American holidays

 

Contents

 

Introductory…… ………………………………………………………… 3

 

1. Federal holidays: history and peculiarities……………………….. 7
1. New Year’s Day……………………………………………….. 9
2. Martin Luther King Day………………………………………. 11
3. President’s Day………………………………………………... 12
4. Memorial Day………………………………………………….. 15
5. Independence Day……………………………………………… 17
6. Labor Day………………………………………………………. 19
7. Columbus Day…………………………………………………. 21
8. Veterans Day …………………………………………………... 23
9. Thanksgiving Day……………………………………………… 25
10. Christmas Day………………………………………………… 27

 

2. Other holidays observed nationwide ....... ………………………… 31
1. Groundhog Day………………………………………………… 32
2. Valentine’s Day………………………………………………… 33
3. April Fools’ Day……………………………………………….. 35
4. Mother’s Day…………………………………………………… 37
5. Father’s Day…………………………………………………… 38
6. Halloween………………………………………………………. 39

 

3. Religious and Ethnic Holidays …………………………………… 41
1. Easter …………………………………………………………… 42
2. Mardi Gras and Ash Wednesday  ………………………………. 44
3. St. Patrick’s Day ………………………………………………. 46
4. Kwanzaa ……………………………………………………….. 48
5. Ramadan ………………………………………………………. 49
6. Hanukkah ……………………………………………………… 50
7. Cinco de Mayo ………………………………………………… 52

 

4. Food, Health and Environmental Holidays ………………………. 53

 

Conclusion …………………………………………………………………55

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Introductory

This work is devoted to characterize almost all the holidays that are celebrated in America. This topic was chosen because, in general, it is always interesting to know about the traditions of other countries. Besides, recently, some American holidays have become the custom of our nation, such as Valentine’s Day, Halloween, Mother’s Day and others. It is important to find out the origin of these holidays.

Moreover, it is obvious, no effort has been made to be comprehensive in treating all holidays that Americans would possibly celebrate.

The purpose of this work is to study main types of holidays in the USA and their history to understand their role and importance in modern American society. It was attempted to fulfill the following tasks:

1. to describe the most great and famous holidays in America;
2. to deal with the questions concerning the background of these holidays;
3. to explore the traditions of celebrating different holidays;
4. to generalize all the given facts.

The USA has many types of holidays. For purposes to group them this work will contain the following parts:

1. federal holidays;
2. other holidays observed nationwide;
3. religious and ethnic holidays;
4. food, health and environmental holidays.  

The USA stretches from the heavily industrialized, metropolitan Atlantic coast, across the rich farms of the Great Plains, over the Appalachian and the Rocky Mountains to the densely populated West coast. Alaska and the island state of Hawaii are detached from the main mid-continental group of 48 states.

The area of the United States is 9 629 091 square km.

The United States is the land of bountiful rivers and lakes. The Mississippi River runs nearly 6 thousand km from Canada to the Gulf of Mexico. The St. Lawrence Seaway connects the Great lakes with the Atlantic Ocean.

The culture of the United States of America is a Western culture, historically heavily influenced by European cultures. It has been developing since long before the United States became a country with its own unique social and cultural characteristics such as dialect, music, arts, social habits, cuisine, and folklore. Today the United States of America is an ethnically and racially diverse country as result of large-scale immigration from many different countries throughout its history.

Its chief early influences came from English and Irish settlers of colonial America. British culture, due to colonial ties with Britain that spread the English language, legal system and other cultural inheritances, had a formative influence. Other important influences came from other parts of western Europe, especially Germany, France, and Italy.

The population of America is large and diverse. There are many different ethnic communities. As each of these communities has their own traditions, customs and celebrations there is a lot of holidays and other festivals that take place about the same time as the ones in their home countries. Even so there are some American holidays that belong uniquely to America.

Holidays in America are filled with loads of family enjoyment. Each holiday has certain traditions that are enjoyed by the whole family. Holidays like Christmas is an event that everyone loves. Parents, because this is a time when the whole family gets together and enjoys a sumptuous meal. The children love Christmas because of Santa Claus and all the presents that they will get.

Even though Christmas is a Christian religious holiday it is celebrated by non Christians as well because the religious context of Christian holidays has been removed. So even though Christian holidays are important to the Christian community, many other people enjoy celebrating those holidays purely for the spirit of enjoyment.

The Fourth of July holiday is another great American holiday. On this day families get together and spend their time having fun. They also prepare picnic style meals and have a barbeque while they wait for the Fourth of July Fireworks. This stunning display lights up the night sky as many families light the firecrackers that they have bought for this occasion.

There are many other American holidays that can be found to enjoyable. Like Halloween where people both young and old dress in various costumes and have fun at night. Children love this holiday because they get to wear fancy costumes, go out with friends or a family member and collect lots of sweets. They also love watching the scary television programs that air for this particular night.

