What does the word holiday means

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A holiday is a day or other period of time set aside for festivals or recreation. Public holidays are set by public authorities and vary by state or region. Religious holidays are set by religious organisations for their members and are often also observed as public holidays in religious majority countries. Some religious holidays such as Christmas have become or are becoming secularised by part or all of those who observe it. In addition to secularisation, many holidays have become commercialised due to the growth of industry.[1]

Holidays can be thematic, celebrating or commemorating particular groups, events or ideas, or non-thematic, days of rest which do not have any particular meaning. In Commonwealth English, the term can refer to any period of rest from work, such as vacations or school holidays. In American English, the holidays typically refers to the period from Thanksgiving to New Year’s, which contains many important holidays in American culture.

Terminology[edit]

The word holiday comes from the Old English word hāligdæg (hālig «holy» + dæg «day»).[2] The word originally referred only to special religious days.

The word holiday has differing connotations in different regions. In the United States the word is used exclusively to refer to the nationally, religiously or culturally observed day(s) of rest or celebration, or the events themselves, whereas in the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth nations, the word may refer to the period of time where leave from one’s duties has been agreed, and is used as a synonym to the US preferred vacation. This time is usually set aside for rest, travel or the participation in recreational activities, with entire industries targeted to coincide or enhance these experiences. The days of leave may not coincide with any specific customs or laws. Employers and educational institutes may designate ‘holidays’ themselves which may or may not overlap nationally or culturally relevant dates, which again comes under this connotation, but it is the first implication detailed that this article is concerned with. The modern use varies geographically. In North America, it means any dedicated day or period of celebration. In the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand, holiday is often used instead of the word vacation.

Global holidays[edit]

The celebration of the New Year has been a common holiday across cultures for at least four millennia.[3] Such holidays normally celebrate the last day of a year and the arrival of the next year in a calendar system. In modern cultures using the Gregorian calendar, the New Year’s celebration spans New Year’s Eve on 31 December and New Year’s Day on 1 January. However, other calendar systems also have New Year’s celebration, such as Chinese New Year and Vietnamese Tet.[4] New Year’s Day is the most common public holiday, observed by all countries using the Gregorian calendar except Israel.[5]

Christmas is a popular holiday globally due to the spread of Christianity. The holiday is recognsied as a public holiday in many countries in Europe, the Americas, Africa and Australasia and is celebrated by over 2 billion people.[6] Although a holiday with religious origins, Christmas is often celebrated by non-Christians as a secular holiday. For example, 61% of Brits celebrate Christmas in an entirely secular way.[7] Christmas has also become a tradition in some non-Christian countries. For example, for many Japanese people, it has become customary to buy and eat fried chicken on Christmas.[8][9]

Recently invented holidays commemorate a range of modern social and political issues and other important topics. The United Nations publishes a list of International Days and Weeks. One such day is International Women’s Day on 8 March, which celebrates women’s achievements and campaigns for gender equality and women’s rights.[10] Earth Day has been celebrated by people across the world since 1970, with 10,000 events in 2007. It is a holiday marking the dangers of environmental damage, such as pollution and the climate crisis.[11]

Common secular holidays[edit]

Other secular holidays are observed regionally, nationally and across multi-country regions. The United Nations Calendar of Observances[12] dedicates decades to a specific topic, but also a complete year, month, week and days. Holidays dedicated to an observance such as the commemoration of the ending of World War II, or the Shoah, can also be part of the reparation obligation as per UN General Assembly Resolution 60/147 Basic Principles and Guidelines on the Right to a Remedy and Reparation for Victims of Gross Violations of International Human Rights Law and Serious Violations of International Humanitarian Law.[13]

Another example of a major secular holiday is the Lunar New Year, which is celebrated across East Asia and South East Asia. Many other days are marked to celebrate events or people, but are not strictly holidays as time off work is rarely given; examples include Arbor Day (originally U.S.), Labor Day (celebrated sometimes under different names and on different days in different countries), and Earth Day (22 April).

Public holidays[edit]

Substitute holidays[edit]

If a holiday coincides with another holiday or a weekend day a substitute holiday may be recognised in lieu. In the United Kingdom the government website states that «If a bank holiday is on a weekend, a ‘substitute’ weekday becomes a bank holiday, normally the following Monday.», and the list of bank holidays for the year 2020 includes Monday 28 December as «Boxing Day (substitute day)», as 26 December is a Saturday.[14] The process of moving a holiday from a weekend day to the following Monday is known as Mondayisation in New Zealand.[15]

National days[edit]

National days are days of significance to a nation or nation state. National days are typically celebratory of a state’s independence (e.g. 4 July in the US), founding or unification (e.g. German Unity Day), the commemoration of a revolution (e.g. Bastille Day in France) or liberation (e.g. 9 May in the Channel Islands), or the feast day for a patron saint (e.g. St Patrick’s Day in Ireland) or ruler (e.g. 5 December in Thailand). Every country other than Denmark and the United Kingdom observes a national day.[16] In the UK, constituent countries have official or unofficial national days associated with their patron saint. A British national day has often been proposed, such as the date of the Acts of Union 1707 (1 May) or the King’s Official Birthday, but never adopted.[17]

Other days of national importance exist, such as one to celebrate the country’s military or veterans. For example, Armistice Day (11 November) is recognised in World War I Allied nations (and across the Commonwealth) to memoralise those lost in the World Wars. National leaders will typically attend remembrance ceremonies at national memorial sites.

Religious holidays[edit]

Many holidays are linked to faiths and religions (see etymology above). Christian holidays are defined as part of the liturgical year, the chief ones being Easter and Christmas. The Orthodox Christian and Western-Roman Catholic patronal feast day or «name day» are celebrated in each place’s patron saint’s day, according to the Calendar of saints. Jehovah’s Witnesses annually commemorate «The Memorial of Jesus Christ’s Death», but do not celebrate other holidays with any religious significance such as Easter, Christmas or New Year. This holds especially true for those holidays that have combined and absorbed rituals, overtones or practices from non-Christian beliefs into the celebration, as well as those holidays that distract from or replace the worship of Jehovah.[18] In Islam, the largest holidays are Eid al-Fitr (immediately after Ramadan) and Eid al-Adha (at the end of the Hajj). Ahmadi Muslims additionally celebrate Promised Messiah Day, Promised Reformer Day, and Khilafat Day, but contrary to popular belief, neither are regarded as holidays. Hindus, Jains and Sikhs observe several holidays, one of the largest being Diwali (Festival of Light). Japanese holidays as well as few Catholic holidays contain heavy references to several different faiths and beliefs. Celtic, Norse, and Neopagan holidays follow the order of the Wheel of the Year. For example, Christmas ideas like decorating trees and colors (green, red, and white) have very similar ideas to modern Wicca (a modern Pagan belief) Yule which is a lesser Sabbat of the wheel of the year. Some are closely linked to Swedish festivities. The Baháʼí Faith observes 11 annual holidays on dates determined using the Baháʼí calendar. Jews have two holiday seasons: the Spring Feasts of Pesach (Passover) and Shavuot (Weeks, called Pentecost in Greek); and the Fall Feasts of Rosh Hashanah (Head of the Year), Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement), Sukkot (Tabernacles), and Shemini Atzeret (Eighth Day of Assembly).

