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{{about|days of observance|a leave of absence or a trip|Vacation|leave from employment|Annual leave|other uses|Holiday (disambiguation)}}
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A '''holiday''' is a day set aside by [[Norm (social)|custom]] or by [[law]] on which normal activities, especially business or work, are suspended or reduced. Generally, holidays are intended to allow individuals to celebrate or commemorate an event or tradition of cultural or religious significance. Holidays may be designated by governments, religious institutions, or other groups or organizations. The degree to which normal activities are reduced by a holiday may depend on local laws, customs, the type of job being held or even personal choices.

The concept of holidays often originated in connection with religious observances. The intention of a holiday was typically to allow individuals to tend to religious duties associated with important dates on the calendar. In most modern societies, however, holidays serve as much of a recreational function as any other weekend days or activities.

In many societies there are important distinctions between holidays designated by governments and holidays designated by religious institutions. For example, in many predominantly Christian nations, government-designed holidays may center on Christian holidays, though non-Christians may instead observe religious holidays associated with their faith. In some cases, a holiday may only be nominally observed. For example, many Jews in the Americas and Europe treat the relatively minor Jewish holiday of [[Hanukkah]] as a "working holiday", changing very little of their daily routines for this day.

The word ''holiday'' has differing connotations in different regions. In the [[United States]] the word is used exclusively to refer to the nationally, religiously or culturally observed day(s) of rest or celebration, or the events themselves, whereas in the [[United Kingdom]] and other [[Commonwealth nations]], the word may refer to the period of time where leave from one’s duties has been agreed, and is used as a synonym to the US preferred ''[[vacation]]''. This time is usually set aside for rest, travel and/or the participation in recreational activities, with entire industries targeted to coincide or enhance these experiences. The days of leave may not coincide with any specific customs or laws. Employers and educational institutes may designate ‘holidays’ themselves which may or may not overlap nationally or culturally relevant dates, which again comes under this connotation, but it is the first implication detailed that this article is concerned with.

==Etymology==

The word ''holiday'' comes from the [[Old English]] word ''hāligdæg'' (''hālig'' "[[holy]]" + ''dæg'' "[[day]]").<ref>[http://etymonline.com/?term=holiday etymonline.com]</ref> The word originally referred only to special religious days. In modern use, it means any special day of rest or relaxation, as opposed to normal days away from work or school.

==Types of holiday (observance)==
{{Further|Lists of holidays}}

===Northern Hemisphere winter holidays===
{{Main|Christmas and holiday season}}

Winter in the [[Northern Hemisphere]] features many holidays that involve [[List of winter festivals|festivals and feasts]]. The Christmas and holiday season surrounds the [[Christmas]] and other holidays, and is celebrated by many religions and cultures. Usually, this period begins near the start of November and ends with [[New Year's Day]]. ''Holiday season'' is, somewhat, a commercial term that applies, in the US, to the period that begins with Thanksgiving and ends with New Year's Eve. Some [[Christianity|Christian]] countries consider the end of the festive season to be after the feast of [[Epiphany (holiday)|Epiphany]].

===National holidays===
{{See also|National Day}}
[[Sovereign]] nations and territories observe holidays based on events of significance to their history. For example, Americans celebrate [[Independence Day (United States)|Independence Day]], celebrating the signing of the [[United States Declaration of Independence|Declaration of Independence]] in 1776.

===Other secular holidays===
{{Category see also|Secular holidays}}
Other [[secular]] (non-religious) holidays are observed nationally, [[International observance|internationally]] (often in conjunction with organizations such as the [[United Nations]]), and across multi-country regions. An example of a major secular holiday is the [[Lunar New Year]], which is celebrated across Asia. Many other days are marked to celebrate events or people, but are not strictly holidays as time off work is rarely given; examples include [[Arbor Day]] (originally US), [[Labor Day]] (celebrated sometimes under different names and on different days in different countries), and [[Earth Day]] (22 April).

===Unofficial holidays===
{{Category see also|Unofficial observances}}
These are holidays that are not traditionally marked on calendars. These holidays are celebrated by various groups and individuals. Some promote a cause, others recognize historical events not officially recognized, and others are "funny" holidays celebrated with humorous intent. For example, [[Monkey Day]] is celebrated on December 14, [[International Talk Like a Pirate Day]] is observed on September 19, and [[Blasphemy Day]] is held on September 30. Another example [[April Fool's Day]] on April 1.

===Religious holidays===

Many holidays are linked to [[faith]]s and [[religion]]s (see etymology above). [[Christian]] holidays are defined as part of the [[liturgical year]], the chief ones being [[Easter]] and [[Christmas]]. The Orthodox Christian and Western-Roman Catholic [[fiesta patronal|patronal feast day or "name day"]] are celebrated in each place's patron saint's day, according to the [[Calendar of saints]]. [[Jehovah's Witnesses]] annually commemorate "The Memorial of Jesus Christ's Death", but do not celebrate other holidays with any religious significance such as Easter, Christmas or New Year's. This holds especially true for those holidays that have combined and absorbed rituals, overtones or practices from non-Christian beliefs into the celebration, as well as those holidays that distract from or replace the worship of Jehovah.<ref>Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania. ''Reasoning from the Scriptures''. Watchtower, 1985, pp. 176–182</ref> In [[Islam]], the largest [[Muslim holidays|holidays]] are [[Eid ul-Fitr]] (immediately after [[Ramadan]]) and [[Eid al-Adha]] (at the end of the [[Hajj]]). [[Ahmadi Muslims]] additionally celebrate [[Promised Messiah Day]], [[Promised Reformer Day]], and [[Khilafat Day]], but contrary to popular belief, neither are regarded as holidays. [[Hindu]]s, [[Jainism|Jains]] and [[Sikh]]s observe several holidays, one of the largest being [[Diwali]] (Festival of Light). [[Public holidays in Japan|Japanese holidays]] contain references to several different faiths and beliefs. Celtic, Norse, and [[Neopaganism|Neopagan]] holidays follow the order of the [[Wheel of the Year]]. Some are closely linked to [[Swedish festivities]]. The [[Bahá'í Faith]] observes [[Bahá'í Holy Days|11 annual holidays]] on dates determined using the [[Bahá'í calendar]]. Jews have two holiday seasons: the Spring Feasts of [[Pesach]] (Passover) and [[Shavuot]] (Weeks, called [[Pentecost]] in Greek); and the Fall Feasts of [[Rosh Hashanah]] (Head of the Year), [[Yom Kippur]] (Day of Atonement), [[Sukkot]] (Tabernacles), and [[Shemini Atzeret]] (Eighth Day of Assembly).

==See also==
{{Portal|Holidays}}
*[[Christmas and holiday season]]
**[[Christmas controversy]]
**[[Holiday heart syndrome]]
*[[Public holiday]]
**[[National Day]]
*[[List of holidays by country]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*{{dmoz|Society/Holidays|Holidays}}
*{{cite news |url=http://abcnews.go.com/Health/story?id=276559&page=1 |title=Holiday Stress Brings Anxiety and Abuse |publisher=ABC News |first=Marc |last=Lallanilla |date=November 24, 2004}}

{{Tourism}}

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