Since 1870, many proposals have been made to Congress to create permanent federal holidays in the United States. How many of them became official? Only 11. Although they are often called national, legally they apply only to federal employees and the District of Columbia.
Neither Congress nor the president has the authority to declare a "national holiday" in the United States, which would be mandatory for all 50 states, since each of them decides on this issue independently. However, the work of federal employees affects the whole country, including mail delivery and doing business with federal agencies.
Official holidays in the United States were established for various reasons. In some cases, Congress instituted a day off after it made a significant number of states. In others, he took the lead. In addition, each holiday was created to highlight a particular aspect of American heritage or to mark an event in the history of the United States.
Federal law
In 1870, when Congress passed the first holiday law, the US government hired about 5,300 employees in the District of Columbia, and about 50,600 people across the country. The distinction between civil servants working in the capital and elsewhere was important. The U.S. Major Holidays Act, passed on June 28, 1870, initially applied exclusively to federal employees in the District of Columbia. In other parts of the country, they did not enjoy such advantages until at least 1885.
Apparently, the law was drafted in response to a memorandum drawn up by local "bankers and business people." New Year's Eve (January 1), Independence Day (July 4), Christmas (December 25), and any day designated or recommended by the President of the United States as Thanksgiving within the District of Columbia, were envisaged as a weekend. This legislation has been designed to comply with similar laws in neighboring states.
New Year is dedicated to the beginning of the Gregorian calendar year. The holiday begins on the eve of December 31, with a countdown left until midnight, and is accompanied by fireworks and parties. Traditionally, the descent of the New Year's ball in Times Square in New York. Many on this day watch an American football match in Pasadena. New Year holidays in the USA complete the Christmas season.
July 4, Americans celebrate the date of formation of their state. US Independence Day is accompanied by parades and festive fireworks. Some communities organize outings with hamburgers, hot dogs and grilled food, as well as other celebrations for guests and locals.
Christmas in the USA is the most popular Christian holiday dedicated to the birthday of Jesus Christ, which is celebrated by representatives of different religions. It is accompanied by the opening of gifts, which are placed the day before under the Christmas tree. According to legend, Santa Claus does it. Many families in the United States get ready for Christmas by decorating their homes with garlands both inside and out. The main symbols of this day are decorated Christmas trees and Christmas music.
There are many ways to answer the question of how long the Christmas holidays in the USA last. Although the official weekend is only December 25th. The season starts with Black Friday, which follows Thanksgiving, and continues until early January, including New Year, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa.
Washington's birthday
In January 1879, Congress expanded the list of significant dates celebrated in the District of Columbia with George Washington's birthday. The main purpose of the law was to make February 22 a bank holiday.
After the law on the transfer of certain US holidays from the set dates to Mondays came into force in 1968, Washington’s birthday was postponed from February 22 to the third Monday of the same month. Contrary to popular belief, neither this, nor any other acts of Congress or the president provided that the name of the holiday celebrated by federal officials be changed to Presidential Day.
Memorial Day
Memorial Day was a weekend for federal employees in the District of Columbia in 1888. It was probably established because a significant number of federal employees were also members of the Great Republican Army, a civil war veteran organization who wished to attend Memorial Day ceremonies. Their absence from work meant the loss of daily wages. Some members of Congress felt that federal employees should be allowed to celebrate this day so that they would not lose money because they paid tribute to the memory of those killed in the service of their country.
With the adoption of the "Unified Law on Holidays on Monday" in 1968, the celebration of Memorial Day was postponed from May 30 to the last Monday of the same month.
Labor Day
It was established at the federal level in 1894. Created in honor of the country's working people, it differed from other US federal holidays, traditional (for example, Christmas and New Year), patriotic or honored individuals.
In his report on the law, the representative of the House Committee on Labor said that the meaning of national holidays is to emphasize some great event or principle in the minds of people, giving them a day of rest, a day of joy to commemorate this. While honoring labor, the nation affirms its nobility. As long as the worker can feel that he occupies an honorable and useful place in the political body, he will remain a loyal and faithful citizen for a long time.
Over time, according to the committee, the celebration of Labor Day at the federal level on the 1st Monday of September will naturally lead to imitation among different professions, useful for them and for the whole public. It will also strengthen the feeling of brotherhood among representatives of all crafts and vocations, and at the same time will cause the honorable desire of each of the crafts to surpass the rest. A reasonable amount of rest makes the worker "a more useful artisan." The position of the committee was reinforced by the fact that 23 states had already legally approved Labor Day.
Armistice Day or Veterans Day
Armistice Day was declared a federal holiday in 1938, and November 11, the date of cessation of hostilities, was chosen to mark the end of the First World War. During the debate in the House prior to the passage of this law, one representative suggested that Armistice Day should not be dedicated to glorifying the outcome of the war, but rather should emphasize those blessings that are related to the peaceful activities of mankind.
The proposal to make Armistice Day “a national holiday of peace” was enthusiastically approved by all societies representing World War I veterans. In 1938, Armistice Day was already celebrated in 48 states. Although it was recognized that Congress did not have the power to set up national holidays in different states, the adoption of the law was consistent with the mood in the United States.
However, by 1954, the United States participated in two other military battles: in World War II and the Korean War. Instead of creating additional federal holidays to commemorate each event, Congress considered it best to honor all American veterans on the same day.
June 1, 1954 Armistice Day was officially renamed Veterans Day. The law did not create a new holiday. He expanded the existing one so that a grateful nation on a day dedicated to the cause of world peace could pay tribute to all its veterans.