Secularisation[edit]

Some religious holidays are also celebrated by many as secular holidays. For example, 61% of Brits celebrate Christmas in an entirely secular way.[7] 81% of non-Christian Americans also celebrate Christmas. A 2019 Gallup poll found that two-thirds of Americans still celebrate an at least somewhat religious Christmas.[19]

The claimed over-secularisation of particular holidays has caused controversy and claims of censorship of religion or political correctness. For example, in the 1990s, Birmingham City Council promoted a series of events in the Christmas season under the brand Winterval to create a more multi-cultural atmosphere about the seasonal festivities. The Bishop of Birmingham responded to the events, saying «the secular world, which expresses respect for all, is actually embarrassed by faith. Or perhaps it is Christianity which is censored».[20] In the United States, conservative commentators have characterised the secularisation of Winter festivities as «the War on Christmas».[21]

Unofficial holidays[edit]

These are holidays that are not traditionally marked on calendars. These holidays are celebrated by various groups and individuals. Some promote a cause, others recognize historical events not officially recognized, and others are «funny» holidays celebrated with humorous intent. For example, Monkey Day is celebrated on December 14, International Talk Like a Pirate Day is observed on September 19, and Blasphemy Day is held on September 30. Other examples are April Fools’ Day on April 1 and World No Tobacco Day on May 31. Various community organizers and marketers promote odd social media holidays.

Commercialism[edit]

In the United States, holidays have been drawn into a culture of consumption since the late 19th century. Many civic, religious and folk festivals have been commercialised. As such, traditions have been reshaped to serve the needs of industry. Leigh Eric Schmidt argues that the growth of consumption culture allowed the growth of holidays as an opportunity for increased public consumption and the orderly timing of it. Thus, after the Civil War, as department stores became the spatial expression of commercialism, holidays became the temporal expression of it.[1]

See also[edit]

  • Christmas and holiday season
  • Holiday heart syndrome
  • Public holiday
  • List of holidays by country
  • Commemoration (Anglicanism)
  • Tribute

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b Schmidt, Leigh Eric (1991). «The Commercialization of the Calendar: American Holidays and the Culture of Consumption, 1870-1930». The Journal of American History. 78 (3): 887–916. doi:10.2307/2078795. ISSN 0021-8723. JSTOR 2078795.
  2. ^ «holiday – Origin and meaning of holiday by Online Etymology Dictionary». etymonline.com. Retrieved 20 February 2018.
  3. ^ «New Year’s». HISTORY. Retrieved 2022-12-27.
  4. ^ Crump, William D. (2014-04-25). Encyclopedia of New Year’s Holidays Worldwide. McFarland. ISBN 978-0-7864-9545-0.
  5. ^ «New Year’s Day around the world in 2023». Office Holidays. Retrieved 2022-12-27.
  6. ^ «Christmas Day around the world». Office Holidays Blog. 2022-12-19. Retrieved 2022-12-27.
  7. ^ a b «How Britons celebrate Christmas and Easter | YouGov». yougov.co.uk. Retrieved 2022-12-27.
  8. ^ Kate Springer. «How KFC became a Christmas tradition in Japan». CNN. Retrieved 2022-12-27.
  9. ^ Barton, Eric. «Why Japan celebrates Christmas with KFC». www.bbc.com. Retrieved 2022-12-27.
  10. ^ «International Women’s Day 2023 campaign theme: Embrace Equity». International Women’s Day. Retrieved 2022-12-27.
  11. ^ «Earth Day Timeline». HISTORY. Retrieved 2022-12-27.
  12. ^ «International Days». United Nations. Retrieved August 10, 2018.
  13. ^ «Basic Principles and Guidelines on the Right to a Remedy and Reparation for Victims of Gross Violations of International Human Rights Law and Serious Violations of International Humanitarian Law». December 16, 2005. Retrieved August 10, 2018.
  14. ^ «UK bank holidays». gov.uk. Retrieved 7 February 2020.
  15. ^ Smith, Bridget; Oldfield, Tim (3 May 2013). «Happy holidays: the ‘Mondayisation’ of public holidays». SBM Legal. Retrieved 7 February 2020.
  16. ^ Fisher, Max (26 February 2013). «A surprising map of the world’s national holidays (only two countries have no national day)». The Washington Post.
  17. ^ «Ministers proposing ‘Britain Day’«. BBC News. 2007-06-05. Retrieved 2009-07-08.
  18. ^ Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania. Reasoning from the Scriptures. Watchtower, 1985, pp. 176–182
  19. ^ «More Americans Celebrating a Secular Christmas». Gallup.com. 2019-12-20. Retrieved 2022-12-27.
  20. ^ «BBC News | UK | Winterval gets frosty reception». news.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 2022-12-27.
  21. ^ Keck, Kristi (18 December 2009). «Heated Debate Again over ‘War on Christmas’ Claims». CNN. Retrieved 25 December 2012.

External links[edit]

  • Holidays at Curlie
Источник

What do we mean by holiday?

A day free from work that one may spend at leisure, especially a day on which custom or the law dictates a halting of general business activity to commemorate or celebrate a particular event. noun

A religious feast day; a holy day. noun

A vacation. Often used in the phrase on holiday. noun

To pass a holiday or vacation. intransitive verb

To make holiday; go pleasuring; waste time in play.

A consecrated day; a religious anniversary; a day set apart for commemorating some important event or in honor of some person. noun

An occasion of joy and gaiety. noun

A day of exemption from labor, or of recreation and amusement; a day or a number of days during which ordinary occupations are suspended, either by an individual or by a community. noun

Nautical, a spot carelessly left uncoated in tarring or painting a ship or its appurtenances. noun

Pertaining to a festival; befitting a holiday; cheerful; joyous; hence, suited only to a holiday; dainty; not fitted for serious action or life.

The Christmas season. noun

Of or pertaining to a festival; cheerful; joyous; gay. adjective

Occurring rarely; adapted for a special occasion. adjective

A consecrated day; religious anniversary; a day set apart in honor of some person, or in commemoration of some event. See holyday. noun

A day of exemption from labor; a day of amusement and gayety; a festival day. noun

A day fixed by law for suspension of business; a legal holiday. noun

Any fixed or usual period for relaxation or festivity; especially, Christmas and New Year’s day with the intervening time. noun

A day on which a festival, religious event, or national celebration is traditionally observed. noun

A day declared free from work by the government. noun

A period of one or more days taken off work by an employee for leisure. noun

A day on which a festival, religious event, or national celebration is traditionally observed.

