Holidays are special days set aside for the celebration, commemoration, or observance of various things.
Originally, holidays were religious observances. The word itself comes from the Old English word hāligdæg, which meant "holy day." Holidays referred only to special religious days in the Christian calendar, such as Christmas and Easter. The word evolved into haliday in medieval times to its current spelling in the 1500s.
Today, the word has different meanings and associations in different parts of the world, and it incorporates religions other than the Christian religion.
Some holidays are religious, some are cultural, others historical, political, or just for fun. While not necessarily recognized as public holidays, other days have been set aside for various reasons, including commercial.
I haven't checked to be sure, but I think it's safe to say that every day of the year has something attributed to it.
Some holidays are neither holy nor a day, as there are week-long or month-long celebrations, many of which more than ninety percent of the population are unaware of.
Some of the most popular holidays are Christmas, Easter, New Year's Day, Halloween, and Thanksgiving.
Christmas is a Christian holiday that celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ on December 25. However, the date of his birth is not stated in the Bible or any historical sources, and the date of December 25 was first asserted by Pope Julius I in 350 AD and seemingly has no historical basis. In many countries, Christmas is celebrated as a cultural, secular, and commercial holiday that involves decorating a tree, exchanging gifts, singing carols, and telling children about Santa Claus.
Easter is another Christian holiday. It commemorates the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead on the third day following his crucifixion. As a cultural, secular, and commercial holiday, it involves the Easter Bunny, eggs, and flowers.
New Year's Day is the first day of the year in the Gregorian calendar, used in most parts of the world. It is a time to celebrate the past year and make resolutions for the new one. It is characterized by fireworks, parties, and countdowns to midnight.
Halloween is a primarily secular holiday with vague religious undertones. It originated from the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, which marked the end of summer and the beginning of winter. It is celebrated on October 31st by dressing up in costumes, trick-or-treating, carving pumpkins into faces, and watching horror movies.
Thanksgiving is a national holiday in the United States and Canada that celebrates the harvest. Characterized by a family feast that involves turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce, and pumpkin pie, it is observed on the fourth Thursday of November in the United States and on the second Monday of October in Canada.
There are several other holidays observed by people around the world, such as the Chinese New Year, Diwali, Hanukkah, Ramadan, Valentine's Day, St. Patrick's Day, and others, each with its history, meaning, and traditions.
Public holidays are set aside by public authorities and vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction. Religious organizations set religious holidays and are often observed as public holidays in countries where one religion has a majority. Many religious holidays have become secularized by many of those who observe them and commercialized by industries that profit from them.
In recent years, it has become common for governments to commemorate a range of social and political issues, usually due to lobbying from special interest groups. For example, International Women's Day celebrates the achievements of women on March 8, while Earth Day is a time to demonstrate support for environmental action on April 22, and Indigenous Peoples' Day has replaced Columbus Day on the second Monday in October.
Other days have been set aside as Congressional pronouncements due to lobbying by commercial interests, such as National Spaghetti Day on January 4, and National Grilled Cheese Day on April 12. However, people are unlikely to be aware of these holidays unless they see an advertisement or hear a talking head mentioning it on television. Restaurants might use the designation to promote a spaghetti or grilled cheese dish on these days, but no one is getting the day off from work.
There are also unofficial holidays that are not marked on most calendars, but which may be celebrated by various individuals and groups. Some of these promote a cause, others recognize historical events not officially recognized, and others are more of a joke than anything else. These include April Fools Day on April 1, and International Talk Like a Pirate Day on September 19.
Whatever the occasion, holidays and celebrations are the focus of this portion of our web guide, whether or not they are included as a subcategory here.
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Recommended Resources
The Foundation was founded in 1969, on the centennial of the first Arbor Day observance, a secular day of observance in which the planting of trees is encouraged. The organization has replanted over 100 million trees lost to fire, insects, disease, and weather. Its projects are highlighted, along with ways in which others can get involved through memberships, partnerships, and gift planning. Visitors can shop for trees, shrubs, bushes, and branded apparel, gifts, and other merchandise online.
https://www.arborday.org/
The Earth Calendar is a daybook of holidays and celebrations around the world, in which a holiday is defined as any day that recognizes a cultural event and not necessarily one in which businesses are closed. Holidays occurring on the current day can be found by clicking the "Today" button. Other tabs may be used to navigate by day, country, and religion by selecting from a menu. Information about each listed holiday is included, and instructions for linking to the Earth Calendar are presented.
http://www.earthcalendar.net/
Featuring information on U.S. and world holidays, observances, and awareness days, weeks, and months. Included is an alphabetized list of holidays, with information on each. Holidays may also be found by the month, by the country, and by topic. Other resources include holiday foods, recipes, festivals, events, and other resources. A holiday calendar is available, popular holidays are highlighted, and site sponsors are listed on the site, and a blog is included.
http://www.holidays-and-observances.com/
Tracking national days, national weeks, national months, and international days, the National Day Calendar curates the days all in one place and offers information about them. By submitting their idea, brands, non-profits, and organizations are invited to register and establish their own national day, week, or month. The process of doing so is detailed here. Printed calendars, apparel, and other branded merchandise can be purchased online. Lessons, puzzles, and games are included.
https://www.nationaldaycalendar.com/
Beginning as a side project of a marketing agency, National Today is now a top destination for people looking for a reason to celebrate and the brands that want to celebrate with them. The website features special holidays worldwide, including classic American holidays, important global holidays, and quirky occasions, with new ones offered often. Its holidays are for consumers and brands that want to do more than push their products. Causes and businesses can create official holidays.
https://nationaltoday.com/
As an African-American and Pan-African holiday celebrated by millions throughout the worldwide African community, Kwanzaa brings a cultural message that speaks to the best of what it means to be African and human. Its roots, branches, symbols, greetings, candle lighting, meditation, and significance for children are set forth, along with a message from the founder, videos, and articles, information on Kwanzaa sets and products, contacts, and links to related sites.
https://www.officialkwanzaawebsite.org/
