Little Differences Between Canada and the U.S. (Easter Time)

[Krikit 1,164]

Yeah, I keep forgetting not to be surprised when the stores are open on statutory holidays. Especially Labour/Labor Day. That always makes me laugh.

Mmmm, I'm in UK & I just bought some hot cross buns today. I'm gonna have them after dinner with FULL FAT butter, not the low fat horrid spread!

I'm also looking forward to Friday & Monday off work! Paid holidays! No such thing in US unless you've been with the company a few years! Booooo!!

Boooooooo!!

Let's get her!

[Kathryn41 3,205]

Oh I love hot cross buns and in five years here I have never found them anyway. I haven't even found raisin buns available which are a somewhat close second. I love the candied peel and the fact that the buns are not super sweet. Yum - toasted with melted butter - oh, they are heavenly.

Yeah, Easter is another US non-holiday. Joe works Friday and Monday and the majority of places are open both days. Banks and the post office are closed on the Friday but open Monday. I was very surprised as well how so many Americans say their Christianity is important to them yet they don't even celebrate one of the integral holidays in the Christian religious calendar. I think Trailmix is right - money seems to supersede God in practice.

Dad brought some Digestive cookies down from Canada and I had forgotten how much I enjoyed them. I did have some last Thanksgiving in Houston when we found some of the chocolate coated digestives in a Whole Foods store there. Big Sigh - another thing to miss all over again. (I got my Wilton's cheese though, oh it is wonderful!).

[CaptainRubyHeart 1]

I asked my hubby and he said "I know there is a song" but doesn't know what they are lol. maybe get him to describe them a little?

on a side note, where are you in texas? we just came to Austin (got here on Friday night) from California, and my husband is from Newfoundland. probably the wrong side of the world for you lol.

I'm from Houston! Haven't been to Newfoundland. But Sean's told me about it.

Funny li'l story. I studied abroad in Paris one summer and I met this really nice girl and we became fast friends. After I told her I was from Texas, she told me she was from Newfoundland and I responded to her, “AH--I’s the bi’s that zeels the boot.”

She gave me the strangest look and asked, “How do you know about that?” I had to explain to her that my then-fiance had taught me that.

How did you like Austin?

Edited April 6, 2009 by CaptainRubyHeart

[CaptainRubyHeart 1]

An update (while I’m still on my lunch break):

(a) Thank you all for the explanation and for the wonderful recipes.  I will definitely be trying them out—probably beginning Friday. I will definitely let you know how it goes—or, you may hear the explosion all the way in Canada, if I end up accidently blowing up the kitchen!

(B) Last night, Sean reminded me before bedtime that there was a little song—“Hot cross buns.” And the lightbulb went off in my head and all of a sudden I was flooded with memories of learning to play the clarinet in middle school and all the squeaking and squawking associated with it.

I sang it to Sean: “Hot cross buns. Hot cross buns. One a penny, two a penny, hot cross buns.”

He laughed, “All you know about hot cross buns is that they’re either one cent or half a cent?”

“Sean,” I replied, “I didn’t even think they were a real thing when I heard the song back then.”

He doubled over in laughter.

© At my workplace, we used to get Good Friday off, but only some of us do now. I’m one of those insanely lucky people that everyone hates because I somehow wound up with a great job in the private sector right out of college. At my job, they give us this flex-time option. If you elect to work an extra hour or so Monday through Thursday, you get every other Friday off, and on the Fridays that you work, you only work til 3 PM.

Good Friday is actually my Friday off (hooray). It used to be that everyone got Good Friday off, but my company did away with that and instead gave us a “floating personal day” that we can pretty much take whenever we want. And whoever has Friday off that week can still take their day off. It’s kinda cool.

[elsoar 3]

“Sean,” I replied, “I didn’t even think they were a real thing when I heard the song back then.”

This reminds me of when I first moved to Canada and found out porridge was a real thing instead of a fairy tale food for Goldilocks to eat! Who knew it was just oatmeal all along?!

Elly

[DeadPoolX 9]

I was suprised that Americans/companies don't get off Good Friday nor Easter Monday, especially due to the religious population here. I dunno, I assumed it was a really important holiday but it's not since everything is open and most people still have to work.

