13-May-08 UK Bank Holidays

This is a schedule of UK (England/Wales) Bank Holidays for the next couple years:

England and Wales 2008 2009 2010
New Year's Day 1 Jan 1 Jan 1 Jan
Good Friday 21 Mar 10 Apr 2 Apr
Easter Monday 24 Mar 13 Apr 5 Apr
Early May Bank Holiday 5 May 4 May 3 May
Spring Bank Holiday 26 May 25 May 31 May
Summer Bank Holiday 25 Aug 31 Aug 30 Aug
Christmas Day 25 Dec 25 Dec 27 Dec
Boxing Day 26 Dec 28 Dec 28 Dec

While they do have St. George's day and recognition of other events and people and saints, there is not a public holiday for them. Early May holiday is actually really May Day. But the spring and summer bank holidays are just to have a holiday, or at least with the several people I asked at work, they could not explain why they were holidays then....though they do equate to Memorial Day and Labor Day holidays in the US. And finally, Boxing Day (Feast of St. Stephens in Ireland) is not a national sporting holiday, but rather a tradition from medieval times when a box of food/gifts was given to the peasants and less fortunate the day after Christmas.

And Northern Ireland, being the odd lot that they are, celebrate a public day-off holiday with St. Patrick's Day (surprise, surprise!!) and Battle of the Boyne/Orangeman's Day. The Scots celebrate the Feast of St. Andrews (not with a round of golf, but rather a jig in the town square) and also an extra day after New Years (Hogmanay) for further recovery, I guess.