Family Day 2024: Family Day, observed on the third Monday of February in Canada, is not officially recognized as a national holiday by the government. The majority of Canadians, however, reside in regions where it is observed as a statutory holiday at the provincial level. These regions include British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario, New Brunswick, and Saskatchewan, where it is known as “Family Day,” Manitoba, “Louis Riel Day,” Nova Scotia, “Nova Scotia Heritage Day,” and Prince Edward Island, “Islander Day.” From now on, we’ll call the holiday Family Day for our purposes.
The background of Family Day
In 1990, Alberta became the first province to observe Family Day. Over the ensuing years, Saskatchewan and Ontario did the same. British Columbia changed its celebration date from the second Monday in February to the third Monday in February a few years later in 2012, in line with the dates of celebrations observed by neighboring provinces. In 2018, New Brunswick declared a holiday. Manitoba joined the parties in 2007, 2009, and Nova Scotia in 2013. No changes were made to Yukon’s already-existing Yukon Heritage Day since it was thought to be sufficiently close to the new Family Day holiday on the calendar.
As you might expect, unlike Christmas and New Year’s Day, for instance, there are no official traditions associated with Family Day. However, as the name suggests, a lot of Canadians use the three-day weekend in February to spend more time with their loved ones. Popular ways to celebrate the holiday include extended family get-togethers, road trips, and winter sports excursions. The celebrants manage to stay warm and comfortable on Family Day despite the cold!
National Family Day 2023: Date, History, Facts, Activities
Ways to Discover Family Day in Canada
Reestablish contact with your extended family
Most likely, you have a favorite aunt, uncle, grandparent, or cousin that would be thrilled to reconnect and hear about all of your latest exploits. Family Day is a great opportunity to express your affection and thoughts for your loved ones. You’ll be grateful to yourself.
Organize a family gathering.
The production doesn’t need to be intricate. At minimum, a straightforward potluck dinner for the entire family will serve as a reminder of who the family’s greatest cooks are. Nothing makes you feel more at home and connected to the people in your life than sitting down to a homemade meal with them.
Make contact with your “chosen family.”
Let’s face it: a growing number of individuals belonging to the younger generations originate from dysfunctional or broken homes, where the mere mention of “family” evokes feelings of anxiety and distress. If that describes you, reach out to a few people who make up your “chosen family”; these are your trusted allies and close friends.
Awesome Five Facts About Louis Riel
- Around the turn of the millennium, Canadian comic book artist Chester Brown—who had won the first Canada Council for the Arts grant for a sequential art project—translated the life story of Louis Riel, up to his hanging for treason.
- The current official statue of Louis Riel, which is located on the grounds of Winnipeg’s Manitoba Legislative Building, took the place of the 1970s sculpture, which caused controversy due to its disproportionate body and nudity. The statue features Riel dressed in period attire and moccasins.
- In 1885, Riel faced trial for his leadership of the North-West Rebellion, which pitted the French-speaking Metis people against the then-governing Canadian government.
- Given that Riel was an eighth native Canadian and that his grandmother was a full Franco-Chipewyan Metisse, it is understandable why he supported the cause of the Metis people.
- Despite his efforts to negotiate the creation of Manitoba, Riel was frequently portrayed during his lifetime and well into the 20th century as little more than a cunning rabble-rouser.
Happy National Family Day Quotes, Messages and Wishes
Why We Appreciate Family Day in Canada
It serves as a reminder of what matters most.
Family Day’s meaning is evident in its name, regardless of the holiday’s beginnings and development. Without our parents and siblings, who have supported us throughout our entire lives, sharing both our successes and our setbacks, how would we manage? Spend a moment thinking about your blood relatives and their meaning to you on this Family Day.
The weekend is three days long!
To avoid getting too serious or deep, anyone who works a Monday through Friday job or is still in school can attest to the wonderful effects of a three-day weekend in terms of providing some much-needed respite and breaking up the monotony. We’ll count it as a celebration even if all you do on Saturday, Sunday, and Monday is sleep in!
It’s something that neither our grandparents nor our parents had.
Being present during the creation of a brand-new provincial holiday is kind of cool. How about unearthing a pre-Family Day calendar and preserving it as memorabilia?
FAMILY DAY DATES
| Year | Date | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | February 15 | Monday |
| 2022 | February 21 | Monday |
| 2023 | February 20 | Monday |
| 2024 | February 19 | Monday |
| 2025 | February 17 | Monday |
