USIA - Portrait of the USA, Holidays

Americans share three national holidays with many countries:
Easter Sunday, Christmas Day, and New Year's Day.
Easter, which falls on a spring Sunday that varies from
year
to year, celebrates the Christian belief in the resurrection of
Jesus Christ. For Christians, Easter is a day of religious
services and the gathering of family. Many Americans follow old
traditions of coloring hard-boiled eggs and giving children
baskets of candy. On the next day, Easter Monday, the president
of the United States holds an annual Easter egg hunt on the White
House lawn for young children.
Christmas Day, December 25, is another Christian holiday;
it
marks 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.
New Year's Day, of course, is January 1. The celebration
of
this holiday begins the night before, when Americans gather to
wish each other a happy and prosperous coming year.
UNIQUELY AMERICAN HOLIDAYS
Eight other holidays are uniquely American (although some of
them have counterparts in other nations). For most Americans, two
of these stand out above the others as occasions to cherish
national origins: Thanksgiving and the Fourth of July.
Thanksgiving Day is the fourth Thursday in November, but
many Americans take a day of vacation on the following Friday to
make a four-day weekend, during which they may travel long
distances to visit family and friends. The holiday dates back to
1621, the year after the Puritans arrived in Massachusetts,
determined to practice their dissenting religion without
interference.
After a rough winter, in which about half of them died, they
turned for help to neighboring Indians, who taught them how to
plant corn and other crops. The next fall's bountiful harvest
inspired the Pilgrims to give thanks by holding a feast. The
Thanksgiving feast became a national tradition -- not only
because so many other Americans have found prosperity but also
because the Pilgrims' sacrifices for their freedom still
captivate the imagination. To this day, Thanksgiving dinner
almost always includes some of the foods served at the first
feast: roast turkey, cranberry sauce, potatoes, pumpkin pie.
Before the meal begins, families or friends usually pause to give
thanks for their blessings, including the joy of being united for
the occasion.
The Fourth of July, or Independence Day, honors the
nation's
birthday -- the signing 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
(which also occurs on Memorial Day and other holidays) is
widespread. On July 4, 1976, the 200th anniversary of the
Declaration of Independence was marked by grand festivals across
the nation.
Besides Thanksgiving and the Fourth of July, there are six
other uniquely American holidays.
Martin Luther King Day: The Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.,
an
African-American clergyman, is considered a great American
because of his tireless efforts to win civil rights for all
people through nonviolent means. Since his assassination in 1968,
memorial services have marked his birthday on January 15. In
1986, that day was replaced by the third Monday of January, which
was declared a national holiday.
Presidents' Day: Until the mid-1970s, the February 22
birthday of George Washington, hero of the Revolutionary War and
first president of the United States, was a national holiday. In
addition, the February 12 birthday of Abraham Lincoln, the
president during the Civil War, was a holiday in most states. The
two days have been joined, and the holiday has been expanded to
embrace all past presidents. It is celebrated on the third Monday
in February.
Memorial Day: Celebrated on the fourth Monday of May, this
holiday honors the dead. Although it originated in the aftermath
of the Civil War, it has become a day on which the dead of all
wars, and the dead generally, are remembered in special programs
held in cemeteries, churches, and other public meeting places.
Labor Day: The first Monday of September, this holiday
honors the nation's working people, typically with parades. For
most Americans it marks the end of the summer vacation season,
and for many students the opening of the school year.
Columbus Day: On October 12, 1492, Italian navigator
Christopher Columbus landed in the New World. Although most other
nations of the Americas observe this holiday on October 12, in
the United States it takes place on the second Monday in October.
Veterans Day: Originally called Armistice Day, this
holiday
was established to honor Americans who had served in World War I.
It falls on November 11, the day when that war ended in 1918, but
it now honors veterans of all wars in which the United States has
fought. Veterans' organizations hold parades, and the president
customarily places a wreath on the Tomb of the Unknowns at
Arlington National Cemetery, across the Potomac River from
Washington, D.C.
OTHER CELEBRATIONS
While not holidays, two other days of the year inspire
colorful celebrations in the United States. On February 14,
Valentine's Day, (named after an early Christian martyr),
Americans give presents, usually candy or flowers, to the ones
they love. On October 31, Halloween (the evening before
All
Saints or All Hallows Day), American children dress up in funny
or scary costumes and go "trick or treating": knocking on doors
in their neighborhood. The neighbors are expected to respond by
giving them small gifts of candy or money. Adults may also dress
in costume for Halloween parties.
Various ethnic groups in America celebrate days with special
meaning to them even though these are not national holidays.
Jews, for example, observe their high holy days in September, and
most employers show consideration by allowing them to take these
days off. Irish Americans celebrate the old country's patron
saint, St. Patrick, on March 17; this is a high-spirited day on
which many Americans wear green clothing in honor of the "Emerald
Isle." The celebration of Mardi Gras -- the day before the
Christian season of Lent begins in late winter -- is a big
occasion in New Orleans, Louisiana, where huge parades and wild
revels take place. As its French name implies (Mardi Gras means
"Fat Tuesday," the last day of hearty eating before the
penitential season of Lent), the tradition goes back to the
city's settlement by French immigrants. There are many other such
ethnic celebrations, and New York City is particularly rich in
them.
It should be noted that, with the many levels of American
government, confusion can arise as to what public and private
facilities are open on a given holiday. The daily newspaper is a
good source of general information, but visitors who are in doubt
should call for information ahead of time.