We celebrate Columbus Day?

I didn't even realize there was a national holiday coming up until I walked by the bank in the airport that advertised being closed on Monday. Why Monday? What's going on that allows for them to close? It's Columbus Day? Uh...

I don't even know what people do to celebrate Columbus Day other than take the day off. Is there some sort of event I should be attending? Do I need to research the origins of Mr. Columbus to know what to do? We don't even know the dude's true nationality - hey, even us Ports have claim to the man.

I understand the general idea about Columbus Day: the "New World" was discovered by accident, but if it wasn't then we wouldn't be here and blah blah blah. Don't get me wrong- love the history behind it all, but my family is relatively new to this country. I'm a first generation on my dad's side, and my mom's family has been here for only about a century (I guess that's a long time). But none of my family has ties to the originating discoverers, unless somehow I'm related to Cristobo or Christopher or whatever you'd like to call him.

And homie found this land by accident! We're celebrating a booboo, folks. I bet we would have bumped into this place a while later. I mean, it's pretty darn big to not run into eventually.

But honestly, what do we DO to celebrate Columbus Day? I think in school we learned about the Nina, Pinta, and Santa Maria, perhaps even coloring in drawings of the ships. We might have made funny hats we thought resembled those worn by Columbus and his crew.

Should we do more? Should we do less? Should we really give bank employees the day off? Not that I don't like a good celebration, but it's one of those holidays that never really got a great footing in American culture other than having it printed on calendars every year. In fact, I'd be more excited to celebrated Canadian Thanksgiving Day, as it appears to be the same day as Columbus Day. Makes sense; Columbus Day is another reminder that we "found" a place already inhabited by many peoples, to which we are grateful.

No, but seriously, what does a person DO on Columbus Day? Would it be wrong to go look for Halloween costume parts? To take advantage of Columbus Day sales at the mall? Go on with my life as if it were just another day? It's not like there is a moment of silence we hold during Columbus Day... or is there and no one told me? I wouldn't be surprised if no one told me.

And why do only banks and some other select businesses close on Columbus Day? Why isn't there more consistency about how we handle the whole thing? I think I need to go back to fifth grade, - or was it sixth? - and refresh my memory on what the issues of this day are, what I should do to commemorate it, and how to be a better supporter of Columbus Day overall. I mean, I don't think I've ever celebrated Columbus Day other than a special shopping trip to see the sales. In all honestly I forget it exists until I hear someone mention it on TV or the radio or in passing. Should we call it something else? Perhaps Land-ho Day? I see too many jokes arising from that name. Perhaps New Land Day?

Hmm. Just don't know what to do with this information. Maybe I'll practice my Spanish, as that is another possible origin of Colombo. Or maybe he was Italian? French? No one knows! Oh, there are some football games on tomorrow - can't get more celebratory than that!