Holidays

Holidays are special occasions to spend time with loved ones. A holiday is an auspicious day set apart by law or custom where work or other normal activities of daily life including work, school or other important activity are either suspended or completely curtailed. In general, holidays are planned to let people to celebrate or commemorate a memorable occasion or tradition of religious or cultural importance. In most countries, a holiday occurs once a year.

Holidays are the best source of relaxation and enjoyment, and some people even consider it as their “sacred” days to spend with family and friends. There are different types of holidays that we celebrate in different parts of the world. Christmas is one such occasion when people give thanks God for the birth of Jesus Christ and spend time with Him. On the other hand, New Year’s Eve is one where people are filled with excitement. Many people throw a party to wish each other for the new year and enjoy fireworks and drink-out.

Federal government recognizes nine national holidays observed in the US. These are Christmas Day, Good Friday, Martin Luther King Jr.’s Birthday, President’s Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving, New Year’s Day, Christmas and Hanukkah (the Jewish festival of lights). On these days, employees of the federal agencies are granted leave and some facilities or departments are closed. In most federal buildings, employees are also allowed to participate in the holiday festivities in small groups. Federal holiday parties, in small groups and in office buildings, are the traditional ways of celebrating these major religious holidays.

Many people do not get to know about the historical facts behind each of the major federal holidays. While we are familiar with the names and dates, we hardly remember the significant political events that transpired on those days. We are usually reminded of the names of the celebrants, dates and places, but we do not dwell much on the reasons or the background. This is the main reason why people observe the new year in different ways. The practice of eating chocolate on february 13th is said to be an attempt by Irish people to bid farewell to old customs and join the new ones of drinking whiskey on february 13th.

Holidays are observed in many countries across the world. It varies according to culture, geographical location, and the belief of the people. The United States is a country where there are two major religious holidays observed: Christmas and Easter. These two holidays are not observed in the same way in every state in the country. In the northern states, Christmas is observed on the fourth Sunday of December while in the southern states, Easter Sunday is the only special holiday.

All major religions including Islam, Christianity, Hinduism, and Jewish faith believe in the concept of good Friday and bad Friday. Good Friday is the day when one can give gifts to his loved ones and purchase property for the benefit of his family. On the other hand, bad Friday is the day of gathering and prayer. People opt for both good Friday and bad Friday as they believe that one is able to perform his activities on both the days provided that he is financially stable. In the United States, federal holidays are observed on the first Friday of the month of the Christian calendar, which is also known as “Pentacli.”