In 1968, Veterans Day became one of the 5 holidays that should be celebrated on Mondays, and its date was changed from November 11 to the 4th Monday of October. However, in 1975, Congress overturned this decision after it became clear that "veteran organizations are opposed to the change, and 46 states have either not changed the original date, or returned the official celebration to November 11th."
If Veterans Day falls on Saturday, Friday is the day off. If November 11 is Sunday, then Monday is the day off.
Thanksgiving Day
Thanksgiving Day in the United States was different than on other holidays. On Thursday, November 26, 1789, George Washington issued a proclamation calling for "Thanksgiving and Prayer Day." Six years later, the president called for a second time on Thursday, February 19, 1795. But only in 1863 the nation began to celebrate this holiday annually.
Then Abraham Lincoln gave a grateful speech in which he invited his fellow citizens from all parts of the United States, as well as those who are at sea and live in foreign countries, to celebrate the last Thursday of November as Thanksgiving and praise to the beneficent Father in heaven.
Over the next 3/4 century, each president set his own date. Since 1869, the tradition of celebrating Thanksgiving in the United States on the last Thursday of November or the first Thursday of December was generally respected.
In 1939, Franklin Roosevelt proclaimed the festive 3rd Thursday of November. By shifting the day off for a week, Roosevelt hoped to help the retail business. Thus, a longer Christmas season was established. Although this decision was enthusiastically received by the business community, others, including a large portion of the public and a large number of government officials, protested against changing the long-standing American tradition of celebrating this popular holiday in the United States on the 4th Thursday of November. Despite criticism, Roosevelt repeated his actions in 1940. However, by May 1941, the administration concluded that the date shift experiment did not work.
On December 26, 1941, President Roosevelt signed a joint resolution to resolve the dispute and set Thanksgiving forever as a federal holiday celebrated on the 4th Thursday of November. This was done in order to set a date in order to avoid confusion in the future. After signing the resolution, Roosevelt announced that the reasons for the change did not justify the ongoing change in date.
Inauguration Day
Inauguration Day became a permanent federal holiday in Washington on January 11, 1957. The law signed by President Dwight Eisenhower established it with the condition that whenever the inauguration day falls on Sunday, the next day will also be considered a day off. This was done so that federal officials could carry out historical and important events related to the presidency. The adoption of the law eliminated the need to make appropriate decisions for each inauguration.
Columbus Day
Columbus Day became a US federal holiday in 1968. One of the main reasons for this was that Columbus arrived in the New World in 45 states. According to Congress, the holiday was supposed to be a tribute to the nation's courage and determination, which allowed many generations of immigrants from many countries to find freedom and new opportunities in America.
Columbus Day, according to a Senate report, aims to provide the American people with annual confirmation of their faith in the future, their readiness to confront tomorrow's challenges with confidence.
Martin Luther King's Birthday
In November 1983, President Ronald Reagan signed into law a federal holiday marking the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King. This event concluded the 15-year discussion on honoring the leader of the civil rights movement. In speeches at the signing ceremony, Reagan saluted the murdered King as the man who touched the American people to the core.
The proposal to mark the memory of the civil rights activist on his birthday on January 15 as a federal holiday was first voiced after his assassination in 1968. The House of Representatives came close to approving one of the relevant bills in November 1979, when it voted 252 against 133. In total 4 votes were not enough to the required majority of 2/3 votes. As a result of the public campaign on August 2, 1983, the Chamber revised the issue and adopted a law according to which the 3rd Monday of January, starting in 1986, became a federal holiday. After lengthy debate, the Senate passed the bill on October 19. Two weeks later, President Reagan signed it.
Other US traditions
In addition to federal holidays, there are many unofficial holidays. The following are the most popular ones.
Groundhog Day is celebrated on February 2, when the groundhog leaves its hole to decide whether spring has arrived. If he is afraid of his own shadow, he will return to the hole, and winter will continue for another 6 weeks.
Super Bowl Sunday is the first Sunday of February. On this day, Americans gather to watch the final of the U.S. American Football Championship. Many people watch the game just for the sake of advertising, because the companies hosting it compete with each other in wit.
Valentine's Day February 14 is accompanied by the giving of flowers and chocolate. It is considered a holiday for all lovers. Many children in schools make or buy valentines for each other. The symbol of Valentine's Day is the heart.
On St. Patrick's Day (considered the patron saint of Ireland) on March 17, Americans hold ceremonial parades, dress in green or wear shamrocks and tweak those who don’t. Then they go to Irish pubs to drink beer. Traditionally in Chicago, the local river is painted green.
On Easter, Americans go to church to honor the day of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The holiday is accompanied by dyeing eggs, hunting for Easter eggs and honoring the Easter Bunny, which hides baskets of sweets for children.
Mother's Day is celebrated on the 2nd Sunday of May. On this holiday, children give mothers flowers, chocolate, decorations, bring breakfast to bed or invite to dinner.
Father's Day - 3rd Sunday of June. It is usually celebrated with a barbecue lunch and sports games.
October 31, on the eve of All Saints Day, in the United States celebrate Halloween. How does this happen? Children dress up in costumes of fairy-tale heroes and walk door to door, begging for sweets. In recent years, many communities have set aside areas for children where they can collect sweets, bypassing shops, churches, and other businesses.
Americans visit labyrinths from hay bales, haunted houses, or other events. Families often host Halloween parties at home. Common ornaments on this day are artificial spider webs, fake tombstones and pumpkin lanterns with cut holes in the shape of eyes, nose and mouth.
On December 26–31, the United States celebrates Kwanza, a week dedicated to the culture of African Americans and their ancestors. It ends with a feast and exchange of gifts between friends and family members.