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Not me, I booked Tuesday off in anticipation of a long weekend... duh!
What's a "Monday"?
Yeah. The Tories thought that a Bank Holiday at the beginning of May was too left wing so they moved it.
I keep thinking it’s Wednesday...
Edit, this sums it up betterer...
The Government only decided to move it to the Friday sometime last year. Friday is for VE day There was quite a bit of press at the time because lots of companies had printed calendars and other events had already been planned for the original dates (not that that matters now).
I imagine the VE day celebrations will be great. All those street parties.
I've booked the following Monday off for a long weekend away in the peak district. Here's hoping!
I knew.
Only because I did the call out rota for the year, still it will at least be a day off for me and I actually might get out on my bike.
Bound to be hosing down!
How long do you think it’ll be before we stop celebrating WWII?
I’m pretty sure everyone else is over it now.
How long do you think it’ll be before we stop celebrating WWII?
I’m pretty sure everyone else is over it now.
Most of the actual veterans have passed, but its their kids who can’t let it go, they were born in the 50s but are sure they fought them on the beaches.
We work half day on Fridays, so I’ve lost half a day.
Most of the actual veterans have passed, but its their kids who can’t let it go, they were born in the 50s but are sure they fought them on the beaches.
It's probably the generation of kids that knew those who fought and died that don't want to let it go. Their Dads, Mums, Uncles etc died - for the most pointless of reasons. Let them have that for a few years more?
I'm sure it'll taper off when the time is right. Until then, we can clap our bin men.
Their Dads, Mums, Uncles etc died – for the most pointless of reasons
Seriously ?
I am honestly staggered by some of these comments. What a pathetic look-at-me attitude. Genuinely, shame on you.
How long do you think it’ll be before we stop celebrating WWII?
I’m pretty sure everyone else is over it now.
We still celebrate Guy Fawkes (unfortunately) and that was a bit further back.
I knew about Friday as I'd booked Monday and Tuesday off and a cabin in Glentress to make a long weekend of it.
Cancelled the leave but work are warning us we can't carry unused leave over to next year.
Nine Inch Nails said it best:
Ah, it's this year only. Still, 75 years is a bit of a meh anniversary. Not like we give a crap any other year whilst Battle of Britain Sunday gets those jingoistic cockles warmed.
On the other hand...
Their Dads, Mums, Uncles etc died – for the most pointless of reasons
...maybe some folk still need the wider war effort explained.
I give up - how do you embed a video?
@onzadog you may want to take a look at this and mention it to your company about carrying over unused leave.
Having said that I'll still be taking mine this year as I could do with a break from work.
I give up – how do you embed a video?
Just put the URL without any tags or brackets. The forum does it automatically. You have to have faith as there isn't a preview. That's for YouTube, not sure about others
I'm not sure why what I said is being misinterpreted; I was just trying to give an opposing view to the "just let it go" argument and that there are plenty alive that rightly feel that we should still remember.
@jeffl we've raised it with the union but so far, the company is sticking to its original statement.
Lovely way to be treating key workers.
@bearnecessities I think people are mis what you are trying to say as they believe they died for an important cause not a "pointless" one. I don't think you mean it was pointless as it not worthwhile, more pointless as in sad and a waste of life.
I could be wrong obviously
Whilst its worth remembering the past and learning from it, I'm a little worried the government did this more to stick two fingers to Europe than any real respect for historic events.
It suits their own agenda to celebrate 'Victory in Europe'
I'm going to enjoy my bank holiday like many others. I'll stop and think about the sacrifices and loss made. They should never be forgotten.
It's very sad that such flippant remarks can be so disrespectful.
I hope everyone on here has a lovely day off next week.
In Stirling ,kids get this Friday off (May 1st - Inset day).
And next Friday (May 8th ).
They don't get the Spring Bank Holiday at the end of May.
I am sorry - but WTF!
LOL at Bank Holidays, like it matters at the moment...
I'm logging into work at the weekends just to give me something to do !