Thanksgiving is an American holiday that is celebrated with great gusto as well. Here the main item of the day is the carefully oven roasted turkey that will be the centerpiece of the dinner table. Families and friends will gather and not only enjoy the whole meal but after the meal they will watch the seasonal Thanksgiving NFL football games, play games in the garden or the house, talk amongst themselves and generally enjoy each other's company.

With its rich and culturally diverse background each of the American holidays takes on a unique style and personality. Whether you celebrate the holidays in a traditional style or make your own traditions, there is so much enjoyment to be found for the whole family in all of the American holidays.

Although the word "holiday" literally means "holy day," most American holidays are not religious, but commemorative in nature and origin. Because the nation is blessed with rich ethnic heritage it is possible to trace some of the American holidays to diverse cultural sources and traditions, but all holidays have taken on a distinctively American flavor. In the United States, the word "holiday" is synonymous with "celebration!"

The United States does not have national holidays in the sense of days on which all employees in the U.S. receive a day free from work and all business is halted. The U.S. Federal government can only recognize national holidays that pertain to its own employees; it is at the discretion of each state or local jurisdiction to determine official holiday schedules. There are eleven such Federal holidays, ten annual and one quadrennial holiday.

The annual Federal holidays are widely observed by state and local governments; however, they may alter the dates of observance or add or subtract holidays according to local custom. Pursuant to the Uniform Holidays Bill of 1968 (taking effect in 1971), official holidays are observed on a Monday, except for New Year's Day, Independence Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. There are also U.S. state holidays particular to individual U.S. states.

All malls, shopping centers and most other retail businesses close only on Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas days, but remain open on all other holidays (half day on Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve, and sometimes on other major holidays). Private businesses often observe only the "big seven" holidays (New Year's Day, Easter, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas). Some also add the Friday after Thanksgiving, Good Friday, or one or more of the other federal/state holidays.

Federal holidays are designated by Congress in Title V of the United States Code (5 U.S.C. § 6103). They are observed according to the legislation of individual states. The dates of these holidays, and others, are decided upon by each state government, not by the federal (national) government. Each state can agree on the same date that the President has proclaimed, such as Thanksgiving Day. State legislation can also change the date of a holiday for its own special commemoration.

Waterloo, New York, for instance, always observes Memorial Day on May 30 rather than on the last Monday in May, as this was the original date on which Waterloo founded the commemoration. Cities and towns can decide not to celebrate a federal legal holiday at all. However, the majority of the states (and the cities and towns within them) usually choose the date or day celebrated by the rest of the nation.

If a holiday falls on a Saturday it is celebrated the preceding Friday; if a holiday falls on a Sunday it is celebrated the following Monday. Most, but not all, states and most private businesses also observe a Sunday holiday on the following Monday.

It is less common, however, for a state or private business to observe a Saturday holiday on the preceding Friday. Some states and private businesses may observe it then, a few may observe it on Monday, and some may not observe the holiday at all in those years. In particular, banks that close on Saturdays do not observe a holiday when it falls on Saturday.

The Congress has designated various United States federal observances—days, weeks, months, and other periods for the observance, commemoration, or recognition of events, individuals, or other topics. These observances do not have the status of holidays in that Federal employees do not receive any days free from work for observances.

Events involving famous Americans, living or dead, have a wider appeal. Many Americans may have forgotten the exact date when President John F. Kennedy was assassinated (November 22, 1963), but they remember exactly where they were and what they were doing when they first learned about his tragic death. Other days commemorate events which may be personally significant for one generation but have less relevance for another. For example, Pearl Harbor Day (December 7) marks the day when Japanese Imperial Forces attacked Hawaii in 1941 and brought the US into World War II. President Franklin D. Roosevelt in his address to the nation referred to the attack as "a day that will live in infamy". Adults and children of the time have a personal recollection of the day. The younger generations of today may know of the event from their history books only.

Other holidays such as "Groundhog Day" (February 2) are whimsically observed, at least in the media.

The day is associated with folklore which has grown up in rural America. It is believed, by some, if the groundhog or woodchuck comes out of its hole in the ground and sees its shadow on that day it will become frightened and jump back in. This means there will be at least six more weeks of winter. If it doesn't see its shadow, it will not be afraid and spring will begin shortly.

Critics of the proliferation of holidays point an accusing finger at greeting card manufacturers and other entrepreneurs. The critics say that "Holiday X" is simply promoted to get people to buy their wares. "Secretary's Day", or "Grandparents Day" might fall into this category.

Only "major" holidays, recognized if not celebrated by Americans in general, have been included in this work. Each part is introduced by the passage about the background of the American holiday or celebration. When relevant, a speech, song, or poem pertaining to the holiday follows. There might be a special feature about the holiday, such as regional or religious factors which make the celebration different.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1. Federal holidays: History and Peculiarities

Americans celebrate a variety of federal holidays and other national observances throughout the year. American holidays can be secular, religious, international, or uniquely American.

