Every month of the year has something special to celebrate in the
U.S. Throughout the years, the U.S.Congress has passed laws declaring
special days as official observances known as federal holidays. Each
federal holiday represents a day when federal employees and many other
workers have a paid day off from their jobs. There are some holidays we
celebrate that are not federal holidays but are very popular holidays to
celebrate.
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January
The first day of January is New Year's Day. This federal holiday
celebrates the beginning of each New Year. People in the U.S. sometimes
spend this day watching college football games and parades.
On the third Monday in January, we celebrate Martin Luther King,
Jr.'s birthday as a federal holiday. Martin Luther King, Jr. worked to
change laws so that all people in the U.S. would be treated fairly. He
worked for change in the 1950s and 60s when many states had laws
separating black and white people. Martin Luther King taught people to
use peaceful demonstrations to change laws, instead of violence. Many
laws were changed because of his work. Many people worked with him in
the hope that the U.S. could be a fair country for all people.
In January or February many people in the U.S. celebrate the Chinese
New Year. The Chinese New Year falls between January 10th and February
19th. The date changes because it is from a calendar based on the moon,
not the sun. On this day, many families clean their homes of all the
"old" and get ready for the New Year. They wear new clothes
and share delicious food. They give each other red envelopes with money
for good luck in the coming year. They also light firecrackers to chase
away bad luck.
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February
February 14th is Saint Valentine's Day. Saint Valentine's Day began
in Europe and has been celebrated for hundreds of years. In the U.S.
today, we remember friends and sweethearts with cards called valentines,
flowers, chocolates or small gifts.
We celebrate Presidents' Day on the 3rd Monday of February as a
federal holiday commemorating the birthdays of George Washington and
Abraham Lincoln.. We call George Washington "the father of our
country" because he was the American general in the Revolutionary
War who led us to victory against England. He was elected our first
president. Abraham Lincoln was our 16th president. He kept our country
together during the Civil War when the Southern states wanted to form a
separate country. Lincoln freed the slaves with the Emancipation
Proclamation.
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March
March 17th is St. Patrick's Day. This holiday comes from Ireland.
People wear 3-leaf shamrocks because St. Patrick used them to explain
the Christian Trinity. Many people celebrate this holiday by wearing
shamrocks or green clothing in honor of St. Patrick. Some people even
drink green beer!
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April
Holidays in the spring are celebrations of the rebirth of life.
Passover is a Jewish holiday celebrated between March 13th and April
11th. Easter is a Christian holiday that is celebrated on a Sunday
between March 22nd and April 25th. Christians celebrate the resurrection
of Jesus Christ. In the U.S., people attend religious services and
family gatherings like picnics. They hide colored eggs for children to
find. Many children wake up to baskets filled with candy that the
"Easter Bunny" has left for them.
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May
Mother's Day is observed in the United States in honor of mothers on
the second Sunday in May. Julia Ward Howe wrote a Mother's Day
proclamation in 1870. She wanted to have an international day when all
mothers of the world would stand up and speak for peace, so their sons
would not have to die in war. In 1907, Anna Jarvis proposed a day to
remember all mothers. Today, Mother's Day is a holiday to remember
mothers with cards, flowers and presents.
Many people in the U.S. celebrate "el cinco de mayo". This
means the 5th of May in Spanish. This holiday celebrates a battle won by
Mexicans against the French. In some areas of the U.S., there are
parades on this day. Many people eat Mexican food and listen to Mexican
Music.
The last Monday in May is Memorial Day. Since 1868, this federal
holiday has honored the Union Civil War soldiers who died. Now, we
remember all soldiers who died for this country. People decorate
soldiers' graves. Many people also decorate the graves of their
families.
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June
Flag Day on June 14th is the anniversary of the adoption of the
American flag in 1777. It is not a federal holiday, although many people
display flags outside their homes and in their communities.
The third Sunday in June is Father's Day in the United States.
Father's Day was first observed in 1910 in Spokane, Washington. This is
a day when people remember their fathers with presents and cards. People
celebrate with family gatherings, picnics and sports activities.
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July
The Fourth of July is a very important holiday in the U.S. We
celebrate the signing of the Declaration of Independence by
representatives of the thirteen American Colonies. On July 4, 1776, John
Hancock, Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin, well-known patriots,
declared the independence of the thirteen American colonies from Great
Britain. This holiday is considered the `birthday of the United States
of America.' It is the greatest non-religious holiday on the U.S. We
celebrate this day with fireworks and parades.
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August
During the month of August there are no major holidays to celebrate.
Many families go on vacation or have picnics or go to the beach. August
26th is a day that is recognized and celebrated as Equality Day by
individuals or groups because of the adoption of the 19th amendment to
the Constitution in 1920. This amendment granted women the right to
vote.
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September
September has one federal holiday, Labor Day. It honors all working
people in the U.S. and Canada. It began with a New York City parade in
1882 and is now celebrated on the first Monday in September. National
Grandparents Day, which honors grandparents and the love they show to
their children's children, is celebrated the first Sunday after Labor
Day.
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October
The 2nd Monday of October is Columbus Day, celebrating the historic
trip of Christopher Columbus to the Americas in 1492. Because Columbus
was Italian, this federal holiday is especially important to
Italian-Americans but may not be celebrated in all states.
October 31st is Halloween. During the 19th century, immigrants to the
United States brought Halloween customs. These customs have changed over
the years. Children in costumes go from house to house saying
"trick or treat." The treat usually given is candy and tricks
are rarely done. A common symbol of Halloween is the jack-o-lantern,
which is carved out of a pumpkin.
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November
November 11th is Veteran's Day. This federal holiday honors the
soldiers who fought in World War I and those who fought for the U.S. in
all wars. We celebrate by displaying the American flag from our homes,
having parades and decorating graves with flowers and flags.
Thanksgiving Day is the 4th Thursday in November and a federal
holiday. On this day we remember how the Indians helped the Pilgrims by
teaching them how to farm and hunt. On this day, we give thanks for
food, our country, and our families.
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December
In December we celebrate holidays of light and hope in the dark
winter. There is an eight-day Jewish holiday known as Chanukah during
which candles are lit on each day. December 12th is the holiday of the
Virgin of Guadalupe, who appeared to a poor Indian in Mexico among
winter flowers.
December 25th is Christmas, celebrating the birth of Jesus of
Nazareth. Many people decorate their houses with Christmas trees and
lights and give presents to family members. Children hang stockings for
Santa Claus (St. Nicholas) to fill with gifts. Christmas is a federal
holiday. The African-American holiday of Kwanzaa is the last week of
December. Candles are lit to represent the virtues of the
African-American people.
As you can see, we have much to celebrate in the U.S. Many holidays
are uniquely our own and many have been borrowed from other countries.
We are a country of many cultures and many holidays!
