Computing Corner

Come and learn the exciting history of the American holidays we know and love – US holidays that are the most widely celebrated. Many other holidays are widely celebrated, but are from ethnic and religious areas of culture, and thusly have less national recognition.

New Year's Day begins our list and begins the year. One of the calendar federal holidays, it falls on January 1, every year, and has ever since two Roman consuls deemed it so and replaced the original March 15 date. The Roman consuls selected the date for military reasons, but Americans tend to mix more fun into this holiday. Its celebration begins the night before, and usually includes huge parties where everyone gathers to wish one another success in the new year. The most specific success is wished on most Americans who use this holiday to set goals known as “New Year's Resolutions”, in which they resolve to improve themselves through setting goals. The most common of these goals are to lose weight, pay off debt, save money, and to get better job.

The next of the American holidays is a calendar holiday that had some time before it was accepted: it took three years after President Ronald Reagan's signing into law in 1983 or this holiday to be made a federal holiday. It wasn't until 2000 when it was first celebrated equally with its proper name in all 50 states. This holiday's namesake is a great African American reverend and nonviolent civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr. This hopeful national holiday honors the spirit and tenacity of this courageous leader to commemorate his undying efforts on the third Monday in January. Images and education focuses serve to celebrate this holiday.

Presidents' Day, is the next of the US holidays, originally honored only our first President, General George Washington. President Nixon made it to honor all past Presidents in 1971. This holiday serves as an educational time for Americans to look back and honor the leaders of their past. This holiday is celebrated in February on the third Monday.

Valentine's Day is one of the most celebrated holidays, practicing through gifts of candies and flowers and giving of greeting cards the expression of love. This holiday was named after a Christian martyr of which very little is known. A line of Chaucer first associated Valentine with love, and now both the cards exchanged and lovers who exchange them are referred to as “valentines”. The calendar date for the holiday is February 14.

This next national holiday focuses more on children, with games and a playful bunny used in its celebration. Easter, the Christian celebration of resurrection, also brings families together to play games such as coloring and hiding eggs that have been hardboiled. Religious celebrations involved church services and family gatherings. Easter takes place on a spring Sunday.

Memorial Day is the last Monday in May. It is one of the federal holidays that once honored American Civil War casualties and now honors those from all wars. The departed are memorialized in services held in cemeteries or churches, and flags are proudly displayed on this American holiday.

Flags fly proudly on Independence Day, or the fourth of July. This honors the signing of the Declaration in 1776, marking the birth of the American nation in a calendar date national holiday.

This first September Monday is Labor Day, designed in New York City to give working Americans a calendar date federal holidays to take off time.

Columbus Day is the second October Monday, celebrating Columbus's discovery of America, which is celebrated through education.

Halloween is October 31, and entails children going door-to-door in frightening costumes “trick or treating” for candy.

Thanksgiving is the fourth November Thursday, honoring the Puritan feast of thanks to Native Americans with feasts in American homes every year.

Our final holiday is Christmas day. For Christians, it is the birth of Christ. For everyone it is a time of gift-giving, and one thing all our holidays have in common: love.

Navigate further: learn more about the history and celebration of US Holidays.