It has become fashionable here in the United States to move holidays to a Monday or Friday, so as to have a three-day weekend. This has happened with Memorial Day and Veterans’ Day, for example.

I was born on Veterans’ Day (what used to be Armistice Day), and I always liked getting my birthday off. But several years ago they (whoever “they” are) decided to make it forever a Friday, and so it’s rarely where it’s supposed to be (my birthday).

A few holidays have escaped this trend. January 1 would be difficult to do this to. And fortunately Christmas remains December 25, but there’s still the potential for those “inside the beltway” to decide it should always be the fourth Friday in December (after all, Martin Luther King’s, Abe Lincoln’s, and George Washington’s have all been moved, why not Jesus Christ’s? But let’s hope not.).

July 4th is yet another that most likely won’t move. I suppose it would be difficult to celebrate July 4th on July 6th, though by simply calling it “Independence Day” it could happen.

But to have a holiday smack in the middle of the week is a bit awkward. Many have taken the past two days off, so as to have five consecutive days away from the office, and many no doubt are taking the next two off (for the same reason). And a few (like our firm’s COO, Patrick Fowler) took the two before and two after, to make it a full week off and only use four vacation days.

Yesterday I commented about July 4th on Facebook; I’ll share some of what I wrote:

Tomorrow is a day of celebration here in these United States. But like Memorial Day, many don’t fully grasp its meaning: it’s the day we declared our independence from England, and what led to the many years of battle for us to actually become an independent nation.

Those brave men who signed this document were, in essence, signing their death penalties, for if we had lost the war, they surely would have been put to death.

Today we cannot be involved in a war but a few years before we hear the chorus of those who want us to depart; where’s the fortitude? But during the long battle for independence, we persevered.

Let us give thanks to those who took those bold steps so that we could have the freedoms we so cherish today. Happy July 4th! And God Bless America!

July 4th is a special day in our nation’s history, and I wish my fellow Americans a “Happy July 4th!” It’s a special day for me personally, because it’s the day I met my wife of nearly 40 years. And so we have an extra reason to celebrate!