The First of January

We in Australia have nothing like the Independence Day of the United States. Sure there is Australia Day in a few weeks but as it marks the arrival of the First Fleet it is more like Thanksgiving than it is like Independence Day. The nation-state of Australia was formed on 1 January 1901 - the date of Federation - but it is never a day we will celebrate as we are all too busy recovering from the excesses of the preceding night! I wish it were otherwise.