A Brief History
April 15 is the day your income tax return must be filed by each year in the United States. Whether or not you look forward to that day or dread it depends on whether or not you expect to pay the government or get a refund. Some days are like that, good or bad. Here are five of those days.
Digging Deeper
5. April 15, Tax Day.
Eagerly Await: Knowing you are going to get a nice big tax refund from the government makes tax time a happy time for you. Kind of a back door savings plan where you get a present and it is not even your birthday.
Dread: The incredibly convoluted and complex tax structure makes trying to complete your tax return a nightmare. You just know other people are making up deductions and false donations, but you do not know how much you can claim without attracting attention. Where did those receipts go? Should I report cash income? How long do I have to squirm in the accountant’s office this year? How bad will this look if I get audited? I hope I do not have to pay an excessive amount back…
4. Thanksgiving Day.
Eagerly Await: A nice big feast of delicious food and wonderful desserts! A day of sharing warm feelings with the family and watching a football game. Maybe even throwing a football around with your brothers or cousins. A couple days off work or school, too.
Dread: Cooking for an army in a kitchen designed for a hermit. Having to put on uncomfortable dress clothes and pretend you like your relatives . Being stuck at Grandma’s when you would rather be anywhere else. Hoping like heck nobody asks you to say grace! Normal good stuff is not on TV so goofs can watch a parade and football games.
3. The First Day of School.
Eagerly Await: Finally, a chance to breathe every day for a few hours. No crowds of kids in restaurants and stores during the day. You do not have to pay for daycare on school days. You get a chance to see your friends that do not live nearby, especially the ones of the opposite sex that you could not think of an excuse to see over the summer.
Dread: School Zones are in effect and you crawl at 20 mph even though there is not a kid in sight. You get stuck behind a school bus going to and coming from work every day . If you work at a school, the problem is obvious. If you are a student, you are stuck in stupid school when you could be playing with your X-Box or Play Station.
2. Your Birthday.
Eagerly Await: Your own special day. You are the star and people give you presents and sing to you. Hopefully the cards that come in the mail include a check or cash, and restaurants give you a free meal or free cake and ice cream. Maybe your parents will get a clown to perform at your party. If you are 18 you are free! If you are turning 21 you get to go out and buy a gun and a drink. (Not necessarily a good idea to do both at once.) Maybe you just qualified for Social Security or Medicare, or this year your car insurance goes down.
Dread: Another year older and deeper in debt (according to Tennessee Ernie Ford). If you turn 18 now you can be charged as an adult if you do some little thing wrong like shoplift or steal a car. Or perhaps your parents can finally kick you out of the house like they have threatened to do for years. You just qualified for AARP, Social Security, Medicare, Golden Ager Card, and old stinky people think you are dating material and hit on you. Worst of all, your parents get a clown for your party!
1. Your Wedding Day.
Eagerly Await: The day you have fantasized about your whole life. You get to be the center of attention and you have landed the man/woman of your dreams. Your big happy party shows your ex-fiancée that you are doing just fine and do not need him/her. People lavish you with gifts and cash.
Dread: Neither set of parents can afford a big wedding so you have to pay for it. How you will pay for it is a mystery not yet answered. People you cannot stand will be there and you have to pretend to like them. Uncomfortable clothes for an extended period of time, especially sitting through millions of attempts to get just the right photo. How are you ever going to get changed and make it to the airport on time for the honeymoon? Am I doing the right thing? Should I have married Jane/John? If he/she is already bossing me around about the wedding, what will the marriage be like? How do I know the baby is mine? ( Note: The bride should be pretty sure about this one.)
Question for students (and subscribers): Which days do you eagerly await or dread? Please let us know in the comments section below this article.
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Historical Evidence
For more information, please see…
Dodson, Bert and Anne Kamma. If You Were At The First Thanksgiving. Scholastic Paperbacks, 2001.
Dr. Seuss. Happy Birthday to You! Random House Books for Young Readers, 1959.
Wood, Janet and Michael Wood. Wedding Traditions and Customs Throughout The Centuries (English History and Rituals). M J Wood Digital Media, 2011.
