Columbus Day and My Sister

Source: Pixabay

What do Christopher Columbus and my Sister Sandy have in Common?

In the history books, the discovery of the Americas by Christopher Columbus occurred on October 12, 1492.


In our family, October 12th is more commonly known as my sister's birthday!


When I was a young school girl, we were taught all about Columbus discovering America and memorized an easy rhyme to remember the date:

Columbus Day Christopher Columbus Italian American T-Shirt

“In Fourteen Hundred Ninety Two  

Columbus Sailed the Ocean Blue!”

Columbus Day became a federal holiday in the United States in 1937. It didn't become one of today's 'Monday Holidays' until 1970, so before then it was always observed on October 12th instead of the 2nd Monday in October regardless of what day it falls on.


Monday holidays are days off for banks and the post office and other assorted places. I don't know if most schools today consider Columbus Day a holiday from school, but they did in New York State when we were in school back in the 1950s.

My sister Sandy

When my sister was a small girl, she thought we got Columbus Day off from school because it was her Birthday! We in the family perpetuated this 'myth' until Sandy was probably in the 4th or 5th grade! 

We weren't about to tell her everyone got to have a school holiday for a reason other than her having a birthday. :)

Happy Birthday, Sandy!

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