Does anyone else find it odd, that of all the opportunities the British have to let off fireworks outside the usual New Year shindig, we choose to celebrate the time someone tried (and failed) to blow up Parliament?<\/p>\n
\nThe Shackledraggers celebrate Australia Day, the French Bastille Day, and the Americans Independence Day (sensibly, these latter two are in July, far enough away from New Year\/Christmas to make it time for a knees-up). <\/p>\n
\nIn a bar in Charleston last week, a colleague and myself were discussing this matter with Pete Binfield of PLoS. When should we have a national holiday in the UK? We do, already, celebrate May Day more than the Americans, but maybe we should also declare 4th July a public holiday. It could be argued that both nations started to grow up then. Perhaps 23rd April? But not only is that English<\/em>, what does some Turkish cove who went around slaughtering harmless wildlife have to do with anything?<\/p>\n \nWe’ve never declared independence from anyone, although 14th October is a good candidate for the English nation, at least. January 1st<\/a>) is already taken up with New Year and is too close to Christmas. September 3rd, perhaps, when we finally woke up and did something? But it seems odd to celebrate the outbreak of a war, and celebrating VE Day might be in bad taste: similarly 18th June<\/a> or 21st October<\/a> (while it’s fun to annoy the French, this might be taking it too far). September 3rd also celebrates the end of the English<\/em> civil war.<\/p>\n \nSimilarly, anything marking a political anniversary is right out. Perhaps we should celebrate Sir Winston Churchill’s birthday? But again, too close to Christmas and New Year.<\/p>\n \nMaybe the first time the Kingdom<\/a> was first joined? That would be 1st May, but we already dance around Maypoles and throw tomatoes at men in white shirts and wearing bells that day (as well as get busy with any fair young wenches who happen to be at hand… hmm. Potential). It also excludes Ireland.<\/p>\n \nThe first date we dismissed last Wednesday night is, on reflection, possibly the best candidate of all. It is already the ‘National Day’ in our diplomatic missions, and civil servants (including everyone who is paid by one of our Research Councils!) get a ‘privilege day’. Let’s extend it to everyone else: the Queen’s Birthday<\/a>. After all, apart from trying to blow up our politicians, there’s nothing more peculiarly British than our monarchy.<\/p>\n \nHuzzah, and pass the rockets. <\/p>\n \noooh<\/em> <\/p>\n \naaah<\/em><\/p>\n \n(Next blog post I might actually consider some science<\/em>: that behind gunpowder, naturally.)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Does anyone else find it odd, that of all the opportunities the British have to let off fireworks outside the usual New Year shindig, we choose to celebrate the time someone tried (and failed) to blow up Parliament? The Shackledraggers … Continue reading