Not so long ago, there was no break between the new year and Easter weekend.
We were all expected to sludge through some of the worst parts of winter, all without having a break.
Then Alberta had this idea back in 1990: why not have a holiday in February?
With that, Family Day was born.
It only took Sask-atchewan 17 years to steal the idea from Alberta and have a Family Day of our own, which ties us for second to have the holiday along with Ontario. Manitoba also established its own February holiday in 2007 on the same day: Louis Riel Day.
Saskatchewan has 10 statutory holidays per year: five of those being provincial and five federal. We’re tied with BC and the Northwest Territories in terms of how much stat holidays we receive.
It’s good to have a day devoted to relaxing with family, especially considering that many holidays that are all about connecting with family also have a host of other important duties that keep us busy.
Taking vacation is important for our well-being: it reduces stress, increases focus, makes the ol’ ticker healthier, improves sleep and increase productivity when it’s all over and everybody goes back to work. I know I was glad I was able to sneak a few days for myself over the holiday weekend.
It was good to see groups from all over east central Saskatchewan celebrate the Family Day weekend, whether it was the opportunity to ski, sled or take a horse cart through the trails of Humboldt’s Carlton Trail Ski Club; the vintage ice oval snowmobile racing near Nipawin; or the numerous poker rallies taking place in small communities across the countryside.
So celebrate in doing nothing for Saskatchewan’s newest statutory holiday: Family Day.
Well, newest unless the federal government reveals a statutory holiday devoted to remember what happened at residential schools.
