A holiday is an allotted day set apart by law or custom where normal daily activities, particularly work or business, involving school or work are stopped or reduced for a specified period. In general, such holidays are meant to allow people to celebrate or commemorate something of particular social or cultural importance. There is no fixed time limit as to when such a holiday should be taken; instead, it is determined by a calendar that may vary from one country to another. Usually, the most common types of holidays include Christmas, Easter, Thanksgiving and New Year’s. These are followed by some other, less well-known national holidays.
The purpose of holidays is not only to pass the time but also to let people celebrate, at least in some way. A holiday may be dedicated to a family member who has died. On the other hand, it may also be a period of relaxation, comfort and introspection. Holidays provide for a time to spend with friends and family. During the holiday season, families can visit each other’s homes and share gifts.
The reasons for observing holidays vary across the world. In Europe, where Catholic and Christian traditions have prominent positions in the society, holidays are seen as a time to remember and remind loved ones of what happened to them during the past and their association with the present. In the United States, on the other hand, the government tends to promote a spirit of enjoyment and relaxation and so holidays are seen as a time for rest, relaxation and bonding. In general, however, there are few things that set aside holidays apart from the usual run of the mill holidays.
Holidays provide an opportunity for family members to spend quality time together. For instance, a bank holiday allows the family to go out for dinner, drive around in the neighborhood, go for picnics, and spend quality time together. Apart from that, a holiday vacation also allows a family to spend quality time away from routine life. When a person goes on a vacation, he wants to spend time away from the commotion of daily life and thus, it is believed that a holiday vacation is the best option for time away from routine life.
The popularity of vacations is on the rise these days. A person may choose to go on a holiday either for business or pleasure. When a person goes on a vacation, he wants to spend time away from all the business issues and he therefore opts for a public holiday. As far as a public holiday is concerned, people will have more holidays than usual because the office does not get over crowded. A public holiday also enables a person to have more holidays in a year as compared to other vacations. So, the best time for a family to go on a holiday vacation is during the Christmas holiday when the office is empty and most of the people are busy with the Christmas parties.
Another reason for a family going on a holiday vacation at this time is the Christmas tree and the home decorations. Christmas trees need to be decorated for the festive season. A person cannot place the Christmas tree in the garden if it does not look attractive and nice. The decoration of the Christmas tree ensures that the holiday season is a joyful time for the whole family.