How is it worked out?

[Jemisa]

We put the clocks back Oct 31st this year but last year it was Oct 20 something.
What about Easter - March - April?
Even Mothers day & Fathers day all ever changing.

How is it worked out? I was told it was to do with religion and Pagan beliefs. Is that so? Who will enlighten us?

jem

[Buenchico]

'Daylight saving time' has nothing to do with any form of religious beliefs. It's only been around for less than 100 years. (Germany was the first country to introduce it, along with its wartime allies, in 1916).

Not so long ago different countries across Europe put their clocks forward or back on different dates. That could make reading airline or ferry timetables extremely difficult. For example, France would be one hour ahead of the UK for most of the year, but there would be a week or two when it was two hours ahead and a week or two when we shared the same time.

Most of Europe has now moved to common dates of the last Sunday in March and the last Sunday in October for adjusting their clocks. However anyone planning flights to the USA and Canada needs to take care if travelling around those dates, because those countries generally change their clocks on the second Sunday in March and the first Sunday in November.

Religious holidays are based on some rather obscure rules. For example, Easter Day is the first Sunday after the full moon that falls on or just after Spring Equinox.

The date of Easter fixes the dates for Lent. Mothering Sunday (to give 'Mother's Day' its original name) is the fourth Sunday of Lent. It was originally a day when people were expected, wherever possible, to return to their 'mother' church. That meant that children who were 'in service', or working as apprentices, were often given time off to visit their mother and family.

Mother's Day in the USA is actually a completely separate festival to 'Mothering Sunday' in the UK (with no links whatsoever to religion). The date is fixed as the second Sunday in Ma. Many other countries have adopted the same date.

Father's Day is an entirely commercial creation, from the USA in the 1930s (Its founders might point to the existence of the First Father's Day Church, set up in Virginia a quarter of a century earli

[Buenchico]

. . earlier but the link is extremely tenuous). Most countries now recognise the third Sunday in June as Father's Day.

Chris

[Jemisa]

Thanks Chris. - PHEW!!!

I Have c&p'd it.

jem

[Jemisa]

I agree pixie it doesn't really matter. I was just curious and getting armed for the day that the g/children ask, "Nanny, why does - - - -"

jem

[society]

Nanapants...? lol