Happy Columbus Day 2024 is celebrated in the United States every year in the month of October to pay tribute to the arrival of Christopher Columbus to North America on October 1492. Many people also spot it as a time to celebrate Italian heritage. People from many states in the United States started to observe the day with great interest before its official designation in 1937. Now, on the second Monday in October 9, American citizens celebrate Columbus Day.
Columbus Day History
This day was born out of a decision to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Christopher Columbus’ historic arrival to the Americas in 1492. He was on a three-year voyage to the New World with three ships and over 100 people. While on his voyage, he had interacted with indigenous people on the Atlantic coast, including the indigenous people of the Bahamas, Hispaniola and Cuba. While in Cuba, he asked a Taino woman named Inti for directions to land because he was lost.
After Columbus landed, he realized the importance of preserving the human life on his island. He decided to stay and help them. He also realized that he wasn’t there to bring Christianity to Europe, but to spread knowledge about the origins of the world.
Happy Columbus Day Wishes 2024
On this day, people in the United States usually give gifts to their loved ones. In the spirit of Columbus Day, people in the United States greet each other with a few simple greetings and wishes. As a matter of fact, you can still celebrate Columbus Day by gifting something that person will cherish for the rest of the year.
You can share a quick video message via WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Skype, or other video-calling applications. Or, you can also post a photo and wish a person a Happy Columbus Day. In this case, you can wish them a Happy Columbus Day, and tag the person you are wishing to on your message. You can also share Happy Columbus Day photos via your Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, or other social media channels.
Columbus Day Greetings
The United States Postal Service (USPS) issued an official Columbus Day stamp to pay tribute to the great explorer. In an official statement, Secretary of the United States Postal Service Megan J. Brennan said, “It’s a great opportunity to honour a great explorer. He was the first European to really explore and understand the Western Hemisphere.”
On Columbus Day in the 1960s, President John F. Kennedy issued a proclamation for “Columbus Day as a day for National Reconciliation.” In 2017, President Donald Trump also issued a proclamation for Columbus Day. Trump’s proclamation said, “The permanent arrival of Europeans to the Americas was a transformative event that undeniably and fundamentally changed the course of human history and set the stage for the development of our great Nation.
Columbus Day Quotes 2024
The day is also dedicated to the ideals of diversity and equality. On this day, people express their feelings about Columbus Day through words, paintings, literature, music and poetry. However, Columbus Day is also used as a way to educate children about the contributions of the Italian explorer.
