Ask A Genius 659: The Other Holidays
Author(s): Scott Douglas Jacobsen and Rick Rosner
Publication (Outlet/Website): Ask A Genius
Publication Date (yyyy/mm/dd): 2022/01/01
[Recording Start]
Rick Rosner: So, let’s talk about holidays. The ones that nobody seems to object to, particularly those summer-ish holidays in the US, are quite likable. You have Memorial Day towards the end of May, the Fourth of July, and Labor Day at the beginning of September. Memorial Day and Labor Day kind of bookend the summer, with Memorial Day being more favorable because Labor Day signals the end of summer and a return to school.
In the US, we also have Columbus Day. From what I’ve read, it seems like Columbus Day was questionable from the start. The more we learn about Columbus – his involvement in slavery, his cruelty, and his dismissal by the Queen of Spain – the less admirable he seems. The holiday is gradually being replaced by Indigenous People’s Day in some places. It’s not much of a holiday these days, as you don’t usually get the day off. All in all, it’s not a great holiday.
Halloween, though, is a great holiday. When I lived in Colorado, with its wintry winters, Halloween was like the last chance to socialize before everyone hunkered down for the winter. It’s a low-expectation holiday – you’re not trying to impress anyone, just having fun.
Easter is more of a medium holiday, mostly for kids. It’s a bit grim, centering around the death and resurrection of Jesus, but it’s mainly about candy and egg hunts for the little ones.
As for Jewish holidays, Hanukkah is always enjoyable, especially for kids with the tradition of gifts over eight nights. Yom Kippur, though, is more solemn. It’s a day of fasting and atonement, reflecting on one’s actions over the past year. Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, comes 10 days before Yom Kippur and is a time for preparing to atone. It’s okay in terms of food. Passover is akin to the Jewish Easter. I think Jesus’ last supper was a Passover dinner. I made a silly joke on Twitter – if the Romans had executed people with wedgies instead of crucifixion, religious symbols might be very different.
Ramadan is another holiday I’m not too familiar with, but it involves fasting during the day and eating well at night, I believe.
In America, Super Bowl Sunday is practically a secular holiday. I’ve had mixed feelings about it. The food is supposed to be a highlight, but it’s often not as amazing as you’d hope. I remember the Jimmy Kimmel Super Bowl parties being fun but also a bit stressful with celebrities around.
To wrap this up, if you can, it’s not a bad idea to work on the less enjoyable holidays. At least you’re getting paid and have an excuse not to participate in the festivities.
[Recording End]
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