The 24th of May does not need to fall on the May two-four weekend for it to be a holiday even if this year Monday will really be the 24th. As this food feature in the National Post implies, this holiday has become something of a celebration of beer for Canada. "Two-four" is our slang for a 24 bottle pack of beer - what I gather they call a "slab" in Australia. Moosehead beer reports a 15% jump in sales this time of year.

Officially called Victoria Day, as we move more and more away from associating ourselves as a nation with the monarchy, the holiday has become more and more associated with ourselves, relaxation and the gateway to the summer to come. Here in Ontario, it is also called Firecracker Day the combination of cottages, lots of beer and cheaply made recreational explosives adds a note of anarchy to this time of year. Cops are busy as they always have been. Campgrounds get accosted. Doesn't sounds all that Victorian, does it.