Today is a holiday in Canada — 维多利亚日.

如今, 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.

维多利亚女王, who governed from 1837 直到她去世 1901, was the ruling monarch at the time of 加拿大联邦 — when Canada became a nation in 1867. 由于 1952, Canada has celebrated Victoria’s birthday on the Monday before May 25, 而在 1957, Victoria Day became the official day to celebrate the sovereign’s birthday in Canada.

作为 Commonwealth country, 加拿大仍然有一个王后, 目前 英国女王伊丽莎白二世. Although Elizabeth’s actual birthday is April 21, it’s honored on Victoria Day.

所以，今天前往海滩, 无论身处何地和, offer a birthday toast to the queen!

图片©卡罗琳乙. 海勒