I think it's long overdue that we let WWII pass into history. To have actually fought in the war you'd be in your 90s. We properly have remembrance Sunday which remembers are service personnel who've died in service. This constant harping back to the past is not healthy for the country. Knowing our history us important, celebrating past battles not so much. WWII may gave been our finest hour but there were plenty of dark events during that period we shouldn't be proud of as well. Unfortunately if it's anything like WwI we'll be gearing up for the 100 year anniversary.
LOL at Bank Holidays, like it matters at the moment…
I’m logging into work at the weekends just to give me something to do !
Yep it’s an interesting discussion I think people will be having after this on how we do work.
Perhaps 2 hours every day for a commute isn’t worth it after all.
Well the “we” who can work without being in a specified location, not everyone’s been so lucky.
For gods sake.... Does everything on here have to deteriorate into political point scoring?
This constant harping back to the past is not healthy for the country. Knowing our history us important, celebrating past battles not so much
Nothing wrong in paying respect to the people who paid the price.
It’s the constant use of it by people who had nothing to do with it for their own agenda does my head in.
I knew. It was supposed to be the weekend I did a trans Cambrian double. Always next year I suppose.
I think it’s long overdue that we let WWII pass into history. To have actually fought in the war you’d be in your 90s. We properly have remembrance Sunday which remembers are service personnel who’ve died in service. This constant harping back to the past is not healthy for the country. Knowing our history us important, celebrating past battles not so much. WWII may gave been our finest hour but there were plenty of dark events during that period we shouldn’t be proud of as well. Unfortunately if it’s anything like WwI we’ll be gearing up for the 100 year anniversary.
This.
If the events planned for the VE day anniversary were going to be a sombre memorial of the lives lost, then fair enough. But, let's face it, were they bollocks (in most cases), they were going to be a celebration of the plucky Tommy sticking it to Jerry.
We really, really, need to get past the war (other than things like Remembrance Sunday, which are important). The rest of Europe has, and they had it much, much worse than us.
Yes, I knew it had been moved to Friday 8th and I booked Monday 11th off work to go to Gwithian for a long weekend of surfing and beer.
That reminds me, I need to cancel that Monday and add it back onto my holiday allowance. Thanks Kryton.
I did, but only because back in the depths of last year we booked a long weekend in France assuming the Monday was a BH, that very weekend the news broke they were moving the damn thing. Now it doesn't matter of course because EVERYTHING is cancelled, just got the email about Latitude as well, so far 1 ski trip, 1 road trip to the Champagne region, 1 trip to Chester for my wife's birthday, 1 day tickets for Latitude all cancelled. Obviously first world problems, not real problems right here!
I think bank holidays are important. People fought long and hard to get them. For a couple of decades now we have been losing them under governments of all stripes. As a care worker I never did get the bank holiday off, I used to get paid double time or time and a half, that's gone now except for christmas day and new years day.
I think bank holidays are important. People fought long and hard to get them.
I agree, it's not the Bank Holiday I have a problem with, it's what it's being used for
For a couple of decades now we have been losing them under governments of all stripes.
Eh? Have we?
Just to balance some of the 'British jingoism' stuff on the thread. In France VE day is a permanent public holiday.
One of our French colleagues was amazed that we don't do the same.
Matt
That reminds me, I need to cancel that Monday and add it back onto my holiday allowance. Thanks Kryton.
I've got a week off coming up, but we have been told that "not being able to go anywhere" is not a justifiable reason to be allowed to cancel holidays. Kinda dreading sitting around the house with nothing to do during that week, I'll prob work through it for something to do!
I think it’s long overdue that we let WWII pass into history.
Well, you'll be disappointed on December 25th.
It's been 2,000 years and they are still wobbling on about a baby's birthday. Crazy!
...born in the 1950's and to be honest I've found it pretty tiring devoting my life to denying young people housing and writing casual employment contracts...as to the war sometimes I remember the immense suffering my parents and their families went through but then I go ho hum and go ride my bike
Just to balance some of the ‘British jingoism’ stuff on the thread. In France VE day is a permanent public holiday.
