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Holidays in the USA

Each of the fifty states in the USA establish their own legal holidays. The federal government, through the President and Congress, can legally set holidays only for federal employees and for the District of Columbia. Most states however accept the federal legal holidays which are: New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King’s Day, Washington’s Birthday, now called “President’s Day” (the third Monday in February), Memorial Day (last Monday in May), Independence Day, Labor Day (first Monday in September), Columbus Day, Veteran’s Day (November, 11^th), Thanksgiving Day and Christmas.

Labor Day, celebrated on the first Monday of September, pays a tribute to the agricultural and industrial workers who have contributed to America’s growth over the past 300 years. Veterans’ Day (the 11^th of November) honors the men who have served in the United States armed forces. On the second Monday of October, Americans pause to recall the Italian explorer Christopher Columbus, who set out in the fifteenth century in search of the New World.

Another type of American holiday, the political celebration, commemorates significant figures or events in the United States history. Two highly esteemed presidents, George Washington and Abraham Lincoln, are honored by a single holiday: the birthdays of Washington, the first president of the United States, and of Lincoln, are celebrated on the third Monday of February.

Most states have holidays which are “observed” but not necessarily legal. The name of the holiday goes on the calendar for a state, yet it does not mean that businesses are always closed or children let out of school. For example, Confederate Memorial Day is celebrated on the last Monday in April only in Alabama and Mississippi.

There are also special days in most states which are proclaimed but have no effect otherwise, for instance Volunteer Fireman Day in New Jersey. This is also true at the national level. The President or Congress might proclaim a special day or week in order to bring attention to a certain concern, interest group or problem, like for example, National Employ the Handicapped Week.

Many religious holidays such as Good Friday, Hanukkah or Ramadan are observed by the religious, but have no national or officially legal status. Rather each state sets its own laws, and whether or not an employee is given time off also depends on individual company decisions.

Schools and colleges are closed for a week’s vacation in spring Easter. The holiday takes place each year sometime between March 22 and April 25. During Easter many homes are decorated with white lilies.

There are many other traditional holidays, observed by a large number of Americans, which are neither legal nor official. Among these are Valentine’s Day, St. Patrick’s Day, Mother’s Day and Halloween.

Perhaps the two “most American” of the holidays are the Fourth of July-Independence Day, and Thanksgiving. The first one is like a big nationwide birthday party. Some towns and cities have parades with bands and flags, and most politicians will try to give a patriotic speech, should anyone be willing to listen. But what makes this holiday special is the atmosphere and enjoyment of, for instance, the family picnic with hot dogs, hamburgers and volleyball, fireworks and rockets at night (and often a sunburn and a headache the next morning). The nation’s birthday is also its greatest annual summer celebration.

A religious holiday in which the leaving of gifts plays even a more important part is Christmas. Celebrating the birthday of Christ, Christmas occurs on December 25. Americans families leave gaily wrapped packages under a decorated evergreen tree on the night before Christmas to be opened the next morning.

Like Christmas, Thanksgiving is a day for families to come together. Traditional foods are prepared for the feast – turkey or ham, cranberry sauce, bread rolls and pumpkin pie. At the same time Thanksgiving is a solemn occasion, a day to remember the many who are less well off, in America and throughout the world. The Thanksgiving holiday recalls America’s earlier history. Thanksgiving dinners, centered around roasted turkey, are served on the third Thursday of November in memory of the colonists who first came from England in the seventeenth century to settle in Massachusetts.