{ holidays }

AmericAn Jacy Meyer (USA) federAl holidAys

did you know thAt the origin of the word “holidAy” is ActuAlly “holy dAy”? holidAys originAlly represented speciAl religious dAys. nowAdAys, the word holidAy is used A bit differently in the us. whenever there’s A dAy “off”, we cAll it A holidAy – but if we tAke time off And go AwAy on A trip, we cAll it A vAcAtion.

On the first Monday in September, we have Labor Day, which celebrates working people. Sadly , it also often signals the end of summer and the start of a new school year for students.

Independence Day

The second Monday in October is Columbus Day, which commemorates explorer Christopher Columbus’ landing in the New World in 1492.

Veteran’s Day is celebrated on the second Monday in November, and was originally established to honor people who served in World War I. Now, it honors all veterans of any war.

Also in November is one of Americans’ favorite holidays – Thanksgiving. It’s held on the fourth Thursday of November and was historically held as thanks for a good harvest . We still get together with friends and family for a good meal. Thanksgiving also brings us the unofficial start to the Christmas shopping season,

which is followed by Christmas celebrations.

president, George Washington, on February 22.

There are 10 federal or national holidays in the US. These are designated by the federal government, but each state can decide if they want to honor them, or have different ones. Here’s a list of them by month.

Then we have to wait until May, when we celebrate Memorial Day on the last Monday of the month. This is also the unofficial start to summer. This holiday is held to remember the soldiers who were killed in wars.

In January, we celebrate New Year’s Day on the first, as well as Martin Luther King Day. This day remembers a man who worked for equal rights among all races and is celebrated on the third Monday of the month. In the US, most federal holidays don’t have specific dates, but are celebrated on a certain day. That way , states and companies who celebrate it will have a long weekend.

July brings us Independence Day, or

Turkey, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, corn and pumpkin pie are traditionally served at Thanksgiving. These dishes are native to America and were introduced as a new food source to the Europeans when they arrived.

as it is more commonly known, the Fourth of July! This is when we

remember our beginnings as an independent nation, free from British rule . Independence Day is always held on July 4, and if it falls on a weekend, either the Friday or the Monday is a day off.

Y Vocabulary

origin [“QrIdZIn] - původ holy [“h@Uli] - svatý, posvátný to designate [“dEzIgn@t] - určit, vyhlásit equal rights among all races [“i:kw(@)l reIsIz] - rovnoprávnost všech lidských ras that way - díky tomu free from… rule [ru:l] - osvobozené od… nadvlády sadly [“s&dli] - bohužel harvest [“hA:vIst] - sklizeň

In February, the third Monday of the month is President’s Day, which honors all our Presidents. It was originally held in honor of the birthday of our first

In 1964, Martin Luther King became the youngest man to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. He received it for promoting nonviolence and equal treatment for different races.

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