What is a holiday?
A holiday is a day or period of time set aside for festivals, recreation, or rest from work and school. The word comes from Old English "h?ligdæg," combining "h?lig" (holy) and "dæg" (day), originally referring exclusively to special religious days. Today, holidays encompass public holidays set by authorities, religious observances, and periods of leave from work or school.
In American English, "holiday" refers specifically to nationally, religiously, or culturally observed days of rest or celebration, while "the holidays" typically refers to the period from Thanksgiving to New Year. In Commonwealth English (UK, Australia, New Zealand), the term can also mean a vacation or period away from work, used interchangeably with "vacation."
Related terms: vacation, public holiday, bank holiday, annual leave
What is the difference between holiday and vacation?
Holiday and vacation have different meanings depending on geographic region. In British English, "holiday" refers to both special celebration days and periods of time away from work for rest or travel. In American English, "holiday" means a specific day of observance (like Independence Day), while "vacation" describes an extended period away from work or school.
Americans use "vacation" for what British speakers call "holidays" when discussing time off work. The school summer break is called "summer holidays" in Britain but "summer vacation" in the US. Both regions recognize "public holidays" or "federal holidays" as official days when government offices and businesses close.
What are the most common global holidays?
New Year's Day is the most common public holiday globally, observed by all countries using the Gregorian calendar except Israel. The celebration of the New Year has been a common holiday across cultures for at least four millennia, spanning New Year's Eve on December 31 and New Year's Day on January 1.
Christmas is another widely celebrated global holiday due to the spread of Christianity, recognized as a public holiday in many countries across Europe, the Americas, Africa, and Australasia and celebrated by over 2 billion people. Other globally significant holidays include Chinese New Year and Vietnamese Tet, celebrated across East Asia and Southeast Asia.
What are the different types of holidays?
There are 5 main types of holidays:
- Public holidays - Days set by public authorities when most businesses and schools close, varying by state or region
- Religious holidays - Days set by religious organizations for their members, such as Easter, Christmas, Eid al-Fitr, Diwali, and Passover
- National days - Days of significance to a nation, celebrating independence, founding, revolution, or patron saints
- Thematic holidays - Days celebrating or commemorating particular groups, events, or ideas like International Women's Day or Earth Day
- Non-thematic holidays - Days of rest without particular meaning or cultural significance
Some holidays overlap categories. Christmas, for example, began as a religious holiday but has become secularized and commercialized in many cultures, with 61% of British people celebrating it in an entirely secular way.
What is a substitute holiday?
A substitute holiday is a replacement day off when a holiday falls on a weekend. In the United Kingdom, if a bank holiday occurs on a weekend, a substitute weekday (normally the following Monday) becomes the bank holiday instead. This process is known as "Mondayisation" in New Zealand.
Substitute holidays ensure workers receive the intended time off when official holidays coincide with their regular days off. For example, if Boxing Day falls on a Saturday, the following Monday becomes a substitute bank holiday.
How have holidays become commercialized?
Holidays have been drawn into consumption culture since the late 19th century, particularly in the United States. Many civic, religious, and folk festivals have been commercialized as traditions were reshaped to serve the needs of industry. The growth of consumption culture allowed holidays to become opportunities for increased public consumption and orderly timing of purchases.
After the Civil War, as department stores became the spatial expression of commercialism, holidays became its temporal expression. This commercialization has led to concerns about over-secularization and the loss of original religious or cultural meanings, with debates like the "War on Christmas" emerging in response to increasingly secular celebrations.
How does a holiday compare to similar concepts?
A holiday is often compared to 3 related concepts:
| Related Term | Key Distinction | Usage Context |
|---|---|---|
| Vacation | Regional terminology difference; "vacation" is American English for time off work, while "holiday" has this meaning in British English | Extended periods away from work or school for rest and travel |
| Leave | Leave is a broader term for authorized absence from work; holiday is a specific type of leave | Workplace absence policies including sick leave, maternity leave, and annual leave |
| Bank Holiday | Bank holiday is a specific type of public holiday in the UK when banks and businesses close; holiday is the general term | Official days off in the United Kingdom and Commonwealth countries |
Holiday vs. Vacation: In American English, "holiday" refers to a specific observance day (Independence Day, Thanksgiving), while "vacation" means extended time off. In British English, "holiday" covers both meanings. Americans take "vacations" while British people "go on holiday."
Holiday vs. Leave: Leave is the formal workplace term for authorized time away from duties, encompassing multiple types including sick leave, parental leave, and annual leave. Holiday (or holiday leave) specifically refers to recreational time off or official celebration days, forming one category within the broader concept of leave.
Holiday vs. Bank Holiday: A bank holiday is a British term for official public holidays when banks, government offices, and most businesses close. All bank holidays are holidays, but not all holidays are bank holidays. Bank holidays include specific dates like Spring Bank Holiday and August Bank Holiday in the UK.