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Malone

One of the joys of Easter is working out when it is. After the nausea of Christmas, what could be better than getting out the astronomical charts and checking on the full moons? You can't rely on diaries, websites etc because they are often wrong.

The local Council has decided on a "Spring Break" rather than "Easter Holidays" which is why the holidays started 24 days before Easter this year.

I believe the government are planning to have a fixed Easter. We will be out of phase with the rest of the world if we do. I suppose we blame Brexit.

Sorry, Jigjag - I knew you were male, my typing fingers didn't! Sorry about that.

Jigjag, I'd definitely prefer a non-religious, non-equinox-related holiday … but I'd struggle to accept it being called 'Spring Break'. That is far too American for me - both in the term itself and in the connotations involved (I think US adolescents go a bit … wild then). I'd have a one-week holiday towards the end of March, beginning of April - this could be worked out to suit the lengths of terms, exam dates etc. Good Friday could be a one-day holiday, allowing those who want to observe it to do so. I don't care if we're out of step with Europe or anyone else - I'd see it as us being the first to see sense.

Malone

I am glad you don't like the term "Spring Break". It is hardly a "break" when it lasts 2 weeks. I would be quite happy to have a 1-week holiday, but I would like it to span Easter Sunday. Then people could observe the religious aspect or enjoy it, or a bit of both.

The interesting discussions have led me to do some serious thinking re school terms and I will be ringing the Council tomorrow with some suggestions!

Jigjag, thanks. I'm afraid I don't want your '1 week holiday, spanning Easter Sunday', as that'll return us to the very variable - and to me, needlessly disruptive - dates. Having Good Friday, the unmentionable Saturday and Easter Sunday seems adequate to me - but I'll concede that the religious observers might want the Monday too. As I'm feeling generous, they can have that as well.

Malone

Your idea of a fixed holiday is a good one, and after some thought, I considered that the school year should be split into 3 terms of equal length, giving 39 weeks as now.

I rang the Council and spoke to the Head of Future Dates, Isla Settit, to propose the idea. "I came up with the idea of a Spring Break to avoid the problems of a late Easter" she told me, and I am now working on next year.

“Why not have 3 terms of 13 weeks with a one-week half-term.” I replied. “so the Michaelmas term starts on 2nd Sept and ends on 6th December. Following a 2-week holiday, the second term starts on 23rd December and so on.”

“But there is an important religious festival we have to take into account”, she said.

“If you mean the Epiphany, it is at a weekend, so that is no problem.”

“Hmm. It might work. I will give it serious consideration and let you know.” she said.

I don’t think it will happen in Scotland though. I believe there is the feast of Hogmanay to avoid.

Jigjag, it's good that you are putting so much time, thought and effort into rejigging (rejigjagging?) the school year. I'm pleased that you got to speak to Isla Settit. I have a small favour to ask of you. Next time you're speaking to Isla, could you ask her if government cutbacks are responsible for her losing the quotation marks? She seems to have mislaid a pair.


Your idea of three terms sounds good, though I'm not particularly fond of your dates. The 2nd September seems a late starting date - as a Scot, I'm used to schools returning around 19th/20th August. I'm also not too keen on a term starting on 23rd December. I'd like a proper Christmas break, and preferably one that goes on until around the 4th January. Still, there's nothing to stop us considering all the options.

Malone

I must apologise for the missing quotation marks. My fault, not Isla's, poor proof-reading I am afraid.

She mentioned that without her Spring Break, the next late Easter would cause the holidays to extend into May, beyond May Day in fact.

If I can't have a proper Easter holiday, I dont see why people should have one at Christmas. After all, Easter is the more important date, for Christians at least!

Jigjag, I think a long weekend at Easter should be fine - that'd cover Good Friday, Easter Sunday and Easter Monday. I realise that Easter is the more important date for Christians, but that should surely give them enough time and opportunity to observe and celebrate all the things they want to observe and celebrate? I think the majority of people - ie those who aren't Christians or even nominal Christians - would be quite happy with a settled date for Easter. I know many schools would also appreciate a move away from the variable date.

Many people have a certain amount of holidays each year, so maybe some of those could be used to extend the break if so desired?

PS Glad to hear the quotation marks hadn't come to a bad end, and had merely been overlooked.

Malone

I have just mentioned our discussions to Mrs Jigjag and she tells me that she is playing in her golf club's "Easter festival" this weekend (Fri - Sun). This was postponed from last weekend for some reason and the organiser has apologised that it could not be played at the "Easter weekend".

I have told her to tell the organiser that an apology is unnecessary as 2 of the 3 days will fall in Easter Week, whereas if it had been played last weekend, only one day would have fallen in the Easter period.

Mrs J has advised me that, once again, I have lost touch with the real world.

Thanks, Jigjag. I don't know about 'Easter Week' - I feel I have lived through Easter Month! Although the pedant in me feels that the correct terminology should be used, terms such as 'Easter Week' really do have no significance for the majority of us. Perhaps you could tailor your phrases to suit your audience?