What “holiday” weekend?

On my way to work this morning, I heard a very odd statement from the weather guy. He said, ...and for this holiday weekend... which made me look at the radio and ask "What?"  What holiday weekend.

For those who actually live in a country that officially recognizes Easter, Friday is, of course, Good Friday and Sunday is Easter Sunday, but this is the United States and I am pretty sure even the Federal Government does not get this Friday off, so there is no holiday.  And if you live here, you know that there is indeed a double standard.  It is the only official unofficial holiday, and in fact Sunday will see a number of places that are open, closed.  Now over the years I have ranted about this double standard, and either because of consumer demand or some other, unmeasurable value, stores that used to be closed up tighter than a drum on Easter Sunday are now recognizing that they need to be open because people expect them to be.  This has nothing to do with religion (well, actually it does, and I am sure some non-Catholic could make a good arguement that this sort of thing is a bit of an insult), but let us face facts.  Sunday is only one of two days that most people have free to do their shopping, whether for neccessary items, like food, or recreational items, like clothes and to be closed, especially with such a spotty observation of the day, is not beneficial to either the customer or the company.

The Easter weekend is a religious observation.  Nothing more.  It is not a reconginzed holiday any more than Yom Kippur or Ramadan is.  So to call it such, is offensive.  To imply that anyone gets the day(s) off, is a joke.