Must holidays always be happy?

According to answers.com, today is a traditional Chinese holiday roughly translated as Grave Sweeping Day. It's a beautiful Spring day, you get outside to enjoy the fresh air, and also to clean off the graves of your beloved, respected, deceased ancestors.

Of course, I think the concept loses some of its hopefulness on a snowy, cold, windy day like today. Especially when it was 70 degrees a mere 48 hours ago. If it were a nice day, one could contemplate death as a part of life and the cycles of nature, while surrounded by the renewal of life that comes with spring.

If I were to go to a graveyard today, however, I would not see the affirmation of life. No birds would be chirping, and any early spring flowers would be bowed under the weight of snow. Maybe in China they can commit to an outdoor holiday early in Spring. Around here, even Memorial Day can be iffy.