People take vacations to escape their everyday lives and do things like travel or rest. Often, they are planned for holidays or celebrations. Some people take longer breaks than others, and sometimes family members accompany them. Over the last two hundred years, the idea of a vacation has changed. Before the Industrial Revolution, Puritans saw vacations as a waste of time.
Every year, there are several holidays in the United States. Most of the time, these are marked by public ceremonies and a stop in work. However, even though there are no national holidays in the United States, the country does recognize many holidays that the federal government celebrates. Several of these are legal holidays in the country, and most businesses close on those days. Employees don't have to take paid time off for most of these holidays, but employers often follow the federal holiday schedule.
The word "holiday" comes from the Old English word haligdaeg, which meant "religious holiday" at first. In modern English, a holiday is any special day set aside for a party or when you don't have to work. The UK and Australia call it a "holiday" instead of a "vacation." Some independent countries also celebrate holidays that are tied to events in their past. People also say "happy holiday" to wish someone a good time.
In American English, a "holiday" is a day or time when people don't have to go to work or school. It can also mean a day off for a special occasion like a birthday or Christmas. But people who don't speak English often use the word "holiday. Holidays are used worldwide, and in the US, "Happy Holidays" is a well-known greeting in December.
Israel celebrates the Sukkah holiday over nine days. The party is a way to remember the huts the Jews lived in for forty years after the Exodus. It also remembers the cloud of glory that kept them safe in the desert. Jews celebrate the holiday by eating outside in a sukkah for the first seven days.
Different countries have very different holidays. Some are based on religion, while others are not. As an example, Eid al-Fitr is the most important holiday for Muslims. Some others are Khilafat Day, Promised Messiah Day, and Promised Reformer Day. Hindus and Sikhs also have special days that they celebrate throughout the year. Many of these aren't official holidays but are important culturally or historically.
In the past, holidays have been a time to rest, relax, or pay attention to religion. At first, holidays meant people could take a break from work and do their religious duties. In modern societies, though, these holidays have become times for fun. Most people in the United States take the day off these days.
Each year, the federal government of the United States sets aside eleven paid federal holidays. Federal employees follow the government's calendar and don't work on these days. However, most people will work the following Monday if a federal holiday falls on a weekend. In some states, employees are allowed to take these days off if they don't have to work on those days.
In the US, Emancipation Day celebrated the end of slavery in Texas in 1865. Enslaved African-Americans in the Confederate South got their freedom in many cities. Also, the US has several traditional holidays that are rarely observed by businesses. Some of these holidays are used by businesses to get the word out about their goods or services.
Halloween has always been a fall holiday. Other cultures have similar holidays. Halloween comes from a pagan holiday. Some traditions are funny and lighthearted, while others are sad and scary. But trick or treating is the most common thing to do on Halloween. A lot of Americans follow this tradition.
In some countries, the government or schools may declare certain days as holidays when people are not allowed to work. These holidays may also fall on the same days as national or cultural holidays. In Mauritius, for example, a national holiday might fall on the same day as the weekend. In other countries, like Canada, the national holiday may not always fall on the same day of the year.
Even though most companies have rules about holidays, many do not pay their employees on holidays. Part-time workers and people with tight schedules don't get paid holidays. But some companies now pay part-timers more than they used to.