1. Holidays in the United States

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In the United States, there is a holiday for almost every day. Most of these holidays, or days of recognition, are obscure and may be regionally based, but the U.S. enjoys many holidays throughout the year. Holidays are basically days people can take off work or school. There are a handful of federal holidays that most companies, government offices, states, and residents celebrate yearly. These days are given to the people of the United States to break the routine of working eight hours a day, seven days a week. They differ from vacation time. Vacation time is personal experiences that take place at a time and place the vacationer and his or her employer agrees on.

The first federal or national holiday takes place right at the beginning of the year on January 1st. New Year's Day is the first of several government holidays. It is followed by Martin Luther King Jr. Day, President's Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. The reason why some of these holidays do not have a fixed day or date is because they are celebrated on a Monday to give workers a three-day holiday from work. This practice came into being a number of years ago, leaving few fixed-date holidays such as New Year's Day, Independence Day, and Christmas Day.

Each holiday celebrates a different event or person. Memorial Day, for example, is in memory of those who have died while in the service of their country during their time in the military. Thanksgiving Day celebrates the first meal shared by Native Americans and the colonists from Europe. Each holiday is unique and is celebrated in different ways.




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