I think it depends on the workplace. I've known some places that give off, but I don't think most do. Never bothered me before, but then again, Easter is a non-issue for me. I wouldn't get off for Passover, so it seems fair to me.

[domegirl1978 1]

The U.S. offers almost NO calendar/holiday days off during the year.

There are no days off for Easter because although they call themselves a Christian nation they also go by so-called seperation of church and state. Usually the only people that get that day off are private religious schools or universities, banks and a few other select companies. Maybe you can be employed by someone who would actually give you the day off which would be nice.

My fiance is American and only gets one week off vacation a year. ONE. I have been at my company here in Montreal 6 years and get 3 weeks off every year as off last year. My mother works for a hospital and gets 4 weeks off every year and 4 weeks off unpaid if she wants them.

I really have to get used to have almost no holidays and working more hours a week as most jobs I've been seeing are also 8-6pm in Florida. UGH....no more 9-4:30 for me....HAHA

[The_Dude 1,142]

Actually, there are several days off during the course of the year. There are some federal holidays that everyone gets off, and then some other ones that it depends on your employer.

[WalkonWildSide 0]

The U.S. offers almost NO calendar/holiday days off during the year.

The only religious related holiday that American companies give employees off is Christmas.

The standard days off are

Jan 1st.............................New Years

3rd Monday in Feb...........Presidents Day

Last Monday in May.........Memorial Day

4th of July........................Independence Day

1st Monday in Sept..........Labor day

4th Thursday in Nov........Thanksgiving

December 25th................Christmas

some companies might give these days

3rd Monday in January....Dr. MLK day

2nd Monday in October...Discover's Day - used to be Columbus Day

11th November..............Veterans day

Edited April 6, 2009 by easytarget

[Krikit 1,164]

Guess what?!! I just came back from the grocery store and they had hot cross buns!!! I didn't buy them, though, because they had candied fruit peel in them. blech

Edited April 6, 2009 by Krikit

[BH45 0]

Hmm, that's interesting that you from Canada don't know what they are. Perhaps it's a generational thing?

Here's a pictures of them. My Mom would make them with candied peel. Ick! I'd pick all that stuff out of them.

I picked all that stuff out too, Carla. I know what they are - my dad loved them so we had them whenever we could get them.

[DeadPoolX 9]

The U.S. offers almost NO calendar/holiday days off during the year.

There are no days off for Easter because although they call themselves a Christian nation they also go by so-called seperation of church and state. Usually the only people that get that day off are private religious schools or universities, banks and a few other select companies. Maybe you can be employed by someone who would actually give you the day off which would be nice.

My fiance is American and only gets one week off vacation a year. ONE. I have been at my company here in Montreal 6 years and get 3 weeks off every year as off last year. My mother works for a hospital and gets 4 weeks off every year and 4 weeks off unpaid if she wants them.

I really have to get used to have almost no holidays and working more hours a week as most jobs I've been seeing are also 8-6pm in Florida. UGH....no more 9-4:30 for me....HAHA

Some people in the U.S. call it a "Christian Nation." I've never done so. Usually the more die-hard members of the Republican Party are the most dogmatic about it. We do have separation of church and state (which is good in my opinion) and that means religious holidays are few and far between. Most holidays are federal ones.

Edited April 6, 2009 by Sentinel

[trailmix 77]

Guess what?!! I just came back from the grocery store and they had hot cross buns!!! I didn't buy them, though, because they had candied fruit peel in them. blech

Which store!?!?

[Marilyn. 340]

Jan 1st.............................New Years

3rd Monday in Feb...........Presidents Day

Last Monday in May.........Memorial Day

4th of July........................Independence Day

1st Monday in Sept..........Labor day

4th Thursday in Nov........Thanksgiving

December 25th................Christmas

the hubster gets the usual days off.. except President's day

and this year he has 15 days of paid vacation time

Edited April 7, 2009 by *Marilyn*

[Krikit 1,164]

Guess what?!! I just came back from the grocery store and they had hot cross buns!!! I didn't buy them, though, because they had candied fruit peel in them. blech

Which store!?!?

Oh, I should have said. Sorry. It was Albertsons.

Oh, but you know what? I can't find those Weetabix Flakes ANYWHERE now!