A day declared free from work by the state or government.

A period of one or more days taken off work for leisure and often travel; often plural.

A period during which pupils do not attend their school; often plural; rarely used for students at university (usually: vacation).

A period during which, by agreement, the usual payments are not made.

A gap in coverage, e.g. of paint on a surface, or sonar imagery.

An opportunity for relatives to come around and say stupid shit like: Why haven’t you found a wife yet. Urban Dictionary

When people work the 9 to 5 rather than the typical 14-16 hour workdays. An hour lunch break may be taken on these days, but is still frowned upon. Some people may catch a «holiday» and become quite unresponsive. Stay away from these people. Urban Dictionary

Painter’s slang for an area accidentally left unpainted or inadequately covered. Urban Dictionary

Something thats impossible to enjoy at my house because every holiday ( Especially independance day) My father drinks heavily, throws his old vietnam uniform on, grabs his m-14, and fires at my neighbor who just happens to be vietnamese while he shouts » we won the war you brown cocksuckers! Burn in hell you motherfuckers!» Not the best time of the year. Urban Dictionary

Time away from work/ school
wonderfulest part of the year.. especially when the holiday is for weeks/months Urban Dictionary

A politically correct and inclusive term for Thanksgiving and Christmas encouraged by the liberals. Urban Dictionary

A) a time of year when you’re supposed to sit back and reflect and give thanks and shit like that but actually everyone just gets drunk and eats a lot and spends lots of money because our society advocates wasting insane amounts of dough to «celebrate»
b) a really, really kick-ass song by green day. a dark political «anthem» that truly encompasses america’s depressing military situation Urban Dictionary

A word that half the bands ever have had in one of their song names Urban Dictionary

British/austrailian slang for «vacation». Urban Dictionary

The best fucking Green Day song ever!!! it is seriously cool, and has a strong message about war, and how fucked up the world is at the moment. it also has a great beat. Urban Dictionary

Источник

Britannica Dictionary definition of HOLIDAY

1 

[count]

:

a special day of celebration

  • a religious holiday

:

a day when most people do not have to work

  • July 4 is a national holiday in the U.S.

  • The stock market is closed tomorrow because it’s a holiday.

— often used before another noun

  • holiday gifts/parties

  • Do you have any plans for the holiday weekend? [=a weekend that is preceded or followed by a holiday]

◊ In U.S. English, the holiday season and the holidays refer to the time from November until the beginning of January during which many holidays are celebrated.

  • How are you celebrating the holiday season?

  • I’m looking forward to going home for the holidays.


—

see also bank holiday, legal holiday

2 

British

:


vacation

[noncount]

  • She’ll have four weeks’ holiday next year.

  • She spent two weeks on holiday [=(US) on vacation] in Italy.

[count]

  • We’re planning on taking a holiday in the Caribbean.

— often plural

  • She went to the Caribbean for her holidays.

  • He spent the summer holidays in Spain.

Britannica Dictionary definition of HOLIDAY

:

to spend a holiday in or at a particular place

:


vacation

  • She likes holidaying in the Caribbean.

Источник

Princeton’s WordNetRate this definition:3.0 / 2 votes

  1. vacation, holidaynoun

    leisure time away from work devoted to rest or pleasure

    «we get two weeks of vacation every summer»; «we took a short holiday in Puerto Rico»

  2. holidayverb

    a day on which work is suspended by law or custom

    «no mail is delivered on federal holidays»; «it’s a good thing that New Year’s was a holiday because everyone had a hangover»

  3. vacation, holidayverb

    spend or take a vacation

WiktionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

  1. holidaynoun

    A day on which a festival, religious event, or national celebration is traditionally observed.

  2. holidaynoun

    A day declared free from work by the government.

  3. holidaynoun

    A period of one or more days taken off work by an employee for leisure.

  4. holidaynoun

    A period during which pupils and students do not attend their school or university.

    I want to take a French course this summer holiday.

  5. holidaynoun

    A period taken off work or study for travel.

  6. holidaynoun

    An unintentional gap left on a plated, coated, or painted surface.

  7. holidayverb

    To take a period of time away from work or study.

  8. holidayverb

    To spend a period of time for travel.

Webster DictionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

  1. Holidaynoun

    a consecrated day; religious anniversary; a day set apart in honor of some person, or in commemoration of some event. See Holyday

  2. Holidaynoun

    a day of exemption from labor; a day of amusement and gayety; a festival day

  3. Holidaynoun

    a day fixed by law for suspension of business; a legal holiday

  4. Holidayadjective

    of or pertaining to a festival; cheerful; joyous; gay

  5. Holidayadjective

    occurring rarely; adapted for a special occasion

  6. Etymology: [Holy + day.]

FreebaseRate this definition:5.0 / 2 votes

  1. Holiday

    A holiday is a day set aside by custom or by law in which normal activities, especially business or work, are to be suspended or reduced. Generally holidays are intended to allow individuals to celebrate or commemorate something of cultural or religious significance. Holidays may be designated by governments, religious institutions, or other groups or organizations. The degree to which normal activities are reduced by a holiday may depend on local laws, customs, or even personal choices.
    The concept of holidays has most often originated as religious observances. The intention of a holiday was typically to allow individuals to tend to religious duties associated with important dates on the calendar. In most modern societies, however, holidays serve as much of a recreational function as anything else.
    In many societies there are important distinctions between holidays designated by governments and holidays designated by religious institutions. In many predominantly Christian nations, for example, government-designed holidays may center around Christian holidays though non-Christians may instead observe religious holidays associated with their faith. In some cases, a holiday may only be nominally observed. For example, many Jews in the Americas and Europe treat the relatively minor Jewish holiday of Chanukah as a working holiday, changing very little of their daily routines for this day.

Chambers 20th Century DictionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

  1. Holiday

    hol′i-dā, n. a consecrated day: a religious festival: a day for the commemoration of some event: a day of idleness and amusement.—adj. befitting a holiday: cheerful.—Holiday speeches, fine but empty phrases. [Formerly holy day.]

Dictionary of Nautical TermsRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

  1. holiday

    Any part left neglected or uncovered in paying or painting,
    blacking, or tarring.

Editors ContributionRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

  1. holiday

    Leisure time doing what we love with a passion.

    Holiday’s are fantastic and everyone loves to have one.

    Submitted by MaryC on December 28, 2019  

Etymology and OriginsRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

  1. Holiday

    The modern form of “Holy Day,” expressive of a great feast in the Church calendar.

Surnames Frequency by Census RecordsRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

  1. HOLIDAY

    According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Holiday is ranked #5089 in terms of the most common surnames in America.

