general Which holiday defines your country best?

[Red Cedar 1,407]

Okay, I have no idea how this thought came into my head, but it's been there for a while, and since this forum has a fairly large sampling from a number of countries around the world, I thought I would ask this of you all:

 

Other than your country's national holiday, which holiday that your country celebrates widely best defines or is most emblematic of your country and why?

 

It could be any holiday at all, whether religious or secular, whether celebrated in many places around the world or if it's really meaningful only to your country, but what holiday is most essentially unique or uniquely celebrated by your country?

Why, yes, of course I'll go first.

I'm Canadian, and I think the most uniquely Canadian holiday would be Victoria Day, celebrated on the Monday of or before May 24th. Originally, it was celebrated to commemorate the birthday of the British monarch that granted Canada its independence (after we asked politely). Since then, however, it is celebrated as a turning point in the year. It's seen as the unofficial start of Summer in Canada, a long weekend of first barbecues, first camping trips and other outdoor activities to mark the end of another seemingly endless and harsh Canadian winter.

So, how about everyone else?

[Nye 1,652]

Well, I would say Independence Day, but you said it’s not allowed due to it being a national holiday. So Thanksgiving. 

Or is Thanksgiving national too?

Edited February 4, 2018 by Nye

[Red Cedar 1,407]

1 minute ago, Nye said:

Well, I would say Independence Day, but you said it’s not allowed due to it being a national holiday. So Thanksgiving. 

Or is Thanksgiving national too?

No, Thanksgiving counts. And I agree, I think Americans definitely make that holiday their own like no other, even though we celebrate it in Canada, too (except in October).

[Ganondorf8 11,118]

Since you already used Canada as an example--I live in Canada--I'm going to go with one from England, the country of my birth. Every year on November 5th, we would celebrate what is known as Bonfire Night in commemoration of the Roman Catholics attempt at blowing up the Houses of Parliament back in 1605.

[Denim&Venöm 16,509]

Memorial day. It's not only reaffirms pride in the country and the fighting military might, but also is an excuse to live the american way, in that we ditch work and fire up the grill. 

[Scrubbed user 3,415]

Independence Day. You grill some food that doesn't originate here, drink shitty beer, and then bomb the sky. What other day is the more 'Murican than that?

Either that or Black Friday. A day we revert back to being our earliest ancestors to get 20% off some thing that had it's prices raised by 15% before going on sale.

Edited February 4, 2018 by Vulon Bii

[Sphinx-Ara 3,517]

Australia/Invasion Day.. It's the only holiday we do not share with other countries, plus it is the day that Captain Cook and the First Fleet 'found' Australia, and depending on your view (if you're Australian), invaded Australia and started the whole stolen generation thing..

[Oleks 1,983]

Here in Ukraine it's probably Christmas, because we officially have two Christmas days (December 25th and January 7th). Also, the Old New Year - it's as weird as it sounds.

[MickeyAdaptus 2,209]

Sint Nicolas, This one is like a second Christmas if you think about it.

As far as I know, this is only being celebrated in the Netherlands and Belgium.

It is being celebrated around 1 December to 6 December.

[Here No Longer 5,270]

Black Friday, because it represents just how much corporations rule over American society.

 

[PinkieShadow 4,053]

Midsummer absolutely 

[Messy Mane 9,006]

In my opinion 4th of July here,I guess.

[Snow Frostflame 3,567]

Well American Independence day would be a strong pick, I mean our national anthem was based off of that war. Though I suppose Thanksgiving also works, it also ties in deep with America's history... its also my favorite holiday . There is also Veteran's day, for a country that has a lot of military pride, this would also be a good pick.

[Lucky Bolt 34,914]

Here in the USA, Independence Day and Thanksgiving symbolize our country best. 

Edited February 5, 2018 by Lucky Bolt

[IronM17 5,145]

I would say here in germany, it is christmas. Germany has so many christmas traditions who are really famous (christmas tree, christmas market or the advent wreath for example). Christmas is also the most important holiday in germany (which btw. starts on the evening of th 24th of december and goes until the 26th of december which means two free days in row ^^). 

On 4.2.2018 at 11:04 AM, Mickey Adaptus said:

As far as I know, this is only being celebrated in the Netherlands and Belgium.

We in germany also celebrate saint nicholas. But it is not as big as in the Netherlands. 

[Rhythm Red 6,484]

As a proud and loyal 'Murican, I personally would say...

 

THE 4TH OF JULY!!!

 

Why, you ask? Because we get the whole family over into one house, eat an insane amount of food, and then watch fireworks in the sky. 

This is the American Way.

[Altastrofae 933]

Is there a dumfuq day? That please

[StormBlaze 991]

Here in the UK, we don't really have any big ones. I guess Guy Fawkes Day/Bonfire Night (5 Nov) now im an adult, its just a hassle. It always rains, you have to pay to go to a fireworks display now and then when you live in the middle of town, literally every house is setting off the crappy little pop rockets, which is the most irritating thing to hear. Plus round here and at the run up to new years, fireworks are set off randomly. normally before  the 5th and new years. blah. im getting irratable in my late 20s.

Id say over here we love the Royal days - Queen's Birthdays and the Jubilees. Just more bank holidays for us working types!

[omgamapwny 51]

Guy Fawkes on November 5th, though it annoys me now how you have to pay to go to public displays in a public park when they always used to be free before. I suppose things like the royal wedding this year - though I sometimes think the rest of the world is more into it than we are.

[碇 シンジン 27,427]

Maybe Christmas or Midsummer?

[Divine plywood 1,232]

On ‎23‎.‎2‎.‎2018 at 10:15 PM, New display name said:

Maybe Christmas or Midsummer?

Definitely both of them and maybe Independence Day too?

[Dark Horse 12,799]

I'm Irish. There is only one holiday which best defines us to the world: St. Patrick's Day.

That being said, Im actually not very fond of the holiday myself. I feel that its long since discarded its original celebratory purpose and become just another excuse for the Irish to promote our already overblown drinking culture. Now I'm not a religious man, so I have no personal connection to the tale of St. Patrick beyond a historical interest, but I still think its pretty sad that if you actually ask someone, chances are they wont be able to tell you much about the guy beyond "He drove the Snakes from Ireland!", and insisting it was literally the reason we have no snakes here (It's actually a metaphor for Pagans and him intoducing Christianity).

Don't get me wrong, the annual parade itself is still really good, displaying a wide range of creative arts that our nation is quite famous for. Granted, the parade here is nowhere near as big as the one held in the US, but that's just a matter of population volume. 

And it will almost always rain on the day, because you havent truly experienced Ireland till you're out in a windy downpour. 

[Feather Spiral 1,892]

For my birth country Turkey, I would have to say Ramadan. It has its own "pita" bread for the occasion, you may even get a free (not necessarily wanted) drum performance.

As for France, not too sure but, I guess Easter qualifies? Even if it's not all that specific to the country itself.

[Props Valroa 26,042]

July 4th, because our country is independent, often for the worse. 

[shadowwarp940 1,302]

If we're talking about the country that we're living in right now: then the holiday would have to be Fourth of July

If it's the country that you come from then it has to dia de los muertos! It's the best holiday ever!