Possibly Stoopid Question for Non-Americans

[Teflon Billy]

In canada we giglle about the war of 1812 randomly. okay maybe it's just me and a couple friends that do that everytime we see a reference to "The White House". 8)

It's not just you

 

[Piratecat]

Here in New Zealand, we've got Waitangi Day.

It's official. Your holidays have cooler names than ours do.

"Waitangi? Because you can!"

 

[barsoomcore]

"Waitangi? Because you can!"

We always used to say, "Because you can-tangi!" Maybe that was just us.

 

[Ankh-Morpork Guard]

We always used to say, "Because you can-tangi!" Maybe that was just us.

No no...that sounds better....err, cheesier. Whatever. Close enough sometimes, eh?

 

[Hypersmurf]

Here in New Zealand, we've got Waitangi Day (February 14th), which is the date the Treaty of Waitangi was signed in 1840...

Uh... February 6th.

February 14th is Valentine's Day.

You're an embarrassment to your country.

And I can't remember any others right now.

Anzac Day, April 25th. Possibly named after the cookie

It's official. Your holidays have cooler names than ours do.

"Waitangi? Because you can!"

Man, I'd swap Waitangi Day in a second if we could have Empire Day back.

As s/LaSH mentioned, Waitangi Day's turned into a pretty lame holiday, where activists spit on politicians.

I want my stormtroopers, dammit!

-Hyp.

 

[Andrew D. Gable]

Anzac Day, April 25th. Possibly named after the cookie

AFLAC Day? Is that where you dress up like a duck and talk like Gilbert Gottfried?

OK, bad joke.

 

[s/LaSH]

Uh... February 6th.

February 14th is Valentine's Day.

You're an embarrassment to your country.

Why, yes. Yes I am. I don't even follow rubgy. You may now pelt me with the patriotic pavlova.

Anzac Day, April 25th. Possibly named after the cookie

For those not in the know: Australia and New Zealand Army Corps. I believe (but am not willing to expose myself to public ridicule by asserting its correctness) that this was the date of the battle at Gallipoli in Turkey, during World War 1, when poor command decisions by the British commanders and excellent fortifications by the Turks conspired to kill a whole bunch of said ANZACs.

We should let off fireworks on that day, right? Why don't we? It's out National Stuff Got Blown Up Day, like July 4th!

Man, I'd swap Waitangi Day in a second if we could have Empire Day back.

As s/LaSH mentioned, Waitangi Day's turned into a pretty lame holiday, where activists spit on politicians.

I want my stormtroopers, dammit!

-Hyp.

Dun dun dun dun da dun dun da dun. Yeah. As for the politicians, they keep. Going. Back. to Waitangi year after year. Funny, that. It'd be far more interesting to get an Empire Day. (We didn't get Jedi recognised on the census last time, so perhaps we have more Imperials that we'd like to admit...)

 

[Hypersmurf]

Why, yes. Yes I am. I don't even follow rubgy. You may now pelt me with the patriotic pavlova.

For what it's worth, I loathe pavlova, and looked blankly at a workmate yesterday when he expected me to know who 'Graham Henry' is...

-Hyp.

 

[Capellan]

Guy Fawkes is an interesting holiday, in which England-descended folks all celebrate by blowing stuff up. The moral is... interesting.

Actually, the celebration is about the fact that things didn't get blown up ... this holiday was also celebrated in parts of the US well after 1776. They just used to burn someone other than Guy Fawkes in effigy

For those not in the know: Australia and New Zealand Army Corps. I believe (but am not willing to expose myself to public ridicule by asserting its correctness) that this was the date of the battle at Gallipoli in Turkey, during World War 1, when poor command decisions by the British commanders and excellent fortifications by the Turks conspired to kill a whole bunch of said ANZACs.

April 25 is the anniversary of the initial landings at Gallipoli (in 1915). It was eight months before the 'battle' ended - the last (British) troops left the peninsula on 8 January 1916 (the last ANZAC troops got out just before Xmas 1915).

 

[s/LaSH]

For what it's worth, I loathe pavlova, and looked blankly at a workmate yesterday when he expected me to know who 'Graham Henry' is...

Who?

See?

(I'm not a pav man myself, but it's an obscure point of national pride, so I guess it appeals more to a geek like me...)

Actually, the celebration is about the fact that things didn't get blown up ... this holiday was also celebrated in parts of the US well after 1776. They just used to burn someone other than Guy Fawkes in effigy

And yet the explosive celebration continues. Like I said... an interesting moral.