Plan: Festivals and Traditions in the usa

Traditions and holidays of the USA
Plan:
1. Festivals and Traditions in the USA
2. Holidays in the USA
3. Public holidays in the United States

In the U.S., we refer to the months of November and December as “the holiday season” because of the major holidays celebrated from Thanksgiving to New Year’s Day. The United States is a nation of many cultures that has adopted holiday customs from across the world, and we’ve developed a few of our own that stand out. Here’s a handy guide to those traditions for international students in the U.S.

Black Friday
You may have seen it on TV – the day after Thanksgiving in the U.S., crowds gather at stores across the country in the early hours of the morning in search of the best discounts on presents for the holidays. The event got its name from a phrase used in business – “in the black” – which means that a company has made a profit.
Drinking Eggnog
Eggnog is a sweet seasonal drink that has been popular around the holidays in the U.S. since its colonial days. The drink consists of milk, cream, sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg, and can be made with or without egg whites and rum/whiskey. While the drink originated in England, it’s a treat reserved just for the holidays in the States.
Decorating Houses with Lights
It’s common to see houses decorated with everything from white lights to blow-up decorations across the country. Going beyond public parks and city squares, American families and neighbors (like this city block in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) often see their impressive house decorations as a point of pride and cause for bragging rights.
Eating Pumpkin Desserts
You may have heard the phrase, “as American as apple pie.” It may be even more appropriate to say so for pumpkin pie. Every autumn in the U.S., farmers harvest pumpkins that bakeries and families turn into a variety of holiday treats between Halloween and Christmas. The most famous of these is pumpkin pie, a sweet and hearty dessert typically enjoyed with family after Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner. Try a slice this year!
Watching the Ball Drop on New Year’s Eve in New York
For over 100 years every New Year’s Eve, thousands of tourists flock to Times Square in New York City to witness “the Ball drop.” A 12-foot ball of Waterford crystals that weighs over 5,000 kg descends from the top of One Times Square as people in the U.S. count down to the new year. If you can’t make it to New York to see it yourself, you can watch it on TV.
The Mummers Parade
The Mummers Parade is thought to be the oldest folk festival in the U.S. The parade is a unique celebration on New Year’s Day in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and consists of a number of string bands who play music and wear homemade elaborate costumes to ring in the new year.
Time Off in December and January
Most U.S. schools and many businesses are closed between Christmas and New Year’s Day so families can spend time together. For college students in the U.S., the holidays mean it’s time for winter break, which usually lasts from mid-December to mid-January. Here’s how you can spend your month off.
Mixing Cultural Traditions
The U.S. is home to people from all over the world, and holiday celebrations are no different. Read how international food truck owners on Temple University’s campus share their cultural traditions with students this time of year.
Whether you are an international student spending the holiday season in the U.S. for the first time or the fifth time, these traditions are sure to get you into the spirit. Happy Holidays!
The schedule of public holidays in the United States is largely influenced by the schedule of federal holidays but is controlled by private sector employers who provide 62% of the total U.S. population with paid time off.[citation needed]
Public holidays with paid time off is generally defined to occur on a day that is within the employee's work week. When a holiday occurs on Saturday or Sunday, that holiday is shifted to either Friday or Monday for work purposes. Most employers follow a holiday schedule similar to the federal holidays of the United States, with exceptions or additions. The federal holiday schedule mainly benefits employees of government and government regulated businesses; however, this sector only comprises 15% of the working population.
At the discretion of the employer, other non-federal holidays such as New Year's Eve, Christmas Eve and the Day after Thanksgiving are common additions to the list of paid holidays while Columbus Day and Veterans Day are common omissions. Besides paid holidays, there are festival and food holidays that also have wide acceptance based on sales of goods and services that are typically associated with that holiday. Halloween and Valentine's Day are examples of widely celebrated uncompensated holidays.
Public holidays had their origins from established federal holidays that were enacted by Congress. They were typically observed on days that have significance for various sectors of American society and are observed at all levels of society, including government and the private sector. These holidays are typically derived from the history, religions, and cultures of the United States and have changed over time. Major holidays are most commonly observed with paid time off, however, many other holiday celebrations come without time off.
There are no national holidays on which the law requires all businesses to close. Federal holidays are only established for certain federally chartered and regulated businesses, government contractors, and the city of Washington, DC. All other public holidays are created by the States; most states also allow local jurisdictions (cities, villages, etc.) to establish their own local holidays. As a result, holidays have not historically been governed at the federal level and federal law does not govern business openings.
Some states, however, do restrict certain business activities on some holidays.[1] Business closures are mandated on a few holidays in some states for certain kinds of businesses by blue laws. For example, businesses that operate on more than 5,000 square feet (460 m2) cannot open on Thanksgiving in some New England states. The most notable businesses to close on such occasions are car dealerships and liquor stores. Some holidays are observed with community service, depending on the meaning of the holiday. Service is, however, not mandated by any government agencies, whether they be federal, state, or local.
As of June 2021, there are eleven annual federal holidays in the United States, and one additional quadrennial holiday (Inauguration Day).[2] Pursuant to the Uniform Monday Holiday Act of 1968 (effective 1971), official holidays are observed on a Monday, except for New Year's Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas
While the popularity of each public holiday cannot easily be measured, the holiday with the highest greeting card sales is Christmas.[8] Major retail establishments, such as shopping malls and centers, close only on Thanksgiving and Christmas, but remain open on all other holidays (with early closings on Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve, and sometimes on other major holidays). In the face of a rapidly tightening retail market in the 2010s, retailers have increasingly been opening on Thanksgiving evening and night to extend Black Friday and the holiday shopping season.[9] Virtually all large companies observe and close on the major holidays (New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas). Some non-retail businesses close on the day after Thanksgiving, while others (such as federal banks and post offices) are not allowed to close that day. Some smaller businesses normally open on Sundays will close on Easter Sunday if they expect to have very few customers that day.
The labor force in the United States comprises about 62% (as of 2014) of the general population.[40] In the United States, 97% of the private sector businesses determine what days this sector of the population gets paid time off, according to a study by the Society for Human Resource Management. The following holidays are observed by the majority of U.S. businesses with paid time off
Religious and