Meaning
Victoria Day or its long weekend in Canada. Current informal holiday name Regional use: Canada, strongest in Ontario and also familiar in British Columbia.
Origin
A Canadian nickname playing simultaneously on May 24, Queen Victoria's birthday, and a two-four, a case of 24 beers. DCHP documents it in 1991 and finds it especially frequent in Ontario, followed by British Columbia. Because Victoria Day falls on a Monday rather than always on the 24th, the pun names the holiday weekend more than a fixed calendar date.
Research Sources
References used to check this entry’s meaning, history, or documented forms.
Variants
- May Two Four
- May Two-Four weekend
Usage Examples
- We open the cottage on May Two-Four unless the lake is still frozen.
- The garden centre stays busy through the May two-four weekend.