Anyone who's been reading my blog for a while knows that while I am all for a holiday long weekend in mid-February, I am not a fan of Family Day per se. I wish-wish-wish the powers that be had opted to call it something other than Family Day -- and you will understand why. ;)
I wondered whether COVID-19 would put a damper on the Family Day hype this year. And this morning, the Toronto Star has an editorial musing on that subject, noting that for some people, too much family togetherness has been the problem, while for others, it's been far too little.
But, never let a pandemic stand in the way of pronatalism -- or consumerism, lol... Non-essential retail stores are closed (albeit curbside pickup is still available from many stores), but I noticed a preponderance of recent ads from retailers & small businesses wishing everyone a "Happy Family Day!" (Some went so far as to wish "Happy Family Day, Canada!" -- which would be rubbing salt in the wounds of those provinces that don't get any kind of holiday at all today -- see above.) I also noticed a lot of ads in my Facebook & Instagram feeds from restaurants offering not only Valentine's Day specials but also Family Day specials this weekend. The Italian restaurants around here tend to offer huge family-sized portions anyway, especially around holidays, so I suppose it was natural, but still... (I have yet to peruse my social media posts this morning, so I'm not sure how much my friends there are saying about it...)
Still. Things could be worse. Not only is today Family Day, but it was Valentine's Day yesterday (as well as Chinese New Year on Friday! -- and today is also Presidents Day in the U.S.). For anyone who's both childless AND unpartnered, this weekend had to be a nightmare...!
You can find more of this week's #MicroblogMondays posts here.
Related FDay coverage:
ReplyDeletehttps://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/article-after-a-year-of-forced-togetherness-could-we-celebrate-unfamily-day/
I like Elizabeth Renzetti -- and she does nod to the fact that "many people are not lucky enough to be driven mad by boredom and proximity." But...
Oh, Family Day. And right on the heels of Valentine's Day! Ugh. I hope they do rename it, and that your Social media feed was kind to you!
ReplyDeleteIt is a disgustingly insensitive name for a day, really. When you think of all the people who aren't surrounded by family, who don't have any in the city, or even the country. Talk about rub salt into already open wounds for many lonely people! Sending hugs, and hoping tomorrow dawns bright.
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