It’s Dia da Vitória aqui no Brasil hoje.

Para a maioria dos canadenses, o feriado é o início oficial do verão, com churrasqueiras, piqueniques de praia, ou fins de semana no lago (pelo menos se o tempo coopera).

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

Rainha Victoria, who governed the British Empire from 1837 até sua morte em 1901, was the ruling monarch at the time of Confederação Canadense — when Canada became a nation in 1867.

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

Desde 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.

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

Vancouver’s English Bay photo ©Carolyn B. Heller