USA holidays and traditions

1. Made by Ildikó Olasz
HOLIDAYS IN THE USA
PART II.

2. CULTURE
• American culture encompasses the customs and
traditions of the United States, including
language, religion, food and the arts.
• Nearly every region of the world has influenced
American culture, as it is a country of
immigrants, most notably the English who
colonized the country beginning in the early
1600s. U.S. culture has also been shaped by the
cultures of Native Americans, Latin Americans,
Africans and Asians.

3. IMMIGRANT INFLUENCES
• Important influences came from other parts of Europe,
such as Ireland, Germany, Poland and Italy; Africa, from
which came the ancestors of most African Americans,
originally brought over as slaves in the American South
• As a nation of immigrants, the United States has been
influenced by many cultures.
• There are 2 kinds of holidays in the USA: the national
holiday and the public or federal holidays. National
holiday is a holiday set by law and is usually a non-
working day during the year.

5. INDEPENDENCE DAY
• also known as the Fourth of July, is a holiday in the
celebrating the adoption of the Declaration of
Independence on July 4, 1776, declaring
independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain. It is
commonly associated with fireworks, parades,
barbecues, carnivals, fairs, picnics, concerts, baseball
games, family reunions, political speeches and
ceremonies and various other public and private events

6. PIONEER DAY
Pioneer Day is a state holiday in Utah in the United States.
It is celebrated on July 24 each year to commemorate the
entry of Brigham Young and the first group of Mormon
pioneers into Utah’s Salt Lake Valley in 1847. This day
celebrates the bravery of the original settlers and their
strength of character and physical endurance.
Pioneer Day is also celebrated
in many parts of Idaho,
where it is commonly known
as Celebration Day.

7. PARENTS' DAY
• It help on the fourth Sunday of every July.
• figures in the United States receive the recognition for
the role they play in their children’s lives on Parents’
Day. The day aims to promote responsible parenting and
to recognize positive parental role models. It celebrates
the special bonds of love between parental figures and
their children.
• It supports the role of parents in bringing up their
children.
• It is a national observance but it is not a public holiday
in the United States.

8. COLORADO DAY
• Some museums offer free admissions to the public and a
number of businesses in Colorado offer special deals
• Colorado Day is a state observance on August 1. It is not
a public holiday in the U.S., so most businesses, public
offices, schools and colleges are open except for if the
date falls on a non-working day.

9. VICTORY DAY
• It is held on Aug 11.
• It is the anniversary the Allies’ victory over Japan during
World War II.
• It followed the dropping of the devastating atomic
bomb on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima on August 6
and Nagasaki on August 9, 1945.
• Victory Day is a state holiday in Rhode Island

10. ASSUMPTION OF MARY
• Catholic churches in the United States celebrate the
feast of the Assumption to honor the Virgin Mary’s death
and her rise into heaven on August 15 each year.
• Assumption Day is considered a Holy Day of Obligation,
but if it falls on a Saturday or on a Monday, it is not
obligatory by the church to attend mass. This was
amended in the church calendar by US (United States)
bishops in 1991.

11. LABOR DAY
• Labor Day is annually held on the first Monday of
September.
• It was originally organized to celebrate various labor
associations' strengths of and contributions to the United
States economy.
• It is largely a day of rest in modern times.
• Many people mark Labor Day as the end of the summer
season and a last chance to make trips or hold outdoor
events.

12. PATRIOT DAY
• Patriot Day is an annual observance on September 11 to
remember those who were injured or died during the terrorist
attacks in the United States on September 11, 2001.
• Many Americans refer Patriot Day as September 11.
• The most potent symbol of the events that happened on
September 11, 2001 are pictures and videos of planes flying
into buildings, of the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center

13. NATIVE AMERICAN
DAY OR COLUMBUS DAY
• The second Monday of October annually
marks Columbus Day in many parts the United States
but not all states or region follow this observance. In
South Dakota people celebrate Native Americans' Day
through learning from educational resources that focus
on the traditions, culture and background of Native
Americans. It is a day to celebrate the heritage of Native
Americans.
• The first recorded celebration honoring the discovery of
America by Europeans took place on October 12, 1792 in
New York City.

14. HALLOWEEN
• Many Americans celebrate Halloween on October 31.
Celebrations include costume parties and trick-or-
treating.
• Many children dress up in fancy costumes and visit other
homes in the neighborhood. At each house, they
demand sweets, snacks or a small gift. If they do not
get this, they threaten to do some harm to the
inhabitants of the house.
• Halloween originated as a pagan festival in parts of
Northern Europe.
• There are various symbols associated with Halloween.
These include the spooks, ghosts and walking skeletons
that represent the contact between the spiritual and
physical world and between the living and the dead.

15. • http://www.youtube.com/wat
ch?v=5EucFzLgB80

16. ALL SAINTS' DAY
• Many churches in the United States celebrate All Saints'
Day to honor all the saints, particularly those who do not
have their own special feast day, on November 1.
• All Saints' Day is celebrated in many areas of the United
States, including where there are large Roman Catholic
populations.
• According to some sources, the idea for All Saints' Day
goes back to the fourth century when the Greek
Christians kept a festival on the first Sunday after
Pentecost (in late May or early June) in honor of all
martyrs and saints.