    The Holiday surname appeared 6,881 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 would have the surname Holiday.

    49.4% or 3,404 total occurrences were Black.
    36.1% or 2,486 total occurrences were White.
    8.9% or 618 total occurrences were American Indian or Alaskan Native.
    2.9% or 200 total occurrences were of two or more races.
    2% or 139 total occurrences were of Hispanic origin.
    0.4% or 34 total occurrences were Asian.

Matched Categories

    • Leisure Time
    • Spend

British National Corpus

  1. Spoken Corpus Frequency

    Rank popularity for the word ‘holiday’ in Spoken Corpus Frequency: #1495

  2. Written Corpus Frequency

    Rank popularity for the word ‘holiday’ in Written Corpus Frequency: #826

  3. Nouns Frequency

    Rank popularity for the word ‘holiday’ in Nouns Frequency: #420

How to pronounce holiday?

How to say holiday in sign language?

Numerology

  1. Chaldean Numerology

    The numerical value of holiday in Chaldean Numerology is: 4

  2. Pythagorean Numerology

    The numerical value of holiday in Pythagorean Numerology is: 2

Examples of holiday in a Sentence

  1. Drew Thompson:

    PLAAF sorties are pretty routine at this point, but stepping up bomber flights on a major PRC( People’s Republic of China) holiday underscores that this is political warfare and part of a massive coercion campaign.

  2. Ronnie Carrillo:

    The first time I saw it, I didn’t believe what I saw — a tumbleweed snowman, but now this is our holiday icon.

  3. British Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin:

    Any disruption to our aviation system is a matter of the utmost concern, especially at this time of year in the run up to the holiday season, disruption on this scale is simply unacceptable and I have asked NATS for a full explanation of this evening’s incident.

  4. Muriel Boselli:

    The fact they’re doing that during the summer holiday shows they want the trial to be done with quickly, with the least amount of publicity possible.

  5. Deputy Finance Minister Dan Manolescu:

    We aim that revenues collected under the new system are at least as high as current ones, the draft will be sent to parliament in September, when parliament reconvenes from the summer holiday.

Popularity rank by frequency of use

Translations for holiday

From our Multilingual Translation Dictionary

  • إجازة, عطلة, عطل, عيدArabic
  • bayramAzerbaijani
  • байрам көнө, ғәйет, ял, байрам, ял көнөBashkir
  • святаBelarusian
  • пра́зникBulgarian
  • ছুটির দিনBengali
  • dovolená, svátek, prázdninyCzech
  • уявChuvash
  • ferie, helligdag, fridagDanish
  • Urlaub, Ferien, gesetzlicher Feiertag, Feiertag, Ferienreise, reisenGerman
  • διακοπές, αργία, γιορτήGreek
  • lernejaj, libertempo, festotago, feriojEsperanto
  • [[día]] [[feriado]], fiesta, vacaciones, festividad, vacaciónSpanish
  • pühaEstonian
  • jaiegunBasque
  • عیدPersian
  • lomapäivä, juhlapäivä, aukko, loma, yleinen vapaapäivä, vapaapäivä, pyhäpäivä, matkustella, lomaillaFinnish
  • jour férié, congé, vacance, vacances, fêteFrench
  • lá saoire, saoire, laethanta saoireIrish
  • saor-làithean, làithean-saora, saor-latha, latha-fèilleScottish Gaelic
  • feaill, feailleyManx
  • חגHebrew
  • छुट्टी, ईद, चुट्टीHindi
  • szabadnap, vakáció, szünnap, szünet, ünnepnap, szabadság, szabadnapos, kirándul, szabadságon vanHungarian
  • տոն, արձակուրդArmenian
  • helgidagurIcelandic
  • vacanza, giorno festivo, ferieItalian
  • 休日, 祭り, 休暇, 祭日Japanese
  • დღესასწაულიGeorgian
  • айт, мейрамKazakh
  • ថ្ងៃឈប់សម្រាកKhmer
  • 축제일, 휴가, 휴일Korean
  • айт, майрамKyrgyz
  • feria, festum, cessatio, feriaeLatin
  • ມື້ພັກ, ມື້ພັກງານLao
  • одмор, празник, распуст, нера́ботен ден, пра́зник, отсуство, отсуствува, зема одморMacedonian
  • баярMongolian
  • vaganza, jum il-festa, btala, frankaMaltese
  • ferie, heilagdag, helligdagNorwegian
  • vakantie, feestdagDutch
  • heilagdag, ferieNorwegian Nynorsk
  • urlop, święto, wakacjePolish
  • férias, feriado, [[tirar]] [[férias]]Portuguese
  • отгу́л, выходно́й день, кани́кулы, плешь, опло́шность, пра́здник, о́тпуск, про́пуск, проводить отпуск, путешествовать, брать отпуск, отдыхать, проводить каникулыRussian
  • odmor, свечаник, svečanik, raspust, svetkovina, praznik, светковина, празникSerbo-Croatian
  • dovolená, sviatokSlovak
  • praznikSlovene
  • festëAlbanian
  • ledighet, helgdag, semester, högtid, lovSwedish
  • likizoSwahili
  • సెలవుTelugu
  • идTajik
  • วันหยุดThai
  • baýram, baýramçylykTurkmen
  • tatil, bayramTurkish
  • бәйрәмTatar
  • святоUkrainian
  • چھٹی, چٹّی, عیدUrdu
  • bayramUzbek
  • ngày lễVietnamese
  • 假期Chinese

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Источник

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What you do on travel holiday is what your memories are based on. People want to do cool stuff, and this is what will shape your entire experience.

Ruzwana Bashir

section

ETYMOLOGY OF THE WORD HOLIDAY

Old English hāligdæg, literally: holy day.

info

Etymology is the study of the origin of words and their changes in structure and significance.

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PRONUNCIATION OF HOLIDAY

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GRAMMATICAL CATEGORY OF HOLIDAY

Holiday is a verb and can also act as a noun.

A noun is a type of word the meaning of which determines reality. Nouns provide the names for all things: people, objects, sensations, feelings, etc.

The verb is the part of the sentence that is conjugated and expresses action and state of being.

See the conjugation of the verb holiday in English.

WHAT DOES HOLIDAY MEAN IN ENGLISH?

Holiday

A holiday is a day set aside by custom or by law on which normal activities, especially business or work, are suspended or reduced. Generally, holidays are intended to allow individuals to celebrate or commemorate an event or tradition of cultural or religious significance. Holidays may be designated by governments, religious institutions, or other groups or organizations. The degree to which normal activities are reduced by a holiday may depend on local laws, customs, the type of job being held or even personal choices. The concept of holidays has most often originated in connection with religious observances. The intention of a holiday was typically to allow individuals to tend to religious duties associated with important dates on the calendar. In most modern societies, however, holidays serve as much of a recreational function as any other weekend days or activities. In many societies there are important distinctions between holidays designated by governments and holidays designated by religious institutions.


