What are we forgetting?

Holidays have always kind of amused me. I mean the term comes from a combination of the words holy and day. Here in America, generally, they are a day off of work and school. A lot of places are closed as a result of all the workers that are home for the day. But a holy day? I don't think so.
Well okay, maybe people do spend a little more time in church for holidays like Christmas or Easter.

There are actually specific religious ceremonies tied to those two. And a lot of people do observe them. But, what about President's Day or Valentine's Day or Memorial Day? I can see the desire to have a day dedicated to each one and even a reason for a day off to commemorate them, but I wouldn't exactly call them holy days.I suppose its easier to just lump them in with the other holy days instead of coming up with a different word for the other days where people get a day off.

And maybe it's just me, but I think some of our holidays should get a little more focus and some others I think should get a little less. Where I live sometimes Christmas decorations go up the day after Halloween. It's crazy. I mean Thanksgiving is still several weeks off and suddenly there are plastic santas and reindeer everywhere. What about Memorial Day? I was almost thirty before I even knew what it was. Quite often I get Memorial Day and Veteran's Day confused. Memorial Day started after the Civil war and commemorates all of the fallen soldiers who died while serving in the US armed forces. Veteran's Day honors people who have served in the armed services. So, technically one honors those that have died and the other honors those that are living. But where was that data when I was a kid? I always just knew it was a day off from school. It never occurred to me to ask or even to wonder what it was that we were supposed to be "celebrating".  I guess it does make sense that Christmas gets more airtime. We do get two weeks off from school for Christmas and New Year's combined. But what about the other holidays that only a single day are dedicated to? Shouldn't there be just as much time spent explaining exactly what it is that is being remembered for Veteran's Day as there is for Thanksgiving?

And I think Easter needs it's own category. I mean  on the one had there is the egg dying and hunting, also baskets filled with candy and other treats.  On Easter Sunday there are special church ceremonies having to do with Passover. One is about a rabbit that judges children to be good or bad and the other is about the death and subsequent resurrection of the son of the Christian god.What does one have to do with the other? Absolutely nothing. Well, there are actually some ties between the bunny symbol and Christianity but nothing that the average person knows about.

Try asking a five year old what Easter is about. I would bet money that nine out of ten children tell you about candy and don't mention Jesus at all. Am I going to spend a lot of time and energy shifting the amount of attention that Halloween and Christmas get in order for Easter and Memorial day to see more? No, not at this point. I am just observing and commenting.