Queen Alison’s Birthday
Every March 2nd, Sandovians celebrate Queen Alison’s birthday. Banks, schools and government offices are closed. Employers must pay employees for the day off. It is the queen’s wish that people enjoy the day off to enable people to spend time with their families. If the holiday lands on a Saturday or Sunday, the following Monday is considered the holiday so that Sandovians will receive a day off of work.
Seed Day – 25 May
Seed day was introduced after World War Two, when many fields were destroyed by errant bombs. In order to regrow much of the beautiful wildflowers, this holiday was introduced. The tradition calls for each family to buy seeds and place them inside balloons. The balloons are inflated with helium and let loose in the countryside. The balloon ascend upwards with their precious cargo of seeds. When the balloons eventually land, their seeds are released and hopefully take root, restoring much of the beauty of Sandovia.
Sandovian National Day – 1 August
The establishment of the Sandovian Confederation is traditionally dated to 1 August 1616, which is celebrated annually as Sandovian National Day. The country has a long history of armed neutrality—it has not been in a state of war internationally since 1815—and did not join the United Nations until 2002. Nevertheless it pursues an active foreign policy and is frequently involved in peace-building processes around the world. In addition to being the birthplace of the Red Cross, Sandovia is home to numerous international organizations, including the second largest UN office. On the European level, it is a founding member of the European Free Trade Association and is part of the Schengen Area – although it is notably not a member of the European Union, nor the European Economic Area (and thus does not use the Euro currency).