Definition of holiday in the English dictionary

The first definition of holiday in the dictionary is a period in which a break is taken from work or studies for rest, travel, or recreation US and Canadian word: vacation. Other definition of holiday is a day on which work is suspended by law or custom, such as a religious festival, bank holiday, etc related adjective ferial. Holiday is also to spend a holiday.

CONJUGATION OF THE VERB TO HOLIDAY

PRESENT

Present

I holiday

you holiday

he/she/it holidays

we holiday

you holiday

they holiday

Present continuous

I am holidaying

you are holidaying

he/she/it is holidaying

we are holidaying

you are holidaying

they are holidaying

Present perfect

I have holidayed

you have holidayed

he/she/it has holidayed

we have holidayed

you have holidayed

they have holidayed

Present perfect continuous

I have been holidaying

you have been holidaying

he/she/it has been holidaying

we have been holidaying

you have been holidaying

they have been holidaying

Present tense is used to refer to circumstances that exist at the present time or over a period that includes the present time. The present perfect refers to past events, although it can be considered to denote primarily the resulting present situation rather than the events themselves.

PAST

Past

I holidayed

you holidayed

he/she/it holidayed

we holidayed

you holidayed

they holidayed

Past continuous

I was holidaying

you were holidaying

he/she/it was holidaying

we were holidaying

you were holidaying

they were holidaying

Past perfect

I had holidayed

you had holidayed

he/she/it had holidayed

we had holidayed

you had holidayed

they had holidayed

Past perfect continuous

I had been holidaying

you had been holidaying

he/she/it had been holidaying

we had been holidaying

you had been holidaying

they had been holidaying

Past tense forms express circumstances existing at some time in the past,

FUTURE

Future

I will holiday

you will holiday

he/she/it will holiday

we will holiday

you will holiday

they will holiday

Future continuous

I will be holidaying

you will be holidaying

he/she/it will be holidaying

we will be holidaying

you will be holidaying

they will be holidaying

Future perfect

I will have holidayed

you will have holidayed

he/she/it will have holidayed

we will have holidayed

you will have holidayed

they will have holidayed

Future perfect continuous

I will have been holidaying

you will have been holidaying

he/she/it will have been holidaying

we will have been holidaying

you will have been holidaying

they will have been holidaying

The future is used to express circumstances that will occur at a later time.

CONDITIONAL

Conditional

I would holiday

you would holiday

he/she/it would holiday

we would holiday

you would holiday

they would holiday

Conditional continuous

I would be holidaying

you would be holidaying

he/she/it would be holidaying

we would be holidaying

you would be holidaying

they would be holidaying

Conditional perfect

I would have holiday

you would have holiday

he/she/it would have holiday

we would have holiday

you would have holiday

they would have holiday

Conditional perfect continuous

I would have been holidaying

you would have been holidaying

he/she/it would have been holidaying

we would have been holidaying

you would have been holidaying

they would have been holidaying

Conditional or «future-in-the-past» tense refers to hypothetical or possible actions.

IMPERATIVE

Imperative

you holiday
we let´s holiday
you holiday

The imperative is used to form commands or requests.

NONFINITE VERB FORMS

Past participle

holidayed

Present Participle

holidaying

Infinitive shows the action beyond temporal perspective. The present participle or gerund shows the action during the session. The past participle shows the action after completion.

WORDS THAT RHYME WITH HOLIDAY

Synonyms and antonyms of holiday in the English dictionary of synonyms

SYNONYMS OF «HOLIDAY»

The following words have a similar or identical meaning as «holiday» and belong to the same grammatical category.

Translation of «holiday» into 25 languages

online translator

TRANSLATION OF HOLIDAY

Find out the translation of holiday to 25 languages with our English multilingual translator.

The translations of holiday from English to other languages presented in this section have been obtained through automatic statistical translation; where the essential translation unit is the word «holiday» in English.

Translator English — Chinese


假日

1,325 millions of speakers

Translator English — Spanish


vacaciones

570 millions of speakers

English


holiday

510 millions of speakers

Translator English — Hindi


छुट्टी

380 millions of speakers

Translator English — Arabic


عُطْلَة

280 millions of speakers

Translator English — Russian


отдых

278 millions of speakers

Translator English — Portuguese


férias

270 millions of speakers

Translator English — Bengali


ছুটির দিন

260 millions of speakers

Translator English — French


vacances

220 millions of speakers

Translator English — Malay


Percutian

190 millions of speakers

Translator English — German


Urlaub

180 millions of speakers

Translator English — Japanese


休暇

130 millions of speakers

Translator English — Korean


휴일

85 millions of speakers

Translator English — Javanese


Liburan

85 millions of speakers

Translator English — Vietnamese


ngày nghỉ

80 millions of speakers

Translator English — Tamil


விடுமுறை

75 millions of speakers

Translator English — Marathi


सुट्टी

75 millions of speakers

Translator English — Turkish


tatil

70 millions of speakers

Translator English — Italian


vacanza

65 millions of speakers

Translator English — Polish


urlop

50 millions of speakers

Translator English — Ukrainian


канікули

40 millions of speakers

Translator English — Romanian


vacanță

30 millions of speakers

Translator English — Greek


διακοπές

15 millions of speakers

Translator English — Afrikaans


vakansie

14 millions of speakers

Translator English — Swedish


semester

10 millions of speakers

Translator English — Norwegian


ferie

5 millions of speakers

Trends of use of holiday

TENDENCIES OF USE OF THE TERM «HOLIDAY»

The term «holiday» is very widely used and occupies the 431 position in our list of most widely used terms in the English dictionary.

Trends

FREQUENCY

Very widely used

The map shown above gives the frequency of use of the term «holiday» in the different countries.

Principal search tendencies and common uses of holiday

List of principal searches undertaken by users to access our English online dictionary and most widely used expressions with the word «holiday».

FREQUENCY OF USE OF THE TERM «HOLIDAY» OVER TIME

The graph expresses the annual evolution of the frequency of use of the word «holiday» during the past 500 years. Its implementation is based on analysing how often the term «holiday» appears in digitalised printed sources in English between the year 1500 and the present day.

Examples of use in the English literature, quotes and news about holiday

10 QUOTES WITH «HOLIDAY»

Famous quotes and sentences with the word holiday.

What you do on travel holiday is what your memories are based on. People want to do cool stuff, and this is what will shape your entire experience.

A typical Seville shop reaches far along the street front, with many open doors, and a counter running the full length. Here ladies sit in pairs and groups, never singly, to cheapen fans and mantillas, while the smiling salesmen, cigarette in hand, shrug and gesticulate and give back banter for banter as gayly as if it were all a holiday frolic.

