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When I was young [in England, Ireland was ambivalent about WWs, poppies] Armistice Day was still marked on the 11th of November, with a 2 minute silence at 11:00hrs. You were expected to STOP what you were doing, stand up and remember the dead of WWI. But as the survivors of WWI diminished through subsequent attrition, and as Britain was again at it during WWII, this national mark of respect was considered too damaging to the economy and the main ceremonies were shifted to the nearest Sunday, when many workers resting anyway. Most other official religious and secular holidays have shifted to the nearest Monday rather than the day itself. St Patrick's Day is a most welcome bucker of this trend as it cycles through the week rather than being bundled into a Long Weekend.Likewise birthdays, if you-as-an-adult are going to have A Party to celebrate clocking off another year, chances are you'll shift it to the nearest weekend - to increase the likelihood that your friends & relations can be…