If you prefer, you could do next to nothing on a long weekend, writes Wyn Drabble.
Can you think of anything more relaxing than a long weekend? I can. It’s an even longer weekend. In fact, just how long can a long weekend get?
While New Zealanders recently enjoyed a three-day weekend, the people of Hawke’s Bay enjoyed four days of leisure because they have been prudent enough to tack their anniversary weekend holiday to the front end of the Labour Day weekend. Smart stuff.
But when I say “enjoyed four days” I mean aside from those who had to work in hospitality, supermarkets, convenience stores, fast food outlets, petrol stations, hospitals, law enforcement, tourism, selling vaping requisites or putting telephone callers on hold for their “convenience”.
In the earliest days of Labour Day, of course, many of these goods and services either did not exist or were simply shut. New Zealand had an international reputation for often being shut.
But let’s forget these working people for a while and concentrate on those who did have a long (or longer) weekend.
Kiwis who didn’t have to go to work could, if they wished, simply luxuriate with three consecutive lie-ins — four if they lived in Hawke’s Bay. A lie-in (as opposed to a full sleep-in) is a luxury during which you can enjoy that half-awake, half-asleep, semi-dozing state of what I’ll even call euphoria.
Plus the fact that there does not have to be an alarm. You can deactivate your BBRRNNGG for those days of leisure.
When you do eventually rise, the choice is yours: reading a book, crochet, home baking or even returning to the luxury of lie-in mode (perhaps more common than you may think).
Or you could celebrate the first real flush of spring roses from the garden; cut a huge bunch and bring the joy of their colour and scent inside your house.
If you prefer, you could just do next to nothing. Simply recharge.
So, just what is Labour Day? It was first celebrated in New Zealand on October 28, 1890, to commemorate the struggle for an eight-hour working day. Thousands of trade union members would parade in the streets of the larger centres and there were colourful banners and ornate floats.
As early as the 1920s, it started to lose its political flavour and become just another holiday. Which it is today.
I say that now is the time to bring back a political element. Let’s start some action to take the Labour Day concept a step further and make three-day weekends the norm. I, for one, would be happy to work four slightly longer days if it meant a three-day weekend.
I realise that’s somewhat at odds with the Labour Day idea of an eight-hour day, but it’s all swings and roundabouts; it’s a little loss for a greater gain.
We could have placards and marches and sit-ins and people with loudhailers and crowd extras. You may feel I’m too long in the tooth for this but I’m starting to feel quite excited here. We could, I’m sure, apply so much pressure to the Government that they would eventually accede to our demands and grant us our request for ... what was it again? It’s on the tip of my tongue. I’m sure it’ll come back to me.
Anyway, because you read the idea here, I may well become a famous name in New Zealand history. I’m not saying I’ll ever be up there with Samuel Parnell but I might earn a small sepia photograph tucked away in the corner of a future New Zealand history website.
Then one day further on in history, you – I say you because I’ll be gone – will have to start the whole process over again but this time for a four-day weekend.