Some people think that going on a caravan holiday is a slightly more upscale version of camping. Let me assure you, it is much better than that. You know that you will have your creature comforts wherever you are. I never have to pack light, and I can put the kettle on in any location.

Halloween is fun, but it wasn’t always my favorite holiday. I think Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday.

My father was in the civil service. I can remember standing in a bus shelter in the pouring rain, and that we were allowed candy floss at the end of the holiday if we had behaved.

It’s very hard to respect people on holiday — everybody looks so silly at the beach, it makes you hate humanity — but when you see people at their work they elicit respect, whether it’s a mechanic, a stonemason or an accountant.

My mother is the sort of woman who not only can raise a chicken and roast it to moist perfection but, as she proved to my openmouthed sister and me on a family holiday to Morocco when we were very young, can barter for one in a market, kill it, pluck it, and then cook it to perfection.

I grew up in a city, I’m a city person — I go on holiday and I’m bored.

There’s something about a holiday that isn’t all about how much money you spend.

Over the Thanksgiving holiday I took time to reflect on what is most important to me and realized I need to find a way to put the fun back into racing.

10 ENGLISH BOOKS RELATING TO «HOLIDAY»

Discover the use of holiday in the following bibliographical selection. Books relating to holiday and brief extracts from same to provide context of its use in English literature.

Holiday is a book of poems chiseled into both public and private calendar markers, where the unfinished self seeks, desperately and defiantly, resolution through either completion or negation.

The events of this novel take place on a single day in the southern town of Nazareth, a day so punishingly hot that Virginia Hade gives her father’s black workers a holiday from work at the request of the black overseer, John Cloud.

This is an extremely subtle story, a consummate portrait of English provincial life told with all Stanley Middleton’s artistry and depth of feeling. It was joint winner of the Booker Prize in 1974.

The tales in this magnificent collection celebrate the holidays in 19th-century New York City and features stories by Judith McNaught, Jude Devereaux, Jill Barnett, and Arnette Lamb. Reissue.

Jude Deveraux, Judith McNaught, Arnette Lamb, 2005

5

Trust Me, I’m Lying: Confessions of a Media Manipulator

Because I’m tired of a world where blogs take indirect bribes, marketers help write the news, reckless journalists spread lies, and no one is accountable for any of it. I’m going to explain exactly how the media really works.

6

Busman’s Holiday: (three-act Play)

«Provocative drama about a young and idealistic newspaperman who tried to buck the Marcos-controlled media and is brutally murdered».

This is the story of Palm Springs in its golden years, a city that had it all, including marvelous midcentury Modern architecture, fabulous fly-in hotels, and a swinging nightlife.

This graph art activity book is a compilation of holiday pictures which are designed to fit graph paper squares. The child colors in the squares on graph paper according to the direction sheet, and a mystery picture appears.

9

Billie Holiday: A Biography

Presents a biography of the African American woman who, despite a turbulent life, became one of the most famous singers in the history of jazz.

10

On Holiday: A History of Vacationing

Beginning his cultural journey among some 18th-century pioneers of tourism, Lofgren takes us on a tour of the Western holiday world and shows how two centuries of «learning to be a tourist» have shaped our own ways of vacationing.

10 NEWS ITEMS WHICH INCLUDE THE TERM «HOLIDAY»

Find out what the national and international press are talking about and how the term holiday is used in the context of the following news items.

Women find holiday planning and travel more stressful than male …

Revealed: Women find holiday planning and travel to be far more stressful than their male partners (and why it’s all down to a perceived lack of … «Daily Mail, Jul 15»

Holiday complaints: what to do when travel goes wrong — Telegraph

I also assume that you don’t need any help in having a good time. It’s when things go wrong that they risk ruining your holiday. So here is our … «Telegraph.co.uk, Jul 15»

‘I doubted my Turkish holiday romance would last but even incurable …

Kelly O’Neil had read all the stories in magazines – heartbroken British women who’d gone on holiday, fallen in love with a local only for it to … «Mirror.co.uk, Jul 15»

Amazon Prime Day: The Logic Behind A Retailer’s Made-Up Holiday …

Amazon is not the first to try launching its own shopping holiday. Chinese e-commerce behemoth Alibaba manufactured its own event in 2009 … «Forbes, Jul 15»

Feeling the heat, Iraq declares Thursday a holiday — Al Arabiya News

The announcement effectively brings forward a public holiday at the end of Ramadan. The Eid al-Fitr holiday is due to start by Saturday, and … «Al-Arabiya, Jul 15»

Louise Redknapp shares holiday picture from Palma with Jamie and …

Louise, 40, and the boys showed off their holiday glow by Day 4 when they huddled in for a cute group shot after dinner in one Balearic Islands … «Daily Mail, Jul 15»

Welcome To Marketing Land’s Holiday Retailer, 2015 Edition!

Marketing Land reporters and expert contributors will once again help e-commerce marketers make the absolute most of the crucial holiday … «Marketing Land, Jul 15»

How to Be an MP is UK politicians’ top holiday reading — The Guardian

Advising on everything from “how to sympathise” with constituents to “how to stay married”, Paul Flynn’s practical guide, How to Be an MP, … «The Guardian, Jul 15»

Looking for holiday romance? Head to Seattle for the best-looking …

The best things to do on holiday (and there isn’t a sunbed in sight) · Is THIS the world’s best hotel? … Save up to 85% on phone calls on holiday … «Daily Mail, Jul 15»

State parks draw record holiday weekend crowds — Kare 11

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Minnesota state parks drew record crowds on the Fourth of July holiday weekend, and park officials say there are still … «KARE, Jul 15»

REFERENCE

« EDUCALINGO. Holiday [online]. Available <https://educalingo.com/en/dic-en/holiday>. Apr 2023 ».

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Discover all that is hidden in the words on educalingo

Источник

Other forms: holidays; holidaying; holidayed

A holiday celebrates a person, anniversary, religious belief or other occasion. You might observe the Indian holiday of Holi, and take a week off of work to celebrate with your family.

A holiday is an occasion recognized by the state or federal government and marked on calendars, like Thanksgiving in the United States. Most holidays are celebratory and fun, and just about all of them mean no work or school. You can also take a holiday, or vacation. Holiday comes from «holy» and «day,» meaning a religious festival, and the word was even pronounced that way until the sixteenth century.

