Today Is A Holiday?

A U.S. national holiday since 1937, Columbus Day commemorates the arrival of Christopher Columbus in the New World on October 12, 1492. The Italian-born explorer had set sail two months earlier, backed by the Spanish monarchs King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella. He intended to chart a western sea route to China, India and the fabled gold and spice islands of Asia; instead, he landed in the Bahamas, becoming the first European to explore the Americas since the Vikings set up colonies in Greenland and Newfoundland during the 10th century.
Later that month, Columbus sighted Cuba and believed it was mainland China; in December the expedition found Hispaniola, which he though might be Japan. There, he established Spain's first colony in the Americas with 39 of his men. In March 1493, the explorer returned to Spain in triumph, bearing gold, spices and "Indian" captives. He crossed the Atlantic several more times before his death in 1506; by his third journey, he realized that he hadn't reached Asia but instead had stumbled upon a continent previously unknown to Europeans. (http://www.history.com/topics/columbus-day)

Ok...BLAH BLAH BLAH

None of that answered my question...

There is a book out called "The Seven Miracles That Saved America" by Ted & Chris Stewart. YES, it comes on CD or I would not be telling you about it, anyway back to my book on CD:

The first of the seven events is on Christopher Columbus, who "against all odds" discovered the New World — when it could very well have been found by the Chinese.

("http://www.deseretnews.com/article/700009550/Saving-America-Utah-authors-examine-7-miracles-in-history-of-the-US.html?pg=1) 

And after hearing all the poor young boy went through it is no wonder he thought he had found India!

Ok Got That...

So, tell me again why Columbus Day is a national holiday??

I have tried to think of a reason and I could only come up with these three:

• Government & Bank workers can have an extra day off

 (you know it is not a real holiday if teachers and children are having to go to school)

• So little kidlets can make fun Columbus day crafts  at school like...

http://crafts.kaboose.com/egg-cup-ships.html

• So stores can "say" they are having sales

any other ideas???

and REALLY

how can it be a holiday if we don't have some special food that we eat that day.

I guess we could have potato "boats" with Nina,  Pinta and Santa Maria toppings.

yea, I better just stick to something simple like...

what did Columbus eat while floating on a Ocean for 2+ months

any ideas???