As is la Fête du Travail this Friday. And Ascension on May 21st.
And Pentecost on June 1st...
we have been told that “not being able to go anywhere” is not a justifiable reason to be allowed to cancel holidays
Thankfully my employers are very understanding when it comes to days off. Not sure what will happen when people get to later in the year and still have most of their holiday allowance to take though. Of my 25 days from 1st Jan to 31st Dec I've only actually used one day.
How long do you think it’ll be before we stop celebrating WWII?
It's not really "celebrating WWII" really is it, it's celebrating it being over.
We still celebrate Guy Fawkes (unfortunately) and that was a bit further back.
Again, we don't really celebrate it. At least with Remembrance / VE day we might give a passing thought to the reasons behind it, maybe a minute's silence / quiet contemplation / virtue signalling. I doubt the foiling of the Gunpowder Plot crosses anyone's mind on the 5th of November, it's just an excuse to eat treacle toffee and blow shit up.
It’s not really “celebrating WWII” really is it, it’s celebrating it being over.
It's not though, is it, and even if it were, celebrating that it's over 75 years after the fact rather shows that we as a nation haven't moved on, which is what we need to do.
Kryton57
SubscriberFor gods sake…. Does everything on here have to deteriorate into political point scoring?
You actually had to ask that?
How long do you think it’ll be before we stop celebrating WWII?
Well if we want to celebrate WW2 the obvious date to do it would be 1st September.
War was declared 1st September 1939
I think VE day is still recognised in some way or another across a fair bit of Europe - I know we were in Berlin abut 10-12 years ago & there was a quite a gathering in remembrance of it there. The French, as has been said, have a public holiday & I'm sure a few former Soviet states do too.
It'll probably wane after the centenary (much like WW1 seems to have).
Didn't they move the same bank holiday for the 50th anniversary too?
Yeah. The Tories thought that a Bank Holiday at the beginning of May was too left wing so they moved it.
Always makes me giggle that. Given its history as a celebration you’d think it would appeal to the conservative element of the Tory party. Members of that party associating it with May Day in Russia just demonstrates how little interest modern politicians have in anything beyond their day job
celebrating that it’s over 75 years after the fact rather shows that we as a nation haven’t moved on, which is what we need to do.
It doesn't, and we don't.
I don't see why we shouldn't celebrate the end of an awful world spanning event just so some softies feel a bit less challenged by unpleasant thoughts.
Pfft, usually get enhanced Wages for working when everyone else is clogging the trails but been told we have to have the day off. Another reason to hate this virus
I had couple of days off a while back and enjoyed them and found stuff to do in the time, so I think it's worth keeping at least some element of your holiday time off, it's relaxing to disabled any work notifications and just remove yourself from it all too.
I suspect we are heading for a lot of stressed out people later in the year with no holidays being taken, the stress of job security, home schooling and very little 'fun' time. Mental health services are going to be very busy!
I don’t see why we should continue to celebrate the end of one of many awful world spanning events that none of us remember just so some softies feel a bit less challenged by progress.
We have to book our holidays quite far in advance so a few people were caught out by the change in Bank Holiday date, including my manager. Hopefully it'll be a sombre event, couldn't put up with street parties to celebrate winning a war right now.
I’ve got a week off coming up, but we have been told that “not being able to go anywhere” is not a justifiable reason to be allowed to cancel holidays. Kinda dreading sitting around the house with nothing to do during that week, I’ll prob work through it for something to do!
I'm off this week because I was not allowed to cancel it, been bumming round the flat most of the time. What makes it even harder to swallow is I didn't request this week off, it was allocated and I don't have any more time off until two weeks in October then a week in November and one in December. All of those were allocated too as all the dates I requested were already taken So I just got what was left. Might actually work out in my favour as restrictions may well not lift enough for weeks away until then anyway but nearly 6 months with no break is going to drag. As long as we have some sort of normality for next July I'll be happy as I have 2 weeks booked off for an alpine trip for my 40th.
