A holiday is basically a day set apart by law or custom, where normal everyday activities, particularly work or business involving school are either suspended or completely reduced. In general, holidays are marked by celebrations or markers of some kind, most often religious or cultural in nature. The period of the holiday itself and its purpose are typically of equal importance, but it is also common to have different days designated for different purposes. For example, in the United States, Thanksgiving is a national holiday observed after the end of the Thanksgiving season, while New Year’s Eve is considered the end of the yearly New Year’s celebration.
In today’s culture, however, there is more than just a tradition behind the different holidays. Many families now find themselves creating their own traditions associated with family holidays, birthdays, anniversaries and other special occasions. It can be very easy for families to spend too much time away from each other during the holiday season. A common example of this is the so-called “Fridays at home” tradition, which allows parents to stay home with their children instead of taking them out for the major holiday events. The result is that many children miss out on the many community events and cultural events that they otherwise would have attended. Some families even create a holiday tradition entirely around going away for the holidays; this is usually seen in the form of “vacation” trips that involve relatives spending extended amounts of time away from each other, sometimes for as long as several weeks.
To remedy this, many countries have developed paid holidays. These vacations are essentially paid vacations, but they normally last for a shorter duration. The term “paid vacation” brings to mind images of large families going on week-long vacation trips, but these days, even working adults can take paid holidays to get away from home and relax. Some of the more popular paid holidays offered by many resorts include: golfing holidays, scuba diving holidays, and skiing holidays. All of these vacations offer a unique perspective on the world and allow families to get away from the routine and the demands of daily life for a while.
For those of you who don’t know much about British English, let’s give you a quick introduction. A holiday in Britain means vacation in whatever country you are from. In most cases, a British English holiday will include trips to Scotland and England, and other parts of Europe such as Portugal and Spain. On some British English public holidays, such as St. Valentine’s Day, there are also public holidays in Northern Ireland and Jersey.
Holidays in the United Kingdom tend to fall into two main categories: holidaying family holidays and public holidays. Family holidays refer to visits made by families of all ages to the same tourist destination, while public holidays refer to occasions that are officially sponsored by the government of a particular country. For example, every March, families can go on a British family holiday.
As an aside, it is also possible to take paid holidays in Britain. Although not every employer offers paid holidays, many businesses offer employees (usually the bosses) the opportunity to take paid holidays throughout the year. Usually, workers have to accept these holidays at least a year before they are entitled to them.