EXTRAS
CALENDAR CUSTOMS
Calendar Customs are those customs that we celebrate every year on a particular date or in a specific season. Some Calendar Customs that we celebrate on Bell Island and in other parts of Newfoundland every year are:
Old Christmas Day, Jan. 6th: Read more about Old Christmas Day by clicking the button:
Valentine's Day, Feb. 14th: As early as 100 years ago, Bell Islanders were celebrating Valentine’s Day. See more by clicking the button:
St. Patrick's Day, Mar. 17th: Commemorates St. Patrick, the Patron Saint of Ireland. It is a provincial holiday in Newfoundland and Labrador on the nearest Monday to March 17th. See more about St. Patrick's Day by clicking the button:
Easter is the first Sunday after the first full moon in spring (after March 21st), which can occur as early as March 22 and as late as April 25: Commemorates the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. It is a shop-closing holiday in Newfoundland. See more about Easter and the special days it encompasses by clicking the button:
St. George's Day, April 23rd (believed to be the Saint's death date): Commemorates the Patron Saint of England. St. George's Day is a provincial holiday in Newfoundland & Labrador on the Monday closest to Apr. 23rd. See more about St. George's Day by clicking the button:
Victoria Day, May 24th: Commemorates the birthday of Queen Victoria (May 24, 1819). See more about Victoria Day by clicking the button:
Memorial Day, July 1st: This is a Newfoundland observance that commemorates the loss of 733 soldiers of the Newfoundland Regiment during the Battle of the Somme at Beaumont-Hamel on July 1, 1916, during the First World War. It coincides with Canada Day. Read more about it by clicking the button:
Orangemen's Day, July 12th: Commemorates the Battle of the Boyne, which took place in 1690 outside Drogheda, now in the Republic of Ireland. Prince William of Orange won the battle against King James VII of Scotland (aka King James II of England & Ireland). Prince William became King William III. It is a provincial holiday in Newfoundland & Labrador on the Monday closest to July 12th. The Loyal Orange Association (LOA) would hold a parade featuring someone dressed as "King Billy" leading the parade on a white horse, suitably decorated for the occasion. Read more about Orangemen's Day and the Loyal Orange Association by clicking the button:
Sports Day, August (more to come)
Labour Day, First Monday in September. See more by clicking the button:
Thanksgiving: Second Monday in October. See more by clicking the button:
Hallowe'en: October 31: See more about Hallowe'en by clicking the button:
Bonfire Night, also called Guy Fawkes Night, Nov. 5th: Originating in England in 1605 after conspirators plotted to blow up the Houses of Parliament, Bonfire Night was never a public holiday, but a highly-anticipated evening event late in the Fall as it became darker earlier. See more about Bonfire Night by clicking the button:
Remembrance Day, November 11th: The tradition of Remembrance Day evolved out of Armistice Day, which commemorated the armistice agreement that ended the First World War on Monday, November 11, 1918 at 11:00 a.m., the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month. It is a federal statutory holiday in Canada. See more about Remembrance Day by clicking the button:
Christmas: Read more about Christmas by clicking the button:
New Year's Eve: Dec. 31