cross-posted from: https://retrofed.com/c/ask@piefed.social/p/2109773/what-are-your-ideas-for-public-holidays-that-can-be-celebrated-by-everybody
A lot of holidays are associated with religion and colonialism, but I think it would be a lot better if we had holidays that were universally recognised regardless of your beliefs.
Take my home country of Australia. You of course have the Christian originated holidays of Easter and Christmas, and Australia Day is awful (it’s pretty much celebrating the colonialism and slaughter of the indigenous peoples of Australia).
New Years should stay, it’s universally recognised for everybody using the Gregorian calendar, and memorial days for those who have died in war is also important to keep (like ANZAC day!), as well as the various independence days
Personally, I would propose the revival of the summer and winter solstices (the longest and shortest days of the year, reversed for the southern hemisphere), and May 8th as the new Australia Day (mate!)
What holidays do you think should be universally celebrated?
Never thought about it.
Maybe something for found families. We’re have so many traditional familial relationship days, but nothing for the family you made along the way. The friends who became brothers and sisters, and the kids you “adopted” along the way. Stuff like that.
Maybe a no-tech day. Call it Disconnect Day. Make it on a weekend so you’re not taking the piss outta bankers and such, and obviously exempt medicine, but everyone else is frowned upon for looking at any screen.
I like this as kindof an extension to Earth Hour on Earth Day. The idea being if a lot of non-essential electrical stuff goes unused for an hour at the same time, it produces a positive impact.
No screens at all would be a bit of a drag though, when we live in a society (lol) that has been so massively fragmented that this is primarily how many people can communicate.
…Maybe a zero media consumption day. Chats only? That’d be neat.
Sorry I’m just expanding on your idea, I like it. 🌎