and joint walks.

There is also such a holiday as the day of grandparents, when the older generation is revered. A traditional event is a picnic or barbecue, when the maximum attention is paid to grandparents.