Holidays and Celebrations in English speaking countries
Independence Day
Christmas and Christmas Eve
"Merry Christmas" = Feliz Natal!
Santa Claus
Mardi Gras/carnival
47 days before Easter
Easter
Thanksgiving Day
Where?
Canada, the United States, some of the Caribbean islands, and Liberia
When?
On the 4th Thursday of November in US
On the 2nd Monday of October in Canada
1 day after Thanksgiving = Black Friday
History
It began as a day of giving thanks for the blessing of the harvest and of the preceding year.
The event that Americans commonly call the "First Thanksgiving" was celebrated by the Pilgrims after their first harvest in the New World in October 1621. This feast lasted three days, and it was attended by 90 Native Americans and 53 Pilgrims. The New England colonists were accustomed to regularly celebrating "thanksgivings"—days of prayer thanking God for blessings such as military victory or the end of a drought.
puritans = The Puritans were English Reformed Protestants in the 16th and 17th centuries
Countries where English is spoken as a major first language
New Year's Day
and New Year's Eve
When
On December 31st
and January 1st
When?
On the first Sunday after the full moon that occurs on or soonest after 21 March
feast = A large meal, typically one in celebration of something.
= banquete
Veterans Day
When?
On November 11th
The holiday is celebrated on the same day as Armistice Day or Remembrance Day in other countries.
When?
On December 24th and 25th
Mother's Day
When?
On the 2nd Sunday in May
Related: Good Friday
On the Friday before Easter
Crucifixion and death of Jesus
It's also a public holiday in many countries, including US
Why is the date so complicated?
Easter and the holidays that are related to it do not fall on a fixed date in the Gregorian or Julian calendars which follow only the cycle of the sun; rather, its date is determined on a lunisolar calendar similar to the Hebrew calendar.
What does it celebrate?
The resurrection of Jesus from the dead, described in the New Testament as having occurred on the third day of his burial after his crucifixion by the Romans at Calvary.
Where is it celebrated?
In countries where Christianity is a state religion, or where the country has large Christian population, Easter is often a public holiday
As Easter is always a Sunday, many countries in the world also have Easter Monday as a public holiday.
In the United Kingdom both Good Friday and Easter Monday are bank holidays.
bank holidays: Public holidays in the United Kingdom are days on which most businesses and non-essential services are closed, although an increasing number of retail businesses do open on some of the public holidays
In Canada Easter Sunday is a public holiday, along with Easter Monday. In the Canadian province of Quebec, either Good Friday or Easter Monday are statutory holidays (although most companies give both).
In Australia, because of its location in the southern hemisphere, Easter takes place in autumn. Hence, Australian Easter is associated with harvest time, rather than with the coming of spring as in the northern hemisphere. The religious aspect of Easter remains the same.[100] Good Friday and Easter Monday are public holidays across all states and territories.
Father's Day
When?
US = On the 3rd Sunday in June
Halloween
When?
On October 31st
Valentine's Day
When?
US - On February 14th
Saint Patrick's Day
When?
On March 17th
Memorial Day
When?
On the last Monday of May
Labor Day
When?
US - on the first Monday in September
Martin Luther King Jr. Day
When?
On the 3rd Monday in January
Inauguration Day
When?
January 20th or 21st
What?
It is a ceremony to mark the commencement of a new four-year term of the President of the United States.
Presidents' Day
(Washington's Birthday)
When
On the 3rd Monday in February
Columbus Day
When
On the 2nd Monday in October
When?
US - On July 4th, 1776
On January 1st, 1901 - Australia
On September 26th, 1907 - New Zeland
The Continental Congress declared that the thirteen American colonies regarded themselves as free and independent states, the United States of America, and were no longer connected to the British Crown.
Independence Day is commonly associated with fireworks, parades, barbecues, carnivals, fairs, picnics, concerts, baseball games, family reunions, and political speeches and ceremonies.
Also called
Fourth of July
On July 1st, 1867 - Canada
Also called
Canada Day
It celebrates the anniversary of the July 1, 1867, the effective date of the Constitution Act, 1867, which united the three separate colonies of the Province of Canada, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick into a single Dominion within the British Empire called Canada.