I don’t see why we shouldn’t celebrate the end of an awful world spanning event just so some softies feel a bit less challenged by unpleasant thoughts.
1) Was it awful? Yes, absolutely.
2) Should we remember that it was awful, and that all wars are? Yes, absolutely, and we do that every year on Remembrance Sunday. And, it would seem appropriate for a similarly sombre memorial on the 5th May
3) Should we be congratulating ourselves on how great we were in winning it, having celebrations, garden parties and the like? No, we need to move on.
@ernielynch war was declared 3 September 1939, not 1 September - see, this is why we need this stuff ;). Poland was invaded on the 1st I'll give you that.
I'm more than happy to both celebrate this event (ie the official end of the war in Europe) and remember what happened, though the jingoistic stuff grinds my gears.
All this stuff about moving on makes me laugh - move on to what - do it all over again? Which is exactly what will happen in time anyway, so we may as well try and make sure there's a decent interval.
I don’t see why we should continue to celebrate the end of one of many awful world spanning events that none of us remember just so some softies feel a bit less challenged by progress.
It would be quite useful to remember what happened 75 years ago.
Today across Europe support for far right movements and neo-nazi parties is at its highest level for 75 years.
As someone who hasn't worked Fridays for ~8 years and works 3 of every 4 Mondays, which would have included Monday 4th May, I was quite miffed when this was announced last year.
And it's rather ironic that VE Day can't be celebrated as intended due to lockdown (I will be staggered if the lockdown magically vanishes next Thurs)!
VE Day anniversary should IMO have been an additional bank hol, the UK has the least number of bank hol days in a typical year in the whole of Europe!
Well if we want to celebrate WW2 the obvious date to do it would be 1st September.
War was declared 1st September 1939
3rd September actually. Germany invaded Poland on the 1st, Britain & France declared war on Germany two days later.
China might beg to differ though, as they’d been at war with Japan for a couple of years by that point
What I find most ironic is that it was the generation that actually fought and died in WW2 that voted us into the common market, seeing European cooperation as the most suitable way of celebrating victory and hindering future generations from making the same mistakes theirs had.
Little did they know that their children would throw those achievements away in an orgy of nationalistic tub thumping and flag waving that was called brexit.
What’s a bank holiday?
1) Was it awful? Yes, absolutely.
2) Should we remember that it was awful, and that all wars are? Yes, absolutely, and we do that every year on Remembrance Sunday. And, it would seem appropriate for a similarly sombre memorial on the 5th May
3) Should we be congratulating ourselves on how great we were in winning it, having celebrations, garden parties and the like? No, we need to move on.
This.
If it was a respectful remembrance of those lost, those responsible and a reflection of how western Europe has lived in (relative) peace in the intervening years through mutual cooperation then I'd be all on board.
But let's not kid ourselves, it's not going to look anything like that because so many of our population still learn their history from Commando comics.
Why should the anniversary of the defeat of Nazism be a sombre event?
Unless obviously you happen to be a Nazi in which case it makes perfect sense not to be in a celebratory mood
Just happy the holiday is on the 8th. For some reason I got the idea it was this Friday and I’m waiting on new toys being delivered.
Faaarrrkkk, I just bought a job lot of 600 May poles, thinking I'd make a mint selling them on 🙁
May Day is my favourite bh but I can't say I really care if they move it one year.
Hopefully in a few years time we can look back and have a VC bank hol to celebrate when lockdown ends / real progress is made in the current situation
I’m saving all my joy for Victory over Brexit Day.
. Of my 25 days from 1st Jan to 31st Dec I’ve only actually used one day.
My work has decreed that everyone has to take at least 10 days leave by end of June.
I had a full week off at home after easter. Tbh I was dreading it but turned out to be quite relaxing. The nice weather and having kids about helped.
Eddiebaby - I think that’s one thing we can all agree on 🤣
Why should the anniversary of the defeat of Nazism be a sombre event?
Unless obviously you happen to be a Nazi in which case it makes perfect sense not to be in a celebratory mood
Well, given that only last night you posted
Today across Europe support for far right movements and neo-nazi parties is at its highest level for 75 years.
