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Holidays

Topping the list of Holidays Most Widely Celebrated in the United States are (in chronological order):  New Year's Day (January 1st), Independence Day (July 4th), Thanksgiving (the last Thursday in November), and Christmas (December 25). State and federal offices are closed on these days.

Find those interesting facts and more in . . . American Holidays Explained!

January 1st
     New Year's Day:  This is an official holiday observed by schools, offices and stores.  The big celebration for the day actually takes place on December 31st, New Year's Eve.  Families and friends gather to "Ring out the old and ring in" the New Year, a saying that reflects the old custom of ringing church bells to greet the new year.  Most network television stations are focused on the Great Ball Drop at 12:00 a.m. on the morning of Jan. 1.

January 15
     Martin Luther King, Jr.'s Birthday:  This is an official holiday observed by schools, offices and stores.  It occurs on the third Monday of January.  The holiday began in 1986 in honor of the great, slain Civil Rights Movement leader during the 1960s.

February 12
     Lincoln's Birthday: Official holiday in many states, this is often celebrated on President's Day. Abraham Lincoln was the 16th president of the United States who held office during the Civil War (1861-1865).  The Civil War was a major event in American history.  Lincoln acted to emancipate the slaves and bring the seceded states back to the Union.

February 14
     Valentine's Day: Not an official holiday.  This holiday is celebrated by lovers who send cards, and give gifts of candy and flowers.

Third Monday of February
     President's Day: (See Lincoln and Washington's Birthdays!)

February 22
     Washington's Birthday:  Celebrated on President's Day, the third Monday in February.  George Washington was the first president of the United States, who led the Revolutionary Army that emancipated America from England's colonial rule.

March 17
   St. Patrick's Day: This is not an official holiday, although there are parades in certain cities.  St. Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland, and this holiday is an example of the Irish heritage in America.  This date is celebrated by the adornment of green clothing and gathering of friends and family to sing Irish folk songs.

April 1
     April Fool's Day:  This is not an official holiday.  Similar to many cultures, America has a day marked by the tradition of playing practical jokes on friends and colleagues.  This is the date America chose.

     Easter: This is not an official holiday.  This occurs on a Sunday in either March or April.  The feast is observed the first Sunday following the full moon that occurs on or next after the vernal equinox. This is a religious holiday for Christians who believe that on this day, Christ rose from the dead. Usually celebrated with a feast, egg decorations and giving gifts to children.

Second Sunday in May
     Mother's Day:  Not an official holiday.  Americans honor their mothers by sending flowers, buying gifts and taking them out to eat so they don't have to deal with the tasks of cooking or working around the house, at least for this day.

Third Sunday in June
     Father's Day:  Not an official holiday.  Americans honor their fathers on this day.  Children give cards and gifts.

Last Monday in May
     Memorial Day:  This is an official holiday observed by schools, offices and stores.  Memorial Day is the day when Americans remember those who died in military service to our country.  Many families visit and decorate graves with flowers.  There are also parades.  The day also signifies the beginning of the summer season.

July 4
     Independence Day:  This is an official holiday observed by schools, offices and stores. Independence Day celebrates the day the Declaration of Independence was signed in Philadelphia on July 4, 1776.  The holiday is celebrated nationwide with picnics, political speeches during the day and fireworks at night.

First Monday in September
     Labor Day:  This is an official holiday observed by schools, offices and stores.  This day usually marks the end of the summer season and is celebrated with picnics and having fun outdoors.

October 31
     Halloween:  This is not an official holiday.  This was originally a religious holiday, but now it is seen more of as a children's holiday.  Traditions include carving out faces on pumpkins, dressing up in costumes and going "Trick or Treating."  That is, adults take little costumed kids from home to home to collect candy.

Fourth Thursday in November
     Thanksgiving:  This is an official holiday observed by schools, offices and stores.  The history is that the Pilgrims at Plymouth Colony in Massachusetts celebrated this day to give thanks for the harvest and their survival in 1621.  Now, Americans use this time to give thanks for their good fortune.  Usual staples during this time are cranberry sauce, sweet potatoes, pumpkin pie and of course, turkey.  Fact:  A tradition since 1945 when our 33rd President Harry Truman began it, the current President usually "pardons" one turkey on the day before Thanksgiving.  Also, the biggest sale day of the year in stores is the day after Thanksgiving.

December 25
     Christmas: This is an official holiday observed in schools, offices and stores.  This holiday "season" begins a few days before Christmas, and continues on to New Year's Day.  Although it is a religious holiday, it is celebrated by almost everyone in the country; gifts are exchanged among families, friends, coworkers, etc., and Christmas trees are set up in homes.  Children are often told stories of Santa Claus.