Enjoy all the Holidays

In every culture around the world, there are certain days that are celebrated and marked as "special." These holidays often fall on the observance of a certain religious, cultural, or historically significant event, or were designed as a special day to acknowledge certain groups or individuals. Holidays usually involve a set of cultural traditions, and within those cultural norms, families and friends often develop their own traditions and ways of celebrating the holiday. 

For Types of Holidays

Although there are a number of different occasions marked by holidays, there are two main types of holidays: secular and religious (or non-secular). As their names suggest, religious holidays commemorate and celebrate a specific event or belief that is paramount to a religion's core beliefs. Secular holidays, on the other hand, are not religious in nature. Examples of secular holidays include Mother's Day, Columbus Day, and Martin Luther King Jr. Day in the United States. Both Columbus Day and Martin Luther King Jr Day are federal holidays established and recognized by the government, and both were established to commemorate the people for which they were named. Mother's Day, however, is a secular holiday that is not established by the government, but is commonly recognized and observed.

How Different Cultures Celebrate Holidays

Every culture celebrates their holidays differently. In many countries, major holidays are marked by business and government offices closing and scores of people who take a day off of work. Celebrations also vary by the holiday and culture, but it is not uncommon for parades, festivals, and other special events to be scheduled in communities and cities in order to celebrate the occasion. Other common celebrations include decorations, special food and drink preparation, theater performances, and more.

Many religious holidays and federal or state recognized holidays allow those celebrating to take time off of work with pay. While employers recognize secular holidays that are not state or federal holidays such as Halloween and Valentine's Day, they rarely offer employees paid time off, for observance of these special days.
Holidays Around the World

Most of the most common holidays celebrated around the world are religious holiday. For instance, Christmas is a religious holiday that is celebrated by Christians around the world. "The Holidays" or winter holidays often collectively refers to the period of time in late and early winter when a number of both secular and non-secular holidays occur in the United States. Thanksgiving is the first major holiday during the season, and in December major holidays include Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Winter Solstice, and New Year's Eve.

Other common religious holidays around the world include Jewish holidays such as Yom Kippur and Passover, Muslim holidays such as Isra Mi'aj, and Christian holidays such as Holiday. Secular holidays that are celebrated by countries and cultures around the world include Valentine's Day, Mother's Day (and in some countries, Father's Day), Halloween or All Hallows Eve, and May Day or Labor Day.

Some holidays may be specific to a specific country, region, or community. In the United States, for instance, the Fourth of July marks the country's Independence Day. While many other countries have independence holidays, the Fourth of July is specific to the date of America's independence. Within the United States, more than a dozen states celebrate an official Juneteenth holiday, which marks the abolition of slavery in Texas. In the South, many states still celebrate Confederate Memorial Day, which is designated to commemorate and honor the Confederate soldiers of the American Civil War.