Although still a British colony, Canada gained an increased level of political control and governance over its own affairs, the British parliament and Cabinet maintaining political control over certain areas, such as foreign affairs, national defence, and constitutional changes. Canada gradually gained increasing independence over the years, notably with the passage of the Statute of Westminster in 1931, until finally becoming completely independent with the passing of the 1982 Constitution Act which served to fully patriate the Canadian constitution.
Most communities across the country will host organized celebrations for Canada Day, typically outdoor public events, such as parades, carnivals, festivals, barbecues, air and maritime shows, fireworks, and free musical concerts,[15] as well as citizenship ceremonies.
The British colonies of Australia formed a federation, marking the birth of modern Australia
But the Australia Day is celebrated on January 26th, commemorating the 1788 arrival of the First Fleet of British ships at Port Jackson, New South Wales
The independence of New Zealand is a matter of continued academic and social debate. New Zealand has no fixed date of independence; instead, political independence came about as a result of New Zealand's evolving constitutional status. The concept of a national "Independence Day" does not exist in New Zealand.
On 26 September 1907 the United Kingdom granted New Zealand (along with Newfoundland, which later became a part of Canada) "Dominion" status within the British Empire. New Zealand became known as the Dominion of New Zealand. The date was declared Dominion Day, but never reached any popularity as a day of independence.
Ireland - On January 21st, 1919
The Declaration of Independence was a document adopted by Dáil Éireann, the revolutionary parliament of the Irish Republic, at its first meeting in the Mansion House, Dublin, on 21 January 1919
The UK - formation of the UK
pilgrim = colono
The Pilgrims or Pilgrim Fathers were early European settlers of the Plymouth Colony in present-day Plymouth, Massachusetts, United States. The Pilgrims' leadership came from the religious congregations of Brownist separatist Puritans
New England
New England is a geographical region comprising six states of the northeastern United States: Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut, where the British made a permanent settlement in the 17th century.
Celebration
They give thanks, pray, feast, spend time with family,
watch football games, parades
What?
It is primarily celebrated as a recognition of Irish and Irish American culture
Origins
It is widely believed that many Halloween traditions originated from ancient Celtic harvest festivals, particularly the Gaelic festival Samhain & Brythonic festival Calan Gaeaf: that such festivals may have had pagan roots; and that Samhain itself was Christianized as Halloween by the early Church.
Celebrations
They trick-or-treat (or the related guising), attend Halloween costume parties, carve pumpkins into jack-o'-lanterns, light bonfires, play apple bobbing, divination games, play pranks, visit haunted attractions, tell scary stories, and watch horror films.
Around the world
In Scotland and Ireland, traditional Halloween customs include children dressing up in costume going "guising", holding parties, while other practices in Ireland include lighting bonfires, and having firework displays.[238][239] In Brittany children would play practical jokes by setting candles inside skulls in graveyards to frighten visitors.[240] Mass transatlantic immigration in the 19th century popularized Halloween in North America, and celebration in the United States and Canada has had a significant impact on how the event is observed in other nations. This larger North American influence, particularly in iconic and commercial elements, has extended to places such as Ecuador, Chile,[241] Australia,[242] New Zealand,[243] (most) continental Europe, Japan, and other parts of East Asia.[244] In the Philippines, during Halloween, Filipinos return to their hometowns and purchase candles and flowers,[245] in preparation for the following All Saints Day (Araw ng mga Patay) on 1 November and All Souls Day —though it falls on 2 November, most of them observe it on the day before.[246] In Mexico and Latin American in general, it is referred to as " Día de los Muertos " which translates in English to "Day of the dead".
Origins
The holiday has been celebrated on the North American continent since the late 18th century.
It is a cultural and religious celebration held on the traditional death date of Saint Patrick (c. AD 385–461), the foremost patron saint of Ireland.
The day commemorates Saint Patrick and the arrival of Christianity in Ireland, and celebrates the heritage and culture of the Irish in general.