Maybe there's not really anything to celebrate (cos, to be clear, I'm not a Nazi)? And, let's not forget, one of the foundations of Naziism and fascism is a mythologizing of past 'glories', especially military ones, and promotion of an insular, nationalist rhetoric.
Which, again, is why we need to stop the eulogising and celebrating about when "we won the war".
If it was a respectful remembrance of those lost, those responsible and a reflection of how western Europe has lived in (relative) peace in the intervening years through mutual cooperation then I’d be all on board.
But let’s not kid ourselves, it’s not going to look anything like that because so many of our population still learn their history from Commando comics.
Exactly.
I'm sorry IHN but I see no contradiction at all between wanting to celebrate the defeat of the Nazi regime in 1945, and pointing out that support across Europe today for far right movements and neo-nazi parties is at it's highest level for 75 years.
In fact I think it's very poignant to do so, which is obviously why I thought it was a point worth making.
Furthermore it has nothing at all to do with "eulogising and celebrating" war. Israel celebrates annually VE Day, do you really think that the people of Israel think that WW2 was a great event which should be celebrated?
Perhaps some people need to be a little less xenophobic and see WW2 not so much as a struggle against Germans but as a struggle against Nazism.
I'll remind you that the horrors of Nazism extended far beyond the borders of Germany.
I’m sorry IHN but I see no contradiction at all between wanting to celebrate the defeat of the Nazi regime in 1945, and pointing out that support across Europe today for far right movements and neo-nazi parties is at it’s highest level for 75 years.
I think it's a question of language and tone. "Commemorate", fine. "Celebrate", not so much.
Perhaps some people need to be a little less xenophobic and see WW2 not so much as a struggle against Germans but as a struggle against Nazism.
I agree, but good luck with that.
Trouble is commemorate often turns into celebrate, especially when associated with a bank holiday move. When you have people like the BBC promoting this type of rubbish, Great British Bunting, the don't stop to think brigade (i.e. many of the British public) will turn it into a celebration. I'm pretty sure if we weren't in lockdown there would have been street parties.
Don't forget the bank holiday was moved by one of the most odious, populist and jingoistic political administrations of recent times. Don't think it was moved to allow more people time for somber reflection, it was all part of the loony right Brexit strategy.
My employer are quite happy for me to work the friday and take the monday instead, happily. I much prefer a monday off.
Perhaps some people need to be a little less xenophobic and see WW2 not so much as a struggle against Germans but as a struggle against Nazism.
We're smart enough to know the difference, but plenty aren't. As said it's all about the tone and language used.
Also worth reflecting on how short lived that victory really was. Its not just Nazism but the mechanics of how such a group came to power that has to be guarded against.
We’re smart enough....
Who's we?
In the list of 1st world problems, I'm not quite sure where a day off being moved when most people aren't actually working ranks.
I'm still working and couldn't really care less. I'm self employed though, so Bank Holidays, meh
I'll be marking the anniversary. My dad was 16 years old in 1945 so was luckier than many who were a handful of years older. He experienced the war on the home front as a teenager and lived on a farm in the country with probably better food than average. On VE day he bivvied out on top of Ben Lomond along with a friend. It was his local mountain 15 miles from home. My dad said it was a still enough night they could burn a candle on the top
My mother,s war was being evacuated from Glasgow to relatives in Lewis as a 13 year old and not being back home in Glasgow until she was an adult. Her mother put her on the train in Glasgow and asked another passenger heading for Stornoway to keep an eye on her on the train and ferry. In reality she left home at 13. After finishing high school in Lewis she stayed in a teacher training hostel at Jordanhill when she returned to the city. So she was on her 20s before being back home for a few years before marriage.
So I'll be marking the date by spending some time on top of a hill which is walking distance from home.
In the list of 1st world problems, I’m not quite sure where a day off being moved when most people aren’t actually working ranks.
I’m still working and couldn’t really care less. I’m self employed though, so Bank Holidays, meh
