Why Have The Day Off?

It's the Melbourne Cup. In Australia it is referred to as "The Race that Stops the Nation". In Victoria it is a Public Holiday. It amazes me that we have a public holiday for a horse race!
 
Don't get me wrong, a day off appeals to my laid back and relaxed Australian attitude to life, but for a horse race? It also strikes me as funny that in one of furthest away parts of the Commonwealth, we have a public holiday to celebrate the Queen's birthday, yet they don't have one in England where she lives!

It strikes me as ludicrous that earlier this year there were discussions and media rumblings about having a public holiday for the AFL Grand Final (don't get me started on that!).
There are so many good reasons to have a day off where we DON'T, why do it for a simple sporting event?

Here are a few reasons to take a day off in no order of importance (except the first one):

• Your birthday (NEVER work on your birthday - it's against the rules)
• Your partner's birthday
• Your anniversary
• Your child's graduation
• Your child's performance (sport, play, dance, music, whatever)
• A funeral of someone dear to a dear friend of yours
• An impulse family adventure
• A surprise visit to your grandparents
• A full health check up
• To celebrate a major milestone achievement (personal or professional)
• To spend time with someone you love but don't see often
• For personal or professional development (training course - regardless of who pays for it)
• To pick up the new car/motorbike/motorhome and spend the day taking it for a test run
• Because you are sick! (Don't struggle through work, stay home and get better)
• Because someone you love is sick (kid, pet, partner, parent or friend)

I am sure you can come up with a stack of other reasons far more worthy than a horse race.
So what would it take for you to have the day off?

Image: www.MelbourneCup.com