Public holidays - a pain or a pleasure?

While we are all sitting at work contemplating our activities for this coming Wednesday's public holiday I must ask the question....what is the point of them? For those of us who do not essentially work for a company they are not that great to have. They mean we lose a day of productivity and they sort of throw everything out of whack. I have my church Small Group on a Wednesday night and these holidays throw a spanner in the works - am I the only one who feels like this or am I wrong in my way of thinking - or am I being a slave driver or am I being unwavering? Just wondering.