Arbour Day Day The History and A common Arbour Before the 1800s, people in Britain Day activity was would celebrate their monarch’s Folklore of Holidays in tree planting, birthday. In 1837, nurturing small saplings such as ascended the throne and her birthday on Nova Scotia this one seen 24th became a holiday, but in 1845 outside the Fultz the colonial governments in what would House Museum become made it an official holiday for the first time. After Victoria’s One of the first holidays to celebrate death in 1902, this tradition was nature was Arbour Day, which came to continued and the day was officially named (though it was later Canada around 1880. On this holiday, moved to the last Monday before May children would celebrate nature by 25). This new holiday became the official cleaning up waste around their day to celebrate the birthday of the communities and by planting trees. This reigning monarch (regardless of when holiday was never official, but it was quite they were actually born!). popular in schools until the 1950s. When the environmental movement began in the 1970s, the organizers of the new holiday of Earth Day placed their day on April 22nd At 11:00 on the 11th day of the 11th Groundhog Day - the same day as Arbour Day, to show month of 1918, the armistice ending the their respect for the day that inspired its First World War took effect, putting an Amongst many ancient cultures, there was a more modern predecessor. end to the fighting for the first time in belief that animals could predict the weather. over four years. Since then, this holiday This tradition is still celebrated today with has been a time to remember the Groundhog Day on February 2nd, when many Mother’s and Father’s Day veterans who have fought for our nation. people flock to see a little furry mammal In Medieval times, Europeans honoured Many Canadians mark the anniversary in forecast the weather. In the Middle Ages, their mothers on “Mothering Sunday” in ceremonies at cenotaphs (such as the Europeans relied on the actions of the badger May, on the feast day of the Mother Mary. one in Lower Sackville pictured below) all to tell them whether winter’s end would be This practice declined until the early over the country. As well, many long or short, but this animal was not native to 1900s, when Anna Jarvis of Philadelphia Canadians wear poppies to show their North America. In its place, they selected the proposed a day to honour her late mother, respect for Canadian veterans who put similar groundhog, and the practice spread all who had died in May 1905. This day their lives on the line. over the continent. Every February, Nova quickly became popular, and the first Scotia’s own Shubenacadie Sam (see above) Mother’s Day was celebrated in 1907. comes out of his burrow, and if he sees his Father’s Day would follow only three years shadow and goes back in, there will be six later, when another American, Sorona more weeks of winter. If not, spring will come Todd proposed a companion day in June to early. honour fathers. This took longer to catch on. Mother’s Day was recognized by the Fultz House Museum U.S. in 1914, and it took until 1966 for Father’s Day to be similarly recognized

What Are Holidays? Robert Burns Day National Flag of We celebrate many holidays throughout the As it is “New ”, Nova Scotia has a rich Scottish heritage. Scots celebrate the birthday year, but what exactly are these days? Holidays are events that are celebrated during of a famous member of their nation in January: the 25th of that month is the birthday a certain date or season every year, and can of Scotland’s national poet Robert Burns, and be a religious, patriotic, or folk holiday on the anniversary of his birth Scots all over depending on the origin of the celebration. the world gather to eat traditional foods and While many holidays have their origins celebrate their culture. Revelers at Robert shrouded in the mists of history and have been Burns Day festivals eat such foods as haggis celebrated in various forms for centuries, new (which is eulogized respectfully), listen to holidays are still being created in modern bagpipes, and stay up all hours of the night Canada’s national Flag, seen outside times. In 2013, the government of Nova Scotia drinking whiskey and toasting their fellow the Fultz House Museum Scots. Before the 1960s, Canada’s flag was the announced the creation of Nova Scotia red ensign – a red flag with the British Heritage Day, which will celebrate the diverse in the corner and a shield on origin of Nova Scotians. Starting in 2015, each To the left is a one side. Prime Minister Pearson wished year will have a different name for the holiday, statue of Robert for Canada to have its own unique and the first Nova Scotia Heritage Day national flag, so a contest was held and Burns, seen in celebrated the civil rights icon Viola Desmond. on February 15th, 1965, Canada’s new Victoria Park in maple leaf flag was hoisted for the first Halifax. time. Canada Flag Day celebrates our

Boxing Day new national flag, which has become the most iconic image of Canada around the While is a holiday that has ancient world. religious origins, the day after Christmas, , is far more modern. It is named St. Patrick’s Day for the practice of employers giving their All over the world, people of Irish employees who worked on Christmas Day the Dr. Martin Luther King Day descent (and many others too!)

th next day off as compensation, as well as a box The third Monday in January celebrates the celebrate the feast day of the 5 century of gifts for their families. The modern Boxing birthday of Civil Rights leader Martin Luther patron saint of Ireland, St. Patrick. This 5th century priest and missionary spent Day is quite different, for it is now the day King Jr., who was born on the 17th of January where businesses sell their excess Christmas 1929. While this day was signed into law in his life building churches and preaching in Ireland, spreading Christianity to the stock, often at very low prices. While stores in the United States as an official holiday in formerly pagan Irish. As the Irish th 1986, in Canada it is merely informally Nova Scotia are closed on December 26 , they immigrated to North America, the day now hold their sales the day after, and it is observed as a day to celebrate Dr. King’s life and the struggle by those of African descent to dedicated to their favourite saint was now a popular shopping day. escape racism and achieve equality under the transformed into a celebration of Irish law. culture. Today, many cities hold parades, people wear their finest green clothing, and bars and pubs do a brisk business selling Guinness and green beer!