Not Columbus Day, 2022

It's still a federal holiday, so if you were expecting a big influx of Christmas catalogues today, you're out of luck. And it's still called Columbus Day.

It's a state holiday in Massachusetts. State offices are closed. Local government offices, too. And in Massachusetts, although the legislature is supposedly exploring options, it's still called Columbus Day.

It's a local holiday in Boston. City offices are closed. School's out. There are a number of Italian heritage events scheduled, although it looks like the parade (which toggles back and forth between two historically Italian sections, the North End and East Boston) isn't on for 2022. And in Boston, it's now called Indigenous People's Day.

Personally, I was hoping for an Immigrants' Day (and making Thanksgiving Indigenous People's Day), but I was outvoted. So Indigenous People's Day it is. Here's what I had to say about it in 2020. As I noted, if we expect the south to get rid of statues of racist SOB's like Robert E. Lee and Nathan Bedford Forrest, maybe the northern cities and states that have large Italian populations can ditch Cristoforo Colombo.

A statue of CC in Boston's Christopher Columbus Park was beheaded a couple of years ago, and the headless statue removed. I walk down there every few weeks, but I can't envision what's there now. If anything. 

But I do believe that my home town of Worcester's statue is still in place. It's in front of the city's train station (Union Station), which is just next door to Worcester's historically Italian section around Shrewsbury Street. 

I'm not sure whether Worcester is still observing Columbus Day, or whether it's made the switch to Indigenous People's Day. I do know that the Columbus Day Parade has been renamed the Italian Heritage Parade. Bravo, bravo, bravissimo. 

Back here in Boston, last year, any holiday name and intent changes were overshadowed by the annual running of the Boston Marathon. Six months later than its normal April timing, but better late than never.

So the first year we demoted Christopher Columbus, we had the Marathon to focus on.

But this year?

I just checked, and it looks like Boston hasn't yet come up with any ways to observe Indigenous People's Day, other than the name change. While - parade aside - most of the Italian-related celebrations are still on.

I have no plans, If it's a nice day, maybe I'll mosey down to the North End and see what's in place of the beheaded C. Columbus statue. And nothing to do with Christopher Columbus, I haven't had a cannoli in a while...