This past weekend, which by the way was a long weekend for me thanks to DCPS taking Veterans Day off and all. I didn't have Veterans Day off, so I took vacation. Well, wait...officially I have Veterans Day off, but where I work -- Land Grab University -- Veterans Day is celebrated the day after Thanksgiving. Or perhaps more accurately, the day after Thanksgiving is a holiday "in lieu of Veterans Day."
Now I pity the folks who have to work the day after Thanksgiving. By and large, that means service industry and retail, but it also includes various places where jackass executives think it's fitting to have people come in for one day after perhaps the most significant "family" holiday of the year (and yes I'm putting it above Christmas). To be totally realistic about what these jackass executives are thinking, I'd have to say that pretty much they don't expect anyone to work on the Friday following Thanksgiving -- they expect to extract a vacation day from you.
My sister now works in retail and ever since she started that job she hasn't had the Friday after Thanksgiving off -- but that's only because EVERYONE ELSE IN THE USA has the day off to go shopping. Unless you happen to work at an organization outlined in the above paragraph.
Now I will give Land Grab University some credit here, in that in an atypical move they've made the day after Thanksgiving a holiday, reducing the stress of having to use a precious vacation day -- but how ridiculous is it that the holiday is basically a swap out for a federal holiday?
Here's a list of holidays I want to have in addition to the ones I already have:
Columbus Day
Veterans Day
Election Day (Presidential years only)
The Mondays following Mothers Day, Fathers Day, and Superbowl Sunday
Flag Day
Bastille Day
1st Day of Deer Season (don't hunt, but got used to the day off growing up in Pennsylvania)
Cinco de Mayo
St. Patrick's Day
Winter and Summer Solstice
Vernal and Autumnal Equinox
Fat Tuesday
Arbor Day
Earth Day
Halloween
Valentine's Day
Ides of March
I would not petition for April Fools Day, because some of the best jokes include gluing a co-worker's ass to something.
Essentially, I want to see our 11 holiday days increased to something like 30.
There's also the Monday after Easter (whether you celebrate it or not). The day after the NCAA basketball tournament (because you're just so exhausted from all of the build up) and Shakespeare's birthday.
ReplyDeleteOh man I forgot about some very important holidays. I believe that every day of the NCAA tournament should be a high holy day. Certainly if nothing else then the opening Thursday/Friday and the final weekend of the tournament should be definite days off. Who's this Shakespeare you're talking about? Is it a rock group?
ReplyDeleteHow about an ace in the hole holiday valid 365 days a year - "my girlfriend just broke up with me day" - marked by massive amounts of alcohol far surpassing St. Patty's Day?
ReplyDeleteDo you need that holiday now?
ReplyDeleteI took one of those many years ago. It my have lasted 365 days...or more. It culminated in the brilliant sight of me passing out in a bar bathroom and hitting my forehead on the porcelain sink on the way down.
No, not today...almost though since I am often a male bone head and was really really in the wrong, as usual. (she reads this)
ReplyDeleteMy company doesn't recognize all the federal holidays. Sure we're federal contractors and all....but we get to work on those extra days or take a personal day.
ReplyDeleteI chose to work on Friday and it was a ghost town.
Wait - go back to the beginning. What is this "holiday" you speak of?
ReplyDeleteYou have Fat Tuesday, but you forgot Good Friday. And the entire week of Mardi Gras.
ReplyDeleteAs an animal lover, I am sorely offended that you don't think Groundhog's Day worthy.
ReplyDeletePersonally, I think it's important enough that Groundhog's Day Eve should be a half day, too.
You could claim any one of these for December:
ReplyDelete1 Aids Awareness Day
2 Eat a Red Apple Day
National Pie Day
3 National Roof over Your Head Day
National Fritters Day
4 Santas' List Day we hope you are on the "Good" list
Wear Brown Shoes Day
5 Bathtub Party Day
6 St. Nicholas Day
Mitten Tree Day
Put on your own Shoes Day
7 Letter Writing Day
Pearl Harbor Day
National Cotton Candy Day
8 National Brownie Day
8 Take it in the Ear Day
9 National Pastry Day
10 Human Rights Day
11 International Children's Day - Second Sunday in December
National Noodle Ring Day
12 National Ding-a-Ling Day
Poinsettia Day
13 Ice Cream Day
Violins Day
14 National Bouillabaisse Day
15 Bill of Rights Day
National Lemon Cupcake Day
16 National Chocolate covered Anything Day
17 National Maple Syrup Day
18 Bake Cookies Day
National Roast Suckling Pig Day
19 Look for an Evergreen Day
Go Carolling Day
Oatmeal Muffin Day
20 Games Day
21 Hamburger Day
Humbug Day
National Flashlight Day
Look on the Bright Side Day
22 Forefather's Day
National Date Nut Bread Day
23 Roots Day
24 National Egg Nog Day
25 Christmas Day
National Pumpkin Pie Day
26 Boxing Day
27 Make Cut Out Snowflakes Day
National Fruitcake Day
28 Card Playing Day
National Chocolate Day
29 Pepper Pot Day
30 Bicarbonate of Soda Day
31 New Year's Eve
Unlucky Day
My goal is to get 30 days, but groundhog day was indeed a grievous oversight on my part. I'm also thinking nothing says festive like "bicarbonate of soda day."
ReplyDeleteAnd RCR, as with most things, we know holidays/vacations don't apply to lawyers.
Yep. Holidays and ethics.
ReplyDeleteI, too, have spent many-a-year as a retail whore. I haven't had any of these days off for at least 5 years:
ReplyDeleteDay after Thanksgiving
Christmas Eve (but I'm Jewish, so...)
Dec. 26 (Still Jewish...)
New Years Eve
New Years Day
I could go on and on...
My company gives off the Friday after Thanksgiving. YES.
ReplyDeleteWe also have to come in for mandatory training and meetings on MLK Day, Presidents Day, Columbus Day, and Veterans Day. NO.