By Reina Manabe
Holidays are always people’s favorite things. You usually get a day off and get enough time to spend your precious time with your favorite people instead of going to work or studying. In the United States, there are 11 annual U.S. federal holidays on the calendar designated by the United States Congress. What holidays are popular now among U.S. citizens? Statista Research Department published a statistic on the most popular national and religious events in the United States as of 2021.
1. Thanksgiving
The most popular holiday is Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is an annual national holiday in the United States and also Canada celebrating the harvest and other blessings of the past year. Americans generally believe that their Thanksgiving is modeled on a 1621 harvest feast shared by the English colonists of Plymouth and the Wampanoag people. People gather and celebrate with their relatives, spending time together. The spirit of Thanksgiving is one of family, friends, love, inclusiveness, being grateful, and, last but not least, fabulous food. Turkey is one of the popular food menus for this holiday. The holiday is a favorite for so many people because it isn’t focused on presents or extravagant decorations but it’s about sitting down for a delicious meal, surrounded by friends and family, which is a precious time that many people cherish.
2. Christmas
The second most popular holiday is Christmas. Christmas is celebrated on Dec. 25. It is a holiday to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. Things people enjoy for this holiday are spending time with family members, eating a lot of food, putting up Christmas decorations including a Christmas tree, and getting Christmas presents, which kids are most excited about. Usually, kids get their gifts from Santa Claus, who comes over to their house with his reindeer while they are sleeping and leaves gifts for them. It is so exciting for them to get a gift while they are sleeping that some of them can’t even sleep well. I remember when I was little I could barely sleep that night every year. Especially when I got gifts that I had exactly wanted, I got so delighted.
3. Memorial day
Memorial Day is an American holiday, observed on the last Monday of May, honoring the men and women who have passed while serving in the U.S. military. Originally known as Decoration Day, it originated in the years following the Civil War and became an official federal holiday in 1971. Many Americans observe Memorial Day by visiting cemeteries or memorials, holding family gatherings, and participating in parades. Unofficially, it marks the beginning of the summer season, and as such, it is a popular holiday enjoyed with outdoor events and picnics. Unlike the two other holidays, it is not a really fun holiday, although people think that this day is important because it is the day to memorialize the veterans who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country.
Each holiday has its own features, but the fact is that people get together with their own families for all of the holidays. I believe holidays are important for many people because those are the days when they can spend time with people that they love the most.