Good Friday? What's Good about it?

Today, according to some people (like the ones who make my calendar) is "Good Friday." On the Christian calendar of events, one of the holiest days of the year. Here in the Excited States of America, banks and financial markets are closed, some children are on vacation (Spring Break) and others have the day off. For most, however, regardless of religion, it is a normal day of work.

Sunday, according to some people, again, like the ones who make my calendar, is "Easter Sunday." Again, on the Christian calendar, one of the holiest days of the year. And here, in the Excited States of America, where there is supposed to be a separation of Church and State, almost everything will be closed up tighter than a drum for the entire day.

This is something that caught me by surprise when I came to the US. In Canada, everything is closed for a four day weekend from Good Friday through Easter Monday. Not a big deal, but then Canada did tend to shut down for a lot of things. Here, the idea that the greatest retail nation on the planet should be closed for what is a religious holiday baffled (and continues to baffle) the heck out of me. Think about it for a moment. This is a nation that has no official religion and in fact, has laws prohibiting it. This is a nation of Christians, Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, Atheists, Agnostics and everything else in between (if I forgot your religion, please do not feel offended, but there is no way I am cataloging them, just an example). So it leaves me at a loss why things would be closed on Easter Sunday. Christmas I can understand. It is considerably less of a religious holiday than it is a secular one. Easter is ONLY a religious holiday (bunnies not withstanding).

So, why does the United States close for Easter, and yet you can get 50% off of a new rug or car or appliance on what should be a national holiday, the 4th of July? Answer that and you will have cracked the code. I certainly cannot.