Today is a holiday in Canada — Dia da Vitória.

Hoje em dia, as Canadians head to their vacation cottages, picnic on the beach, or fire up the backyard barbecues, the holiday is more about the start of summer than it is about the Queen’s birthday. But it was originally created to celebrate the May 24 birthday of Britain’s Queen Victoria.

Rainha Victoria, who governed from 1837 até sua morte em 1901, was the ruling monarch at the time of Confederação Canadense — when Canada became a nation in 1867. Desde 1952, Canada has celebrated Victoria’s birthday on the Monday before May 25, e em 1957, Victoria Day became the official day to celebrate the sovereign’s birthday in Canada.

As a Commonwealth country, Canada still has a queen, currently Rainha Elizabeth II. Although Elizabeth’s actual birthday is April 21, it’s honored on Victoria Day.

Então, ir para a praia hoje, and wherever you are, offer a birthday toast to the queen!

Fotografia © Carolyn B. Heller