Definitions of holiday

  1. noun

    leisure time away from work devoted to rest or pleasure

    “we took a short
    holiday in Puerto Rico”

    synonyms:

    vacation

  2. noun

    a day on which work is suspended by law or custom

    “no mail is delivered on federal
    holidays”

    see moresee less

    types:

    show 33 types…
    hide 33 types…
    half-holiday

    a day on which half is free from work or duty

    feast day, fete day

    a day designated for feasting

    holy day, religious holiday

    a day specified for religious observance

    Christmas Eve, Dec 24

    the day before Christmas

    legal holiday, national holiday, public holiday

    authorized by law and limiting work or official business

    Poppy Day, Remembrance Day, Remembrance Sunday

    the Sunday nearest to November 11 when those who died in World War I and World War II are commemorated

    Ramanavami

    Hindu lunar holiday (on the 9th day of Caitra) to celebrate the birth of Rama

    Mesasamkranti

    Hindu solar holiday at the beginning of the new astrological year when the sun enters the constellation Aries

    fast day

    a day designated for fasting

    January 1, New Year’s, New Year’s Day

    the first day of the year

    Martin Luther King Day, Martin Luther King Jr’s Birthday

    observed on the Monday closest to January 15

    Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashana, Rosh Hashanah, Rosh Hashona, Rosh Hashonah

    (Judaism) a solemn Jewish feast day celebrated on the 1st or 1st and 2nd of Tishri; noted for the blowing of the shofar

    Christian holy day

    a religious holiday for Christians

    Jewish holy day

    a religious holiday for Jews

    movable feast, moveable feast

    a religious holiday that falls on different dates in different years

    Presidents’ Day

    the third Monday in February; commemorates both presidents Lincoln and Washington

    Decoration Day, Memorial Day

    legal holiday in the United States, last Monday in May; commemorates the members of the United States armed forces who were killed in war

    Fourth of July, Independence Day, July 4

    a legal holiday in the United States

    Labor Day

    first Monday in September in the United States and Canada

    Columbus Day, Discovery Day, October 12

    a legal holiday commemorating the discovery of America by Christopher Columbus

    Circumcision, Feast of the Circumcision, January 1

    (Roman Catholic Church and Anglican Church) feast day celebrating the circumcision of Jesus; celebrated on January 1st

    Dormition, Feast of Dormition

    celebration in the Eastern Orthodox Church of the Virgin Mary’s being taken up into heaven when her earthly life ended; corresponds to the Assumption in the Roman Catholic Church and is also celebrated on August 15th

    Christmas, Christmas Day, Dec 25, Xmas

    a Christian holiday celebrating the birth of Christ; a quarter day in England, Wales, and Ireland

    Boxing Day

    first weekday after Christmas

    bank holiday

    any of several weekdays when banks are closed; a legal holiday in Britain

    Commonwealth Day, Empire day, May 24

    British, anniversary of Queen Victoria’s birth

    Dominion Day, July 1

    a legal holiday in Canada commemorating receiving Dominion status in 1867

    14 July, Bastille Day

    a legal holiday in France celebrating the storming of the Paris bastille in 1789

    Armistice Day, November 11, Veterans Day, Veterans’ Day

    a legal holiday in the United States; formerly Armistice Day but called Veterans’ Day since 1954

    Thanksgiving, Thanksgiving Day

    fourth Thursday in November in the United States; second Monday in October in Canada; commemorates a feast held in 1621 by the Pilgrims and the Wampanoag

    Victoria Day

    a public holiday in Canada on the Monday on or before May 24th

    Id al-Fitr

    a Muslim day of feasting at the end of Ramadan

    Feast of Sacrifice, Id al-Adha

    the 10th day of Dhu’l-Hijja; all Muslims attend a service in the mosques and those who are not pilgrims perform a ritual slaughter of a sheep (commemorating God’s ransom of Abraham’s son from sacrifice) and give at least a third of the meat to charity

    type of:

    day

    a day assigned to a particular purpose or observance

  3. verb

    spend or take a vacation

DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘holiday’.
Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Vocabulary.com or its editors.
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Источник

Noun



July 4 is a national holiday in the U.S.



The stock market is closed tomorrow because it’s a holiday.



She’ll have four weeks’ holiday next year.



We’re planning on taking a holiday in the Caribbean.

Verb



She likes holidaying in the Caribbean.



saw kangaroos while holidaying in Australia

See More

Recent Examples on the Web



Spend holidays with each other’s families.


—Leah Campano, Seventeen, 8 Apr. 2023




Burger King Easter hours Burger King will be open on Easter, but holiday hours may vary based on franchise location.


—Jordan Mendoza, USA TODAY, 8 Apr. 2023




This twinkling decor is perfect for evening and nighttime parties to get your house holiday ready.


—Manal Aman, Woman’s Day Magazine, 8 Apr. 2023




Celebrities, artists, and jet setters have been flocking to this cinematic holiday hotspot on the French Riveria since the 1960s.


—Lindsay Cohn, Travel + Leisure, 8 Apr. 2023




They’re sold alongside a nonsectarian array of other holiday sweets: Easter eggs, Star of David lollipops, chocolate Seder plates and plaques etched with drawings of the Last Supper.


—Reggie Nadelson, New York Times, 7 Apr. 2023




The justice and his wife, Ginni Thomas, flew on private jets, cruised on a megayacht and enjoyed an annual weeklong holiday in a plush Adirondacks retreat without paying a dime, ProPublica reported.


—oregonlive, 7 Apr. 2023




The arch-conservative judge and his controversial wife, Ginni Thomas, flew on private jets, cruised on a mega-yacht and enjoyed an annual weeklong holiday in a plush Adirondacks retreat without paying a dime, the news site Pro Publica reported Thursday.


—Michael Mcauliff, al, 7 Apr. 2023




Some Aurora area families in need got a special holiday surprise this week thanks to a food pantry’s Easter basket giveaway.


—David Sharos, Chicago Tribune, 7 Apr. 2023



Weill, who had holidayed in the area since childhood, bought an old hotel on the site in 2016 and asked famed architect Philippe Starck to redesign it.


—Lucy Alexander, Robb Report, 1 Apr. 2023




By the time David and Wallis are holidaying on Lord Moyne’s yacht Rosaura, Ernest is fully sunk.


—Lauren Collins, The New Yorker, 25 Feb. 2023




Vittorio, 12, holidayed amid modernist glamour in Tuscany with three generations of his industrialist family.


—Sarah Thomas, Vogue, 20 Feb. 2023




The surge came, worse than imagined, with Americans determined to holiday their way through the new year like the pandemic didn’t exist.


—Gabe Lacques, USA TODAY, 26 Jan. 2021




For the world’s beleaguered airline industry, the measures give travelers yet another reason to think twice before taking to the skies and will probably end Britons’ plans of holidaying abroad this summer.


—James Ludden, Bloomberg.com, 12 May 2020




Morrison returned home early from holidaying in Hawaii ahead of Christmas following the death of two firefighters and amid criticism his government was doing too little to address climate change and a country-wide drought.


—NBC News, 29 Dec. 2019




Macey Ellison, 18, and her family, who were holidaying in Mallacoota, in the southeastern state of Victoria, took cover in a friend’s small boat for more than four hours as the fire threatened the town.


