Australia Day!

[Ho-Oh]

So guys what did you do this year to celebrate Australia Day? Anything out of the ordinary? Or maybe just had a BBQ with the family? Do you ever go in to see the fireworks in your city? Discuss your Australia Day experience here!

Also as side questions for discussion, do you feel Australia Day is necessary & has any other purpose other than to announce the Australian of the Year (and be a day for people to gain citizenship - which they can totally do any other day)?

 

[vaporeon7]

I did absolutely nothing to celebrate Australia Day this year. I was at home by myself all day. I watched SpongeBob. I think Australia Day is necessary because I think it's important to celebrate our country at least once a year.

 

[Spycicle]

I did absolutely nothing to celebrate Australia Day this year. I was at home by myself all day. I watched SpongeBob. I think Australia Day is necessary because I think it's important to celebrate our country at least once a year.

Funny, I did basically the same thing except sit on the computer.
Searching for random stuff. V.V

 

[Spiderz]

ever since i saw that "Straya day" viral video i've never been able to take it seriously, although my brother did play the national anthem REALLY REALLY loud when i woke up, so i was like okay fair enough, it'd be pretty rude to turn that off, then he wanted to play it a second time and i was like NO kavinsky records and coffee!

 

[Controversial?]

I'm in the UK.

I spent it thinking about my australian ex-girlfriend.

Not a good day pour moi.

 

[Evanlyn]

I went to an Australia Day Breakfast and performed (singing) with my local choir :) We did classic Aussie songs like; I am Australian, Home Among The Gum Trees etc. etc. etc. (unfortunately we didn't do Waltzing Matilda but hey - it was still great! ) And then after that I sat around on the computer for the rest of the day :P

 

[Ctrl.Alt.Geak]

A bit of a late response, but I pretty much chilled at home all day playing Fire Emblem and listening to the Triple J Hottest 100 (or whatever its called).
*Mediocre anecdote alert*
Its not all too interesting but we got KFC for dinner and were stuck in the drive through for, I kid you not, over half an hour. It wasnt packed or anything, and there were only 3 cars ahead of us when we arrived, the staff were just incredibly slow (we only ordered two drinks and the people ahead of us didn't exactly order 3 course meals either).
Oh man what an "exciting" Australia day haha :P

 

[Connorsauras_Rex]

NOTHING!!! I'm from New Zealand so we have 'Australia Day(sucks!)' :D

 

[Shining Raichu]

Australia Day serves two purposes:

1) To give everybody a public holiday to fill the gap between Christmas and Easter, and

2) To perpetuate this godawful show of patriotism for which Australia has become so famous.

While I do enjoy the fact that I get $45 an hour for working on Australia Day, I'd like to see it taken away altogether. It's not a realistic hope, I realise... in addition to the "YEA DAY OFF TO DRINK!" factor, Australians do love them some Australia, and they will take any opportunity to insufferably show each other exactly how much. I really can't stand patriotism, and all this is is an opportunity to inflict more of it upon me the world.

 

[Ctrl.Alt.Geak]

^Agreeing with that, and expanding.
Its rather annoying when you find bogans running around in their green and yellow sombreros and/or wearing Australia-flag towels on their back as if they were some kind of cape and just being generally obnoxious (fist pumping, screaming nonsense like "Woo" and "Yeaaaaah!!" at everything). I assume this isnt an action exclusive to my town.
Its basically a day where (some) people think its acceptable to be an obnoxious, drunken d***head.

 

[Hikamaru]

I listened to the triple j Hottest 100. That was all I did.

 

[bobandbill]

I did not do anything particularly noteworthy on the day. I did take note that people decided to chase/drag our prime minister though, so that was an interesting celebration! Quite unique and would not mind seeing it again. =p

While I do enjoy the fact that I get $45 an hour for working on Australia Day

Well heck that sounds like a good reason to keep it. =p

 

[Nihilego]

I don't understand the concept of a day dedicated to a country. Did something happen of interest on Australia Day other than it being... well... Australia? Or is it literally just a day of celebration for the country? If so, I'd really question the point of it other than to take a day off and, apparently, be stereotypically Australian. Although I guess it's still a nice thing if it's widely celebrated and if it's enjoyable for the majority then good for you guys!

 

[Evanlyn]

I don't understand the concept of a day dedicated to a country. Did something happen of interest on Australia Day other than it being... well... Australia? Or is it literally just a day of celebration for the country? If so, I'd really question the point of it other than to take a day off and, apparently, be stereotypically Australian. Although I guess it's still a nice thing if it's widely celebrated and if it's enjoyable for the majority then good for you guys!

Well... between January 18 - 20, 1788, the First Fleet landed in Botany Bay, New South Wales, Australia. They found out it was unsuitable though so a ship set out to find better land. On January 26, they rowed ashore to Port Jackson (AKA. Sydney Cove), and Captain Arthur Philip (he was captain of The First Fleet) and a few British marines raised the British flag, claiming the land for King George III.

^ So basically, we're celebrating the fact that the British arrived in Australia and claimed it for England.