With the wide variety of federal holidays, and the many levels of American government, it can be confusing to determine what public and private facilities are open on or around a given federal holiday. You can usually find such information in the daily newspaper or by calling the office you wish to visit.

The following are American federal holidays.

New Year's Day is January 1. The celebration of this federal holiday begins the night before, when Americans gather to wish each other a happy and prosperous coming year. Many Americans make New Year's resolutions.

Martin Luther King Day is a federal holiday celebrated on the third Monday in January. The Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. was an African-American clergyman who is recognized for his tireless efforts to win civil rights for all people through nonviolent means.

Washington's Birthday is a federal holiday observed the third Monday of February to honor George Washington, the first President of the United States. This date is commonly called Presidents' Day and many groups honor the legacy of past presidents on this date.

Memorial Day is a federal holiday observed the last Monday of May. It originally honored the people killed in the American Civil War, but has become a day on which the American dead of all wars, and the dead generally, are remembered in special programs held in cemeteries, churches, and other public meeting places. The flying of the American flag is widespread.

Independence Day is July 4. This federal holiday honors the nation's birthday - the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. It is a day of picnics and patriotic parades, a night of concerts and fireworks. The flying of the American flag is widespread.

Labor Day is the first Monday of September. This federal holiday honors the nation's working people, typically with parades. For most Americans it marks the end of the summer vacation season and the start of the school year.

Columbus Day is a federal holiday celebrated on the second Monday in October. The day commemorates October 12, 1492, when Italian navigator Christopher Columbus landed in the New World. The holiday was first proclaimed in 1937 by President Franklin D. Roosevelt.

Veterans Day is celebrated on November 11. Originally called Armistice Day, this federal holiday was established to honor Americans who had served in World War I, but it now honors veterans of all wars in which the U.S. has fought. Veterans' organizations hold parades, and the president places a wreath on the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia.

Thanksgiving Day is a federal holiday celebrated on the fourth Thursday in November. In the fall of 1621, the Pilgrims held a three-day feast to celebrate a bountiful harvest. Many regard this event as the nation's first Thanksgiving. The Thanksgiving feast became a national tradition and almost always includes some of the foods served at the first feast: roast turkey, cranberry sauce, potatoes, and pumpkin pie.

Christmas Day is a federal holiday celebrated on December 25. Christmas is a Christian holiday marking the birth of the Christ Child. Decorating houses and yards with lights, putting up Christmas trees, giving gifts, and sending greeting cards have become traditions even for many non-Christian Americans.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1.1 New Year’s Day

The beginning of the New Year has been welcomed on different dates throughout history. Great Britain and its colonies in America adopted the Gregorian calendar in 1752, in which January 1st was restored as New Year's Day. Ways of celebrating differ as well, according to customs and religions of the world. People in Moslem societies, for example, celebrate the New Year by wearing new clothes. Southeast Asians release birds and turtles to assure themselves good luck in the twelve months ahead. Jewish people consider the day holy, and hold a religious ceremony at a meal with special foods. Hindus of India leave shrines next to their beds, so they can see beautiful objects at the start of the New Year. Japanese prepare rice cakes at a social event the week before the New Year. Whatever the custom, most of people feel the same sentiment.

In the United States, the federal holiday is January first, but Americans begin celebrating on December 31. Sometimes people have masquerade balls, where guests dress up in costumes and cover their faces with masks. According to an old tradition, guests unmask at midnight.

At New Year's Eve parties across the United States on December 31, many guests watch television as part of the festivities. Most of the television channels show Times Square in the heart of New York City. At one minute before midnight, a lighted ball drops slowly from the top to the bottom of a pole on one of the buildings. People count down at the same time as the ball drops. When it reaches the bottom, the New Year sign is lighted. People hug and kiss, and wish each other "Happy New Year!"

On January first, Americans visit friends, relatives and neighbors. There is plenty to eat and drink when you just drop in to wish your loved ones and friends the best for the year ahead. Many families and friends watch television together enjoying the Tournament of Roses parade preceding the Rose Bowl football game in Pasadena California. The parade was started in 1887, when a zoologist who had seen one in France suggested to the Valley Hunt Club in Pasadena, California that they sponsor "an artistic celebration of the ripening of the oranges" at the beginning of the year. At first the parade was a line of decorated horse-drawn private carriages. Athletic events were held in the afternoon, and in the evening, a ball where winners of the events of the day and the most beautiful float were announced. In later years colleges began to compete in football games on New Year's Day, and these gradually replaced other athletic competitions. The parade of floats grew longer from year to year, and flower decorations grew more elaborate.