17. ELECTION DAY
• Election Day in the United States of America is the
Tuesday following the first Monday in November.
• It is the day when popular ballots are held to select
public officials.
• These include national, state and local government
representatives at all levels up to the president.
• Employees in some states have the legal right to have
time off work to vote, and in some cases, without losing
any pay.

18. VETERANS DAY
• In the USA, Veterans Day annually falls on November 11.
This day is the anniversary of the signing of the
armistice, which ended the World War I hostilities
between the Allied nations and Germany in 1918.
Veterans are thanked for their services to the United
States on Veterans Day.
• Veterans Day is intended to honor and thank all military
personnel who served the United States in all wars,
particularly living veterans. It is marked by parades and
church services and in many places the American flag is
hung at half mast.

19. • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OI3dgEGNlGk

20. THANKSGIVING DAY
• The Pilgrims had much to celebrate, they had built
homes in the wilderness, they had raised enough crops
to keep them alive during the long coming winter, they
were at peace with their Indian neighbors. They had
beaten the odds and it was time to celebrate.

21. • Thanksgiving Day in the United States is a holiday on the
fourth Thursday of November.
• Thanksgiving Day is traditionally a day for families and friends
to get together for a special meal. The meal often includes a
turkey, stuffing, potatoes, cranberry sauce, gravy, pumpkin
pie, and vegetables. Thanksgiving Day is a time for many
people to give thanks for what they have.
• Thanksgiving Day parades are held in some cities and towns
on or around Thanksgiving Day. Some parades or festivities
also mark the opening of the Christmas shopping season.
Some people have a four-day weekend so it is a popular time
for trips and to visit family and friends.

22. LINCOLN'S BIRTHDAY
(PRESIDENTS’ DAY)
• Lincoln’s Birthday celebrates the birthday of Abraham
Lincoln, one of the most popular presidents in United
States history. It is a state holiday in some states on or
around February 12 each year.
• The day is also known as Abraham Lincoln’s Birthday,
Abraham Lincoln Day or Lincoln Day. Some states
observe the day as part of Presidents’ Day, which is
officially known as Washington’s Birthday.
• Various activities such as concerts and birthday parties
are often organized for the day.

23. BLACK FRIDAY
• Black Friday is the day after Thanksgiving Day in the
USA and falls on the Friday after the fourth Thursday in
November. It is a busy shopping day and is a holiday in
some states.
• Many people have a day off work or choose to take a
day from their quota of annual leave on Black Friday.
Some people use this to make trips to see family
members or friends who live in other areas or to go on
vacation. Others use it to start shopping for the
Christmas season.

24. FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT
• The Advent season marks the beginning of the Christian
year across many western churches in the United States.
Its length varies from 22 to 28 days, starting on the
Sunday nearest St Andrew’s Day and encompassing the
next three Sundays, ending on Christmas Day.
• Many Christians in the United States attend a church
service on the first Sunday of Advent and may engage in
activities such as special prayers and contributing to
ideas on enhancing peace. Many Advent traditions are
observed in the United States in the prelude to
Christmas Day.
• Advent is originally a time to reflect and prepare for
Christmas similarly to how Lent is in preparation for
Easter.
•

25. • Purple is historically the main color used for Advent
because it reflects penitence, fasting, and the color of
royalty to welcome the Advent of the king (Jesus Christ).

26. ST NICHOLAS' DAY
• St Nicholas' Day is an observance of European origin
that is celebrated in some American communities on
December 6.
• Children in families who celebrate St Nicholas' Day
receive treats - including candy, cookies, small toys, or
fruit - in stockings, socks, shoes or bags on December
6.

27. PEARL HARBOR
REMEMBRANCE DAY
• National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day, which is
annually on December 7, commemorates the attack on
Pearl Harbor, in Hawaii, during World War II.
• Many American service men and women lost their lives
or were injured on December 7, 1941.
• On the direction of the President, the flag of the United
States of America should be displayed on the homes of
Americans, the White House and all United States
government buildings. The flag should be flown at half-
mast to honor those who died in the attack on Pearl
Harbor.

28. CHRISTMAS EVE
• Christmas Eve in the United States, which is annually on
December 24, is the day before Christmas Day. It falls
within the Christmas season, which is a time for people
to buy presents and visit friends or relatives.
• Since Christmas Eve is not an official federal holiday,
most people have to work. However, it is a partial day
off or a full day off in some states. Many workplaces
hold Christmas parties or celebrations.
• Christmas observance is a conglomeration of several
other festivals. To early Christians, it commemorates the
birth of the Jesus Christ.

29. • In the days or even weeks before Christmas Day, many
people decorate their homes and gardens with lights,
Christmas trees and much more.
• Children often receive a lot of gifts from their parents
and other relatives (Santa Claus).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v
=rI2mOFrIwhs

30. NEW YEAR'S EVE
• New Year's Eve, which is on December 31, is the last
day of the year in the United States. It is a major social
observance and many parties are held, particularly in the
evening.
• Many people hold parties at home or attend special
celebrations to celebrate the upcoming New Year. In
many cities, large scale public events are held. These
often attract thousands of people.

31. Thank you for
your attention ♥