National Holidays Quotes

Under the new government of the Constitution, beginning in 1789, all of the peacetime measures were repeated: chaplains, prayers, memorials of Thanksgiving, the Northwest Ordinance, funding for the Christian education of Indians.

We are declaring April 21 a day of national revenge!

If you grew up in Boston, you actually grew up thinking that Patriots' Day is a major American holiday, sort of like the other Fourth of July.

Since 1775, when the first Continental Congress called for a national day of prayer, there have been such events called for by almost every President. I saw the figures - 34 out of 44 Presidents have called for a national day of prayer. Some of those who didn't have died in office.

I do not suspect that Jefferson or Madison ever envisioned Congress honoring the 2,560th anniversary of the birth of Confucius or supporting the designation of National Pi Day.

The peculiar dignity of men seen eating alone in restaurants on national holidays

Most national holidays in most countries rest on selective memories of the past.

Every country has things to be proud of and to celebrate.

If all our national holidays were observed on Wednesdays, we could wind up with nine-day weekends.

Africanity is foisted upon the migrants the moment they arrive in the West. On the continent, most people in the rural areas live under ethnic categories like Kikuyu, Ibo, Hausa and Acholi. Some educated, middle-class and/or urban dwellers may see themselves as members of a nation like South Africa, Kenya or Tanzania. In some countries like South Africa, which has recently emerged from the crucible of apartheid, national consciousness is still strong. For most, however, "national" consciousness emerges only occasionally during Independence Day celebrations, international soccer matches or at election time. "African" consciousness, however, is a rarity

One night I walked out of the church when the priest said that we should never have fought the Revolutionary war and every war was bad. It was 4th of July. It was an outrageously political statement. I just never felt right when people in the church would take these overtly political positions especially when I felt like I was a good Christian, I was serving my country, and I just didn't feel like I deserved to be lambasted by the priest on the 4th of July.

If you can't give thanks for what you have, then give thanks for what you have avoided.

On this day, so full for Americans of thoughts connected with their National Independence, we may not forget that Americans have yet other grounds for gratitude to the people of the Netherlands.

I recommend that the people of this Commonwealth on November 26 refrain from their usual avocations and pursuits and assemble at their chosen place of worship, to praise the name of God and magnify Him with thanksgiving…. Let us thank him with Christian humility for health and prosperity…. Pray that our paths through life be directed by the example and instructions of the Redeemer, who dies that we might enjoy the blessings of eternal life in the world to come.

Think for a moment: what is the British equivalent of the U.S. Fourth of July, or even the French 14th of July for that matter?

The fact that they're a congressionally chartered group should no more incline people to give to that group than the fact that it's National Pickle Month should make them eat more pickles.

I'm Irish on St. Patrick's Day. I'm Italian on Columbus Day. I'm a New Yorker every day.

We have killed more people celebrating our independence day than we lost fighting for it.