It’s Victoria Day here in Canada today.

For most Canadians, the holiday is the unofficial start of summer, with barbecues, beach picnics, or weekends at the lake (at least if the weather cooperates).

But the Victoria Day holiday was originally created to celebrate the May 24 birthday of Britain’s Queen Victoria.

Queen Victoria, who governed the British Empire from 1837 until her death in 1901, was the ruling monarch at the time of Canadian Confederation — when Canada became a nation in 1867.

As a Commonwealth country, Canada still has a queen, currently Queen Elizabeth II.

Since 1957, Victoria Day has been the official day to celebrate the sovereign’s birthday in Canada. Although Queen Elizabeth’s actual birthday is April 21, it’s honored on Victoria Day.

So head for the beach today, and wherever you are, offer a birthday toast to the queen!

Vancouver’s English Bay photo ©Carolyn B. Heller