Wishing you all a lovely Victoria Day weekend ... here's some info on this special day ...
As most of you know, today is a celebration of Queen Victoria's birthday. This statutory holiday was first legislated in Canada West in 1845. Following the death of Queen Victoria in 1901, May 24 was by imperial decree made Empire Day throughout the British Empire, while, in Canada, it became officially known as Victoria Day, a date to remember the late queen, who was deemed the "Mother of Confederation". It was first observed May 24, 1902, 16 months after Queen Victoria's death. Prime Minister Wilfrid Laurier had designated the public holiday to fall on May 24, the Queen's birthday. It was later called Empire Day, then Commonwealth Day; in 1952, the date was changed to the first Monday preceding May 25th.
The birthday of Queen Victoria was a day for celebration in Canada long before Confederation, with the first legislation regarding the event being in 1845 passed by the parliament of the Province of Canada to officially recognize May 24 as the Queen's birthday.
The holiday is colloquially known as May Two-Four in parts of Canada; a double entendre that refers both to the date around which the holiday falls (May 24) and the Canadian slang for a case of twenty-four beers (a "two-four"), a drink popular during the long weekend. The holiday weekend may also be known as May Long or May Run, and the term Firecracker Day was also employed in Ontario.
Enjoy!
Lenore
(Images wikipedia)
