In my setting, I’m exposed to a lot of people day by day, and sometimes I meet people who are celebrating things I’ve never heard of before. It sometimes feels like a Spongebob episode, I’m talking to them and they might say something like “we’re observing national hat day today” or “we’re celebrating Hiawatha Day” (apparently that’s August 22nd). How many of you can relate? Have any non-conventional observances (for a lack of a better way to ask)?
I’ll do a slightly different take. I grew up in a part of the US with a very high Jewish population, so the public schools got the Jewish high holidays off. I didn’t realize the schools being closed for those days was unusual until I moved away.
I myself actually didn’t know public places could “choose” their days off until later on, I always thought the days off were whatever the higher-ups said were the days off. Then I went somewhere where I’d be called in on holidays like Columbus Day and Labor Day while also sometimes people treated Leap Day like an event. And I was like “wait you can do that?”
I believe it was off by necessity. So many teachers would be taking the day off anyway, there just wouldn’t be enough staff. A large amount of student would be taking the day off too.
Edit: My previous job and current both get the same federal holidays off per year. My previous job grouped them together. This created blocks like the Friday after thanksgiving and a week around Christmas. My current just takes them on the actual day.