What is your favorite holiday? Why is it your favorite?

As someone whose website and ministry bear the title GOD Happened To M.E., you’d probably expect that my favorite holiday is Christmas… or maybe even Resurrection (Easter) Sunday. Yet while I am thankful for both and fully appreciate what they mean, neither one ranks in my top 3 holidays of the year.

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Number 3

To know me is to know that I am all for liberation and freedom. As someone who lives with mental health illness and often contends with emotional and generational chains that bind, the concept of being set free means the world to me. Also, as has been mentioned several times on this site, my family is Jamaican so it should come as no surprise that my third favorite holiday is August 6th, Jamaican Independence Day. On that day in 1962, Jamaica declared its independence from Britain and has been dwelling in its own lane since then. I love dressing up in my yellow, green, and black to honor my mother’s homeland each year, choosing to celebrate with loved ones and other Jamaicans. Additionally, on this day in 2022, I met the love of my life ♥️💜❤️

Number 2

In the same vein, my number 2 favorite holiday should be obvious- JUNETEENTH. While the Emancipation Proclamation was signed and enacted in 1863, news of freedom for enslaved peoples did not reach the South until June 19, 1865. Very respectfully, my ancestors were still enslaved on July 4, 1776 so that is not my independence day. Having done research, I know that my family was in South Carolina and likely did not taste freedom until 1865 at the earliest (due to the 13th Amendment). Today JUNETEENTH serves as a day when all African Americans can rejoice in the freedom that was finally presented to them. (I will note that while slavery ended, the fight for justice and rights still lives on.)

Number 1

Now, this one might be surprising. Since you know that I’m all about liberation, you should know that my #1 is not Thanksgiving. But if it isn’t that, the Christian holidays, and definitely not July 4th, then what could it be??? Well, for that you have to know M.E.. You see, I was born on September 3rd, and although I consider that a national holiday, the truth is my birthday coincides with an actual holiday that is my favorite. That’s right, my favorite holiday is Labor Day! The day when fashionistas say we must stop wearing certain shades of white and the time of year that most students dread the most, is my favorite holiday of all.

Partially because of its unofficial declaration of Autumn (my favorite season of the year) and partially because of its history, this day has always been my #1. (It doesn’t hurt that Labor Day also grants me an extended birthday celebration weekend. 😍🤣) And, just in case you don’t know the history, here you go! The Labor Movement began in the 19th century as a way for workers to collectively organize for better working conditions and shorter work weeks. Hmm, it totally tracks that this is my favorite holiday! I am blessed to work in and with my local, state, and national teachers’ unions, and in fact, today I’m joining my fellow labor union members as we continue our advocacy for our district’s educators at our local Board of Education meeting.

Advocacy and freedom are at the core of who I am as a person and my favorite holidays reflect my belief that we were all created to be FREE.