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December 08, 2003

Public Holidays

For Google: Do Australian's celebrate Thanksgiving? NO.

That one liner is to help Google searchers. Given how often this question has been asked lately, I figured it would save people lots of time because they can see the answer directly on the search page - or at least they will be able to - once Google indexes the page :-)

The public holidays in NSW (which is just one state in Australia) are:
- New Year's Day (1st January)
- Australia Day (26th of January) [See Note 1]
- Easter (Friday + Saturday + Sunday)
- Anzac Day (25th April)
- Queen's Birthday (2nd Monday in June) [See Note 2]
- Bank Holiday (1st Monday in August) [See Note 3]
- Labour Day (1st Monday in October)
- Christmas Day (25th December)
- Boxing Day (26th December)

If a public holiday falls on a Sunday it usually gets shifted to the following Monday. In case of doubt, the premier can declare a substitute day (done when New Year fell on a Sunday).

The closes thing to Thanksgiving is probably TGIF (Note 4), also known as POETS day (Note 5). We celebrate by booking a table for lunch in the bistro of the nearest pub. Have a two hour lunch and a couple cold ones (that's beer) and then doze at the desk in the afternoon. If you take the boss with you to lunch you can probably stay at the hotel all afternoon - as long as you are shouting (buying drinks).

Thanks to Grrrr Be Afraid for suggesting the topic.

Supplementary Notes are in the Extended Article ....

Supplementary Notes

1. Note that Australia Day is actually not "Australia" Day. Technically it is when the first fleet (colonists) landed and put up a flag which started the colony of New South Wales (26th January 1788). The Commonwealth of Australia (the nation) was formed on January 1, 1901 (first day of the 20th Century). Some of the other states would prefer to celebrate Australia Day on January 1 but then we would lose one public holiday :-(

2. The Queen's birthday is not in June. I think it is in April but we already have public holidays in April so she got shifted to June. Strange idea but taken for granted. This used to be fire-cracker weekend (until firecrackers got banned).

3. This is to compensate bankers for the fact that they work less hours than everyone else (banks typically open 10 am to 4 pm, monday to friday). Other workers do not get this holiday and have to work without being able to visit the bank for 24 hours. Instead they usually have what is called an "industry picnic" day (which could be a union mandated holiday) or an additional day selected between Christmas and New Year.

4. TGIF = Thank God It's Friday.

5. POETS = Piss Off (Leave Work) Early, Tomorrow's Saturday.

Posted by Ozguru at December 8, 2003 12:12 PM

Comments

Aah, thanks for pointing out POET as a great substitute for an atheist who doesn't like to thank Big Brother that it's a Friday. Also, POET's more my style though the acronym don't sound like it.

Posted by: Kingsley at December 8, 2003 12:12 PM

So Australia day uh, well just going back to my history that i learned in the good education system here in Texas, but wasn't Australia settled for convicts? So does that mean that you are celebrating when a whole lot of criminals came over? Or are you celebrating a different event? It always makes me wonder what history is like and what is taught everywhere else. Texas has unique history and i am sure we do it all kinds of weird.

Posted by: TL at December 8, 2003 12:12 PM

POETS - that's a riot!! I love it! :) Fortunately, I have a job that I actually like.... but I just might have to pass that along to the poor sots I know who work 8am-5pm Monday-Friday!

Posted by: Firebrand at December 8, 2003 12:12 PM