To say bank Holidays are always a let down?

[LemonSherbetFancies]

Or a bit of a disappointment?
I always have such high hopes for them but they never really go as I want. For example, DP and I went out yesterday but got stuck in a traffic jam. We planned a takeaway and movie night but both were disappointing. Today we wanted a pub lunch but DP has a headache so we can't go.
Aibu to say bank holidays never live up to our expectations?

I used to think this, but now I don’t plan anything apart from some gardening if it’s dry. If it’s a sunny day you can’t get anywhere anyway because of the traffic and then it’s not enjoyable because of the crowds. So I just plan to stay home and will enjoy that. I’m an introvert though and I love being quiet at home.

Is it just at bank holidays that you have this issue?

Maybe it is expectations. Traffic jams aren’t that bad... I don’t think they’d ruin my day. We’d have turned off a bad movie and put something we both like on.

Has DP taken anything? You might be able to go for a late lunch instead?

We're having a great bank holiday weekend. Maybe you expect too much?

On Friday I went to the pub with my friend for a couple of hours, Saturday morning me, dh and the kids went down to the David Lloyd, in the afternoon we went to the park, this morning David Lloyd again and this afternoon we're having a bbq. Just a simple weekend.

Couldn't agree more op, and this year even worse.
Finally beautiful weather, but everyone holidaying at home, the roads are absolutely horrendous.
We've decided just to stay at home a relax now!

It’s a beautiful Sunday and I’m sitting in my knackered old campervan by a lake in the sunshine. Little wavelets are lapping at the shore. The dog is asleep on the bed with my OH. There are people but they are miles away. I can hear birds singing. I have a little gas stove and a picnic lunch. When we’ve eaten we will take a walk. I am not disappointed but I did pick my activity carefully!

Are bank holidays really that big a deal in the first place?

Im working 12 hour shifts each day but love my lunch breaks and walking after work.

Life is what you make it.

We never make plans for bank holidays just stay at home and enjoy time together
Today DH is doing the garden with his friend DD 11 has a friend over and I’m reading a book
BBQ later with a few wines

@TheMNChicken

Are bank holidays really that big a deal in the first place?

They never have been to me.

Really interesting thread. I used to have high hopes for Bank holidays, now I don't. I just do a bit of gardening, have nice food, maybe go to a lbt class, put my feet up in the evening, have a nice bath, go up bed early. If am invite to go somewhere comes along, I'll be flexible and go. It's nice to be in the moment, we all need more of this.

Never been big on going out on BH due to traffic /crowds. Having a lovely weekend though. Yesterday it was my mums birthday so I took her out for lunch and we we went to see our first theatre production of the year which was so lovely. It was an open air play in the beautiful surroundings of what is known locally as "the bombed out church". Today just had a supermarket delivery, ds is currently at his guitar lesson, dh has gone along. This afternoon we are all watching a movie. Then tomorrow we might go to a local outdoor music/craft festival or to a massive carboot sale. Best of all, dh has just started a new Job and has Monday's off whereas in the past 15 years he has worked. Do you have a garden Op or access to the outdoors?

I understand the disappointment of having to cancel lunch out given it was not an option until a few weeks ago, but otherwise perhaps your expectations of bank holidays are too high.

I actually am glad not to travel anywhere beyond walking or a short train/tube journey.

In England the options seems to be 1) Rain 2) Sunny weather, traffic jams everywhere, stressed lifeguards on the news. If it's the August bank holiday you can also throw in a hooha about the NHC.

So I can sort of see how you get there OP .

I quite like a bank holiday, but I never have any grand plans beyond gardening.

I'm ill with laryngitis so we are staying at home. Kids are happy, playing in the pool (10ft frame type). I'm chilling in my hanging egg chair. Dh is making lunch. It's pretty nice actually as the sun is shining.

Hell is other people. Queues, crowds, traffic, noise, not getting a table. I'd much rather stay at home on Bank holidays. All our neighbours have gone out and it's lovely and quiet.

A bit like @TheDizzyLady. BH were always a let down and I felt as though I should be doing something just because it’s a BH. Now I don’t organise anything so I’m not disappointed.
Can your DP not take a couple of paracetamol?

I like them, I always try and plan a few nice things. Yesterday was a lovely lunch in Canterbury and a potter around. Today is chilling and then a swim ,a BBQ and my DS is coming over. Tomorrow is a costal lunch and walk.

I think this is about perspective. I tend to have a nice time. This isn't because the bank holiday is good. The bank Holiday is a mythical concept in our heads, it isn't a thing as such.

Its the same at Christmas !

I bloody love a Bank Holiday! I added Friday on too, so Friday out for lunch, yesterday afternoon went to pub with friends. Today I'm gardening and sitting in the sun BBQ later & best of all no work tomorrow! What's not to like?

Bank holidays annoy me, always working them, 12 1/2 hr night shifts.

It's a bit like New Year's Eve. Planning to go anywhere can be stressful, especially if traffic is likely to be an issue. Best as pp have said to use it as total down time, get nice food in at home and chill out, maybe with friends round. It's a lovely day today and my plans are to do as little as possible, other than sit in the garden with my book and an ice lolly.

@Bbq1 think you maybe in my neck of the woods - the play sounds great!

I love bank holidays , i hate crowds and traffic so never plan an outing .
I like the saturday night feeling you get on the sunday night before knowing its another day off.
I know lots of people work them , i have worked quite a few in the past but now i spend them in the garden if nice weather or just lazing around, quite like a takeaway too .

When I realised that just because its a bank holiday, we dont actually need/have to go out & "enjoy" ourselves, they became a whole lot more enjoyable
We very rarely go out now, if it`s nice weather we enjoy our garden, with all that we can do in it, as a family or with friends, if weather is rubbish just chill inside

They are a pain. Everyone all going out on the same day means overcrowded parks and beauty spots

I enjoy them. But I enjoy not having to work, not having to get the kids up and out anywhere and not having to get up early.

We live in NE Wales so every man and his dog is currently sat on the A55 towing a caravan by our house. We went in the opposite direction and traffic was fine. Its actually been nice because we went out to the woods and it was really quiet for the first time in a while. Everyone obviously has better things to do again now.