Give us more public holidays

It’s getting to that time of year when holidays are top of mind because we all need one, and a few things make me think it’s time for a bit of a refresh. This month we had no city-wide Guy Fawkes fireworks in Wellington because the city has chosen to put its firepower into celebrating Matariki.

Just yesterday, we had little Eddie – who a couple of years ago probably became the youngest and most high-profile charity fundraiser – calling for the introduction of National Kindness or Manaaki Day to be marked on November 16.

And marketers around the world are starting to power up the advertising budgets to get in on the Christmas spending rush that now comes with one of the most holy of holidays.

So, is it time to review our national holidays? Are the old ones still working, or are they out of whack with what we want to celebrate and recognise as important days for Kiwis?

A quick review of New Zealand public holidays shows we have 11. Six are around Easter, Christmas and New Year. The other five are: Waitangi Day, Anzac Day, Queen’s Birthday, Labour Day and the one-off regional holiday.

We’re a bit shortchanged on public holidays on a global tally. Cambodia has 28 public holidays. In Europe, those enlightened Finns have 15.

New Zealand’s on a par with Denmark and ahead of the UK, which has just eight.

I’ve already said I think we should have a new public holiday for Matariki, which comes at our lowest ebb of the year, when it’s dark, cold and miserable and we need a reason to celebrate.

With fewer than half of New Zealand identifying as Christian in the 2013 census, maybe it’s time to go at least half the hog and drop Easter from the stat-holiday calendar. We could reallocate those days to bulking up time off for a week-long Matariki holiday.

Waitangi Day marks a milestone in New Zealand history. But how about a ‘‘Settlers’ Day’’ for those of us who have arrived and made New Zealand our home? A day when we celebrate inclusion, diversity and the other cultures which bring vibrancy and difference.

I feel Queen’s Birthday may have run its course but, as one friend suggested, it could be repurposed for Pride Week. Fair call, though I’m not sure what happens when Prince Charles takes the throne, or Prince William?

According to a recent Stuff poll of Kiwi traits, New Zealanders no longer value the 40-hour week, strong silent stoicism and the security of living at a distance from others.

Instead, we celebrate diversity, profess kindness, are more outward-looking than ever before, and care about the environment.

So, while Labour Day is something to be proud of in terms of New Zealand leading the way in workers’ rights, perhaps it doesn’t resonate much with Kiwis any more. Maybe we could swap it for Suffrage Day on September 19, to celebrate a New Zealand first, women and equality?

And if we consider looking for national traits we’d like to celebrate, then I’m totally down with the idea of a national kindness day. Let’s give everyone a day off and encourage them to go off and actually do something kind for, or with, someone else. What about another great Ma¯ ori concept: Kaitiaki Day? Kaitiakitanga meaning guardianship or protection.

Whatever we end up doing, I’m all in favour of adding a few more. I reckon we should take our lead from Cambodia and aim for 28 public holiday days, though I’d settle for the Finns’ 15.

Sue Allen is a marketing specialist.