Holidays in United States and Canada
Holidays are a happy period in people’s lives. It is a time for rest and relaxation. A holiday is basically a day set apart by public order or custom where normal daily activities, particularly work or school including a church or community functions are either suspended or completely reduced. In general, holidays are meant to enable people to celebrate or commemorate a significant event or tradition of importance to the culture or religion of the country. Holidays vary according to different cultures and countries. The days vary from one region to another but common elements for all holidays are the preparation of special food and beverages, enjoyment, dressing up and friends and family.
Holidays differ from country to country. Most of the European countries celebrate their holidays with great enthusiasm, while some other countries observe their holidays in a more restrained way. In the United Kingdom for instance, Christmas is considered as the festival of Christmas and Valentine’s Day as the festival of Valentine’s Day. In the United States of America, Thanksgiving is considered as the Thanksgiving Day and Halloween as the Halloween Day.
In general, holidays have a set number of days that are observed. The numbers range from six to eight in most of the countries. In the United States, there are major holidays like Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s, Saint Valentine’s Day, Saint Patrick’s Day, National Volunteer Week, Good Friday, Inauguration Day, Pearl Harbor Day, and so on. There are many international airports with a number of international flights where you can reach your destination on different days.
In United Kingdom, the most popular holidays are Christmas, Easter, St. Patrick’s Day, June, July, August, September, October, November, December, and January. In United States, holidays in summer or spring are more popular than other times of the year. Therefore, the first full week of June, July, and August would be considered as Spring Holidays in the United States.
In Canada, there are very few holidays in May and June, inclusive of the Canada Day. In addition to Canada’s national holidays, there are several local festivals in many cities of Canada. In comparison to United States, Canadian summer holidays are far more colorful in nature, filled with festivals such as Rideau Festival, fireworks, parades, sports events, and other activities. In contrast to United States, the first full week of May is considered as Greening Month in Canada, since it is during this time that the plants start to grow and prosper.
In Australia, the most popular national holidays are Easter, midsummer, July, and Victoria Day. On each of these last three national holidays, there are widespread public celebrations all around the country. Australia’s national festival is the Melbourne carnival, which runs from mid-August to mid-November. The colorful mid-season holiday is the Aussies’ New Year’s Eve. The most popular festivals in Australia include the Sydney racecourse (Races Day), the national soap opera, the Aussie Rules Football Grand Final, and the rugby test series. The second full week of April, the first Monday of May, is known as Mother’s Day in Australia.