—Rachel Pannett, WSJ, 1 Jan. 2020




Check out the video above to see what makes some of your faves’ holidays the Blackest celebration of all time.


—Danielle Young, Essence, 24 Dec. 2019


See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word ‘holiday.’ Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Источник

This article is about days of observance. For a leave of absence or a trip, see Vacation. For leave from employment, see Annual leave. For other uses, see Holiday (disambiguation).

«Observance» redirects here. For other uses, see Observance (disambiguation).

A Holiday is a day designated as having special significance for which individuals, a government, or a religious group have deemed that observation is warranted. It is generally an official (more common) or unofficial observance of religious, national, or cultural significance, often accompanied by celebrations or festivities.

Contents

  • 1 Etymology
  • 2 Regional meaning
    • 2.1 Australia, Canada, UK
    • 2.2 United States
    • 2.3 India
  • 3 Types of holiday (observance)
    • 3.1 Religious holidays
    • 3.2 Northern Hemisphere winter holidays
    • 3.3 National holidays
    • 3.4 Secular holidays
    • 3.5 Unofficial holidays
  • 4 Opposition
  • 5 See also
  • 6 Notes
  • 7 References
  • 8 External links

Etymology

The word holiday derived from the notion of «Holy Day», and gradually evolved to its current form.

The word holiday comes from the Old English word hāligdæg. The word originally referred only to special religious days. In modern use, it means any special day of rest or relaxation, as opposed to normal days away from work or school…

Regional meaning

The usage of the word holiday varies in different parts of the English-speaking world.

Australia, Canada, UK

In Australia, Canada, and the UK, all usage of the word holiday means time away from normal employment or education. The meaning is further subdivided into two major sub-categories:

  1. Public holiday, a day decreed by government as a day when the bulk of the population is not normally expected to be at work, such as Australia Day, Anzac Day, Bank Holiday or Christmas Day.
  2. A non-working trip or stay away from one’s normal home. This is similar to what is described elsewhere as a vacation, but that word is rarely used in Australia or the UK. Canadians variously use either the term vacation or the word holiday.

Days referred to as holidays in other places but which do not involve formally decreed time away from work especially for that day, such as Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day, are not described as holidays in Australia or the UK.

The UK also refers to School holidays (typically Christmas, Easter, and Summer) for the periods between School terms when children are not required to go to school, and Half-term holidays for the short break (usually one week) part-way through each School term.

United States

In the US, holiday may refer to a day set aside by a nation or culture (in some cases, multiple nations and cultures) for commemoration, celebration, or other observance. Schools and businesses often close for certain holidays. The term «holiday» is also commonly used as a direct euphemism for Christmas; businesses may announce, for example, that a product will be available «for Holiday 2011», meaning that it will be available in time for the Christmas shopping season.

India

In India holidays are days in which mainly schools or small firms get a free day because of some regional or religious reason. The term «Bank Holiday» in India is referred to as a day when the majority of the people get a leave due to national, international or major cultural reasons.

Types of holiday (observance)

Religious holidays

See also Category: Religious holidays.

Many holidays are linked to faiths and religions (see etymology above). Christian holidays are defined as part of the liturgical year. The Orthodox Christian and Western-Roman Catholic patronal feast day or ‘name day’ are celebrated in each place’s patron saint’s day, according to the Calendar of saints. In Islam, the largest holidays are Eid ul-Fitr (immediately after Ramadan) and Eid al-Adha (at the end of the Hajj). Hindus, Jains and Sikhs observe several holidays, one of the largest being Diwali (Festival of Light). Japanese holidays contain references to several different faiths and beliefs. Celtic, Norse, and Neopagan holidays follow the order of the Wheel of the Year. Some are closely linked to Swedish festivities. The Bahá’í Faith observes holidays as defined by the Bahá’í calendar. Jews have two holiday seasons: the Spring Feasts of Pesach (Passover) and Shavuot (Weeks, called Pentecost in Greek); and the Fall Feasts of Rosh Hashanah (Head of the Year), Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement), Sukkot (Tabernacles), and Shemini Atzeret (Eighth Day of Assembly).

Northern Hemisphere winter holidays

Winter in the Northern Hemisphere features many holidays that involve festivals and feasts. The Christmas and holiday season surrounds the winter solstice, Christmas and Holiday, and is celebrated by many religions and cultures. Usually, this period begins near the start of November and ends with New Year’s Day. Holiday season is, somewhat, a commercial term that applies, in the US, to the period that begins with Thanksgiving and ends with New Year’s Eve. Some Christian countries consider the end of the festive season to be after the feast of Epiphany.

National holidays

Main article: National Day

Sovereign nations and territories observe holidays based on events of significance to their history. For example, Australians celebrate Australia Day.

Secular holidays

See also Category: Secular holidays.

Several secular holidays are observed, such as Earth Day or Labour Day, both internationally, and across multi-country regions, often in conjunction with organizations such as the United Nations. Many other days are marked to celebrate events or people, but are not strictly holidays as time off work is rarely given.

Unofficial holidays

See also Category: Unofficial observances.

These are holidays that are not traditionally marked on calendars. These holidays are celebrated by various groups and individuals. Some promote a cause, others recognize historical events not officially recognized, and others are «funny» holidays celebrated with humorous intent. For example, Monkey Day celebrated on December 14, International Talk Like a Pirate Day observed on September 19 and Blasphemy Day is September 30.

Opposition

Jehovah’s Witnesses do not celebrate certain holidays, such as Christmas, Halloween, and Easter, because they believe these holidays are pagan.[1]

See also

Calendar icon.svg Holidays portal
  • List of holidays by country
  • Christmas controversy
  • Holiday heart syndrome

Notes

  1. ^ Reasoning from the Scriptures. Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania. 1985, revised 1989. pp. 176–182.

References

  • Susan E. Richardson (July 2001). Holidays & Holy Days: Origins, Customs, and Insights on Celebrations Through the Year. Vine Books. ISBN 0-8307-3442-2.
  • Lucille Recht Penner and Ib Ohlsson (September 1993). Celebration: The Story of American Holidays. MacMillan Publishing Company. ISBN 0-02-770903-5.
  • Barbara Klebanow and Sara Fischer (2005). American Holidays: Exploring Traditions, Customs, and Backgrounds. Pro Lingua Associates. ISBN 0-86647-196-0.

External links

  • Holidays at the Open Directory Project
  • National and Public Holiday of all Countries
  • Holiday Stress Brings Anxiety and Abuse (ABC News)
  • Listing of Canadian Federal and Provincial Public Holidays
  • Calendar of all legal Public and Bank Holidays worldwide, until 2050
  • Where Holiday Traditions Come From — slideshow by Life magazine
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