Celebrations generally involve public parades and festivals, cèilidhs, and the wearing of green attire or shamrocks
A cèilidh or céilí is a traditional Scottish or Irish social gathering. In its most basic form, it simply means a social visit. In contemporary usage, it usually involves playing Gaelic folk music and dancing, either at a house party or a larger concert at a social hall or other community gathering place.
A shamrock is a young sprig, used as a symbol of Ireland. Saint Patrick, Ireland's patron saint, is said to have used it as a metaphor for the Christian Holy Trinity.
Remembrance Day (in Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom) is a day to remember people who fought and died in wars. It is on November 11. On that day in 1918 came the end of World War I with Armistice with Germany.
Origins
The holiday was first created as Armistice day in 1919 by President Woodrow Wilson. Thirty states made it a state holiday that year. It was made a holiday for the entire country in 1938.
Vereterans Day vs Memorial Day
Veterans Day celebrates the service of all U.S. military veterans, while Memorial Day honors those who died while in military service.
What?
The holiday honors troops who have died in past wars like World War I and the Korean War.
Memorial Day was first held in 1865 after the American Civil War.
Memorial Day is thought of by many Americans as being the start of summer.
The American Civil War (1861–1865) was a civil war in the United States of America. It is sometimes called "The War Between the States." Eleven Southern states where slavery was legal wanted to leave the United States of America.
Celebration
Many people visit cemeteries and memorials, particularly to honor those who have died in military service. Many volunteers place an American flag on each grave in national cemeteries.
Observance
It is marked by parades and church services and in many places the American flag is hung at half mast. A period of silence lasting two minutes may be held at 11am.
Observance: the practice of obeying a law, celebrating a festival, or behaving according to a particular custom; an act performed as part of a religious or traditional ceremony
Celebration
Celebrations include prominent displays of the color green, eating and drinking, religious observances, and numerous parades. It is one of the leading days for consumption of alcohol in the United States. The consumption of artificially colored green beer is a common celebration.
Australia
Canada
Ireland
New Zeland
United Kingdom: England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland
United States of America
Australia Day
January 26
It's the anniversary of the arrival of Captain Arthur Phillip and 11 ships of British convicts to New South Wales- marking the “founding” of Australia
Australians come together to celebrate their country’s greatness! People get together with family and friends, have barbeques, and set off fireworks.
The Commonwealth
It is an intergovernmental organisation of 53 member states that are mostly former territories of the British Empire
The symbol of this free association is Queen Elizabeth II, who is the Head of the Commonwealth. The Queen is head of state of 16 member states, known as the Commonwealth realms, while 32 other members are republics and five others have different monarchs.
Member states have no legal obligations to one another. Instead, they are united by language, history, culture and their shared values of democracy, human rights and the rule of law.
A Commonwealth realm is a sovereign state in which Queen Elizabeth II is the head of state and reigning constitutional monarch.
Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Canada, Grenada, Jamaica, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, and the United Kingdom.
The Commonwealth is really a diplomatic coalition.
Anzac Day
April 25
It is a day of remembrance for all Australians. This day marks the anniversary of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) first major military action in World War I. On this day each year, Australians honor all those who have served for the country.
Commemorations include prayers at dawn, church services, and parades.
Queen’s Birthday
Every second Monday of June
Australia is under British monarchy, and they need to pay homage to the Queen.
Like Easter, Queen’s Birthday is part of a three-day weekend. Shops and businesses are closed, and the roads are more congested than the usual, since people usually make holiday plans and go out of town. And yes, there are fireworks.
Boxing Day
26 December
Boxing Day is a national Bank Holiday, a day to spend with family and friends and to eat up all the leftovers of Christmas Day.
People exchange gifts or “Christmas boxes” on this holiday. Known as the ‘second Christmas,” this festivity was handed down to the Aussies by the Brits as part of their cultural influence.
Much like Black Friday in the United States, this Christmas Day sequel is also a time for sales and humongous discounts
In the UK,[27] Canada,[28] Australia,[29] Trinidad and Tobago and New Zealand