For totally selfish, non-historical reasons, I feel like May 8 is a better date:
December 9 is too close to other rationalist/EA holidays, like Solstice, Giving Tuesday, and Petrov Day.
December 9 is right at the START of the typical cold/flu season, when infectious diseases are the worst. (Although idk if smallpox, plague, typhus, etc, were also seasonal in this way?) Maybe this makes it thematically resonant? But personally, like how Christians celebrate Easter at the end of winter, I feel like Smallpox eradication is a good seasonal match as a spring holiday, when flu season has receded and we are enjoying the bountiful outdoors and etc.
Not sure if it is a plus or a minus to have the holiday located in December during the “giving season” of charity fundraisers. Probably still a big plus, despite the competition from other fundraisers. And probably this factor is worth hundreds of thousands of dollars of money moved, which would vastly overwhelm my mere desire for a nice springtime EA holiday. (But I can still feel grumpy about it.)
For totally selfish, non-historical reasons, I feel like May 8 is a better date:
December 9 is too close to other rationalist/EA holidays, like Solstice, Giving Tuesday, and Petrov Day.
December 9 is right at the START of the typical cold/flu season, when infectious diseases are the worst. (Although idk if smallpox, plague, typhus, etc, were also seasonal in this way?) Maybe this makes it thematically resonant? But personally, like how Christians celebrate Easter at the end of winter, I feel like Smallpox eradication is a good seasonal match as a spring holiday, when flu season has receded and we are enjoying the bountiful outdoors and etc.
Not sure if it is a plus or a minus to have the holiday located in December during the “giving season” of charity fundraisers. Probably still a big plus, despite the competition from other fundraisers. And probably this factor is worth hundreds of thousands of dollars of money moved, which would vastly overwhelm my mere desire for a nice springtime EA holiday. (But I can still feel grumpy about it.)
One other counterargument is that rinderpest eradication day is on 25 May. Just two weeks after May 8.
We could combine them as “Eradication Day” on May 8, like the US does for “President’s Day” in February.