In the UK, all our bank holidays are now attached to the nearest weekend, except Christmas and New Year. Presumably we don't like mid-week breaks, and would prefer to go away for a long weekend. We have a May bank holiday instead of Whitsun, and don't have any national or saints' days to celebrate in England, although they do in Wales & Scotland. Even then, St David's Day in Wales is not taken as a holiday, although some schools have a half-day.