Labour Day has come and gone and some Australians may be surprised to learn that there are no more public holidays until the holiday season kicks off in December – with the exception of Melbourne Cup Day for those lucky Victorians on 2 November. Meanwhile, many Queenslanders began their long weekend drought since the Queen’s Birthday back in June!
Just how are you going to make it through those 13 long full weeks until Christmas Eve? By creating your own long weekend, of course! We’ve put together some celebratory ideas for declaring your own long weekend break from now until December.
- Republic Day in Turkey – 29 October – commemorates Turkey’s establishment as a republic and the dissolution of the once powerful Ottoman Empire – now that’s a reason to celebrate.
- All Saints Day – 1 November – across many Roman Catholic countries, including Portugal, Spain and Poland – this holy day is a time to honour those that have passed on to Heaven. Meanwhile in Portugal, this day is also the Day of the Innocents and children go door-to-door to receive cakes, nuts and pomegranates.
- Constitution Day in Azerbaijan – 12 November – one of the six independent Turkic states of Eurasia, Azerbaijan honours the establishment of its constitution on this day in 1995.
- Discovery Day in Puerto Rico – 19 November – on Christopher Columbus’s second voyage to the New World, he sailed into Puerto Rico on this historic “discovery” in 1493.
- Black Friday in the US – 26 November – after gorging on a turkey feast for Thanksgiving, Black Friday marks the “official” start of the holiday shopping season in the States. Stores open extra early so shoppers can make the most of the bargains.
- Independence Day in Finland – 6 December – celebrates the nation’s declaration of Independence from the Russian Empire. Why not find Maroochydore hotels and pay a visit to the Finnish Social Club of the Sunshine Coast?
- Republic Day in Malta – 13 December – this archipelago nation in the Mediterranean Sea became a Republic within the British Commonwealth in 1974. At just 300 sq km in size, it is one of the smallest and most densely populated nations in the world.
- Independence Day in Kazakhstan – 17 December – the nation made famous by Borat, Kazakhstan has been celebrating its Independence since 1991 – it was the last of the former Soviet Republics to become an independent nation.
What are you waiting for? Throw on your “mankini” and dig into a cabbage roll after your turkey feast. There are plenty of reasons and ways to celebrate before Christmas! And because you’re creating your own long weekend, you won’t be fighting to book cheap accommodation – Gold Coast, Sydney, Cairns and the world await you.
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