Holiday Quote by Linda Colley
“Most national holidays in most countries rest on selective memories of the past.”
About This Quote
Source Book: The Past in Present: National Holidays and Collective Memory, 2020
National holidays often highlight selective historical narratives, shaping collective identity while omitting complex truths.
In simple terms: Holidays emphasize chosen past events.
Key Takeaway
Recognize omitted histories.
Themes
memory
identity
history
politics
Mood
reflective
critical
Type
historical
cultural
When to use this quote
- Education curricula
- public commemorations
- media coverage
- museum exhibits
Key Concepts
Selective memory
national narrative
collective identity
Questions to Reflect On
- What narratives are excluded from your country's holidays?
- How can inclusive remembrance be promoted?
A Different Perspective
Holidays can also foster unity and healing, not just exclusion.
![“They [in the northern country] had, as well, invented a holiday called Thanksgiving, which Ruby had only recently got news of, but from what she gathered its features to be, she found it to contain the mark of a tainted culture. To be thankful on just the one day.” quote by Charles Frazier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/3bb/charles-frazier-3165_holiday_they-in-the-northern-country-had-as-well_14504.jpg)
![“Time takes no holiday. It does not roll idly by, but through our senses works its own wonders in the mind. Time came and went from one day to the next; in its coming and its passing it brought me other hopes and other memories. [quoted in Peter Brown, Augustine of Hippo, p. 54]” quote by Augustine of Hippo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/7c2/augustine-of-hippo-2589_change_time-takes-no-holiday-it-does-not-roll-i_22609.jpg)