Introduction
A holiday is a day on which a festival, religious event, or national celebration is traditionally observed. The day usually has a special significance for individuals, a government, or a religious group.
The word "holiday" is derived from "Holy Day". Holidays are observed and celebrated around the world. However, each country and culture has their own special holidays, often depending on their history.
A festival is an event, usually staged by a local community, which centers on some unique aspect of that community. There are numerous types of festivals in the world. Though many have religious origins, others involve seasonal change or have some cultural significance.
Each American state government determines the official holidays for their state. Malls, shopping centers and most other retail businesses close only on Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas, but remain open on all other holidays. The "big seven" holidays in the USA are: New Year's Day, Easter, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.
The UK comprises the countries England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Some holidays, like New Year's Day, Easter or Christmas Day, are public holidays in all four countries. Other holidays, however, like St. Patrick's Day, aren't public holidays in the whole UK. There are also holidays observed in the UK that are not (yet) established by law.
Public holidays in Australia are declared on a state and territory basis. That means that each state of Australia determines their public holidays schedule. However, there are also some national public holidays that are observed in every Australian state, like New Year's Day, Easter or Anzac Day. Traditionally, workers were entitled to get a day off work on a public holiday.
Creating this site, we will introduce to you the most important holidays of the English-speaking countries USA, UK and Australia such as Christmas, Easter or New Year's Eve, Halloween and some others which are celebrated around the world and are not a particular feature of the presented countries. Apart from that, we’d like to draw your attention to some of the special days and festivals which are popular in a particular country.
When The Harris Poll asked 2,368 U.S. adults, including representative samples of Hispanics and Asian-Americans, to think about all the holidays that occur during the calendar year and say which one is their favorite, Christmas came out on top by a wide margin, followed by the uniquely American holiday of Thanksgiving. Third on the list is Halloween.
The top 10 favorite holidays in the U.S.A. and the percentage citing it as their favorite:
1. Christmas: 46 percent
2. Thanksgiving: 19 percent
3. Halloween: 9 percent
4. Fourth of July: 5 percent
5. Easter: 3 percent
6. New Year's: 2 percent
7. Memorial Day: 1 percent
8. My Birthday: 1 percent
9. Labor Day: 1 percent
10. Valentine's Day: 1 percent
(http://isp.netscape.com/whatsnew/package.jsp?name=fte/favoriteholiday/favoriteholiday )
We find it exciting and very useful to learn more about holidays and special days.
To start with, it opens the door to diverse cultures, traditions, and perspectives in this increasingly interrelated world. Stepping through this door will unlock new perspectives into your own language and culture as well as bridge the cultural barriers between different nations.
What is more, we can gain a lot for our practical speaking if we use the original information from texts, songs, poems, rhymes, puzzles, videos.
In addition, learning about other holidays can also be fun. Everybody likes to celebrate making presents, singing songs or playing games. So, why not learn more and have fun?
Finally, we would like to help teachers and students to use interesting tips during the lessons or extracurricular activities.
The word "holiday" is derived from "Holy Day". Holidays are observed and celebrated around the world. However, each country and culture has their own special holidays, often depending on their history.
A festival is an event, usually staged by a local community, which centers on some unique aspect of that community. There are numerous types of festivals in the world. Though many have religious origins, others involve seasonal change or have some cultural significance.
Each American state government determines the official holidays for their state. Malls, shopping centers and most other retail businesses close only on Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas, but remain open on all other holidays. The "big seven" holidays in the USA are: New Year's Day, Easter, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.
The UK comprises the countries England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Some holidays, like New Year's Day, Easter or Christmas Day, are public holidays in all four countries. Other holidays, however, like St. Patrick's Day, aren't public holidays in the whole UK. There are also holidays observed in the UK that are not (yet) established by law.
Public holidays in Australia are declared on a state and territory basis. That means that each state of Australia determines their public holidays schedule. However, there are also some national public holidays that are observed in every Australian state, like New Year's Day, Easter or Anzac Day. Traditionally, workers were entitled to get a day off work on a public holiday.
Creating this site, we will introduce to you the most important holidays of the English-speaking countries USA, UK and Australia such as Christmas, Easter or New Year's Eve, Halloween and some others which are celebrated around the world and are not a particular feature of the presented countries. Apart from that, we’d like to draw your attention to some of the special days and festivals which are popular in a particular country.
When The Harris Poll asked 2,368 U.S. adults, including representative samples of Hispanics and Asian-Americans, to think about all the holidays that occur during the calendar year and say which one is their favorite, Christmas came out on top by a wide margin, followed by the uniquely American holiday of Thanksgiving. Third on the list is Halloween.
The top 10 favorite holidays in the U.S.A. and the percentage citing it as their favorite:
1. Christmas: 46 percent
2. Thanksgiving: 19 percent
3. Halloween: 9 percent
4. Fourth of July: 5 percent
5. Easter: 3 percent
6. New Year's: 2 percent
7. Memorial Day: 1 percent
8. My Birthday: 1 percent
9. Labor Day: 1 percent
10. Valentine's Day: 1 percent
(http://isp.netscape.com/whatsnew/package.jsp?name=fte/favoriteholiday/favoriteholiday )
We find it exciting and very useful to learn more about holidays and special days.
To start with, it opens the door to diverse cultures, traditions, and perspectives in this increasingly interrelated world. Stepping through this door will unlock new perspectives into your own language and culture as well as bridge the cultural barriers between different nations.
What is more, we can gain a lot for our practical speaking if we use the original information from texts, songs, poems, rhymes, puzzles, videos.
In addition, learning about other holidays can also be fun. Everybody likes to celebrate making presents, singing songs or playing games. So, why not learn more and have fun?
Finally, we would like to help teachers and students to use interesting tips during the lessons or extracurricular activities.