Two Holidays

Today, both Japan and the US celebrate a holiday:

Pictured here is a rendering of the "First Landing of Columbus on the Shores of the New World."



By Presidential Proclamation beginning in 1934, the second Monday of October is Columbus Day.


It was a long tiresome journey for the 100 sailors of the Nina, Pinta, and Santa Maria. Weeks passed with no sight of land. The food, water, and supplies were almost gone. Most of the sailors were restless and wanted to turn back. But, Columbus cheered them by talking about the riches they would find into the Indies. Finally signs of land appeared. Branches with green leaves and red berries floated past the ships. They then saw in the distance LAND! Sailing closer, sandy beaches and green forests appeared. Columbus and the sailors thought they had arrived in India, but actually they had discovered America!


In order to give federal employees 3-day weekends, a 1968 federal law made several changes in dates of holiday observances. Originally, Columbus Day was observed on the 12th of October, until 1971 when it changed to the second Monday in October.
Italian-Americans feel pride in the day due to the fact that Christopher Columbus, an Italian sailor, sailed to the Americas. Many royal courts were interested in financing the voyage, but Spain financed the ships for Columbus' brainchild.

Trying singing these songs, just like children in America do, to learnChildren learn little poems to help remember the year Columbus landed in America:

COLUMBUS DAY("Mary Had a Little Lamb.")
Columbus sailed the ocean blue, Ocean blue, ocean blue. Columbus sailed the ocean blue, In fourteen-ninety-two. Columbus sailed the ocean blue, Ocean blue, ocean blue. I enjoy making discoveries,too. How about you?

OH, COLUMBUS("Oh,My Darling Clementine.")
Oh, Columbus; oh, Columbus, Sailed the ocean wide & blue. He landed in America, In fourteen ninety-two.

In Japan today is SPORTS DAY:

The second Monday of October is Taiiku no Hi, or Sports Day, a national holiday to foster healthy minds and bodies through physical activity. It was established to commemorate the 1964 Olympic Games in Tokyo, which were held from October 10 to 24. It was designated a national holiday two years later in 1966. Until 1999 the holiday was on October 10, but beginning in 2000 it has been changed to the second Monday of the month.