Holiday
Holiday
Holiday (/ˈhɒlɪdeɪ/, from Old English hāligdæg, "holy day") is a day set aside by custom or by law on which normal activities, especially business or work including school, are suspended or reduced. Generally, holidays are intended to allow individuals to celebrate or commemorate an event or tradition of cultural or religious significance.
Types of Holidays
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, or even personal choices.
Public Holidays
Public holidays are holidays which have been established by law and are usually a non-working day during the year.
Religious Holidays
Religious holidays are based on religious calendars, which may be lunar, solar, or a combination of both, and may vary significantly in practices and dates.
National Holidays
National holidays are often patriotic in nature and are observed by the entire country or may also be observed by individual states or provinces.
Etymology
The term holiday comes from the Old English word hāligdæg. 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.
Related Terms
- Vacation: An extended period of leisure and recreation, especially one spent away from home or in traveling.
- Festival: A day or period of celebration, typically for religious reasons.
- Sabbatical: A break from work, often with the connotation of travel or study.
- Leave of absence: Time allowed away from work to deal with personal or family issues.
See Also
- List of holidays by country
- List of multinational festivals and holidays
- Public holidays in the United States
- Public holidays in the United Kingdom
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Holiday
- Wikipedia's article - Holiday
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