The annual start-of-summer Bank Holiday in Canada -- called a long weekend on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean -- is called Victoria Day.  | | Three Canadians who are eager to celebrate ... |
It's the holiday that means the end of winter and the beginning of that short period of time in Canada called summer. Most people spend Victoria Day doing very Canadian things like: - planting the vegetable garden, mostly with peas, beans and potatoes as nothing much else will grow there
- cleaning off the barbecue and cooking large cuts of T-bone steak and large quantities of hamburger and hot dogs, which must be slathered with loads of mustard, relish and ketchup
- polishing and waxing the car, and then going for a ride in the countryside
- opening up the lakeside cabin or cottage, sweeping away the dead mice and breaking the ice on the lake
- feeling proud they are Canadian and can celebrate the birthday of any Queen they like. In Quebec, they might be more likely to celebrate on St Jean Baptiste Day, which is on June 24th. He's the patron saint of Quebec.
 | | Getting out to the countryside is a popular Victoria Day pursuit |
The odd thing is no other country seems to celebrate the birthday of Queen Victoria, who died in 1901. But Canada has celebrated the sovereign's birthday on May 24th or the closest Monday to that date since the reign of Victoria. It is now celebrated on the Monday preceding May 25th every year. But if you are Canadian, as I am, how do you celebrate Victoria Day? If you are a British person living in Canada, how do you celebrate?
Let us know so we can have a debate. Is Victoria Day an anachronism or a great idea? What should we do to mark Victoria Day or should it be renamed as something else. We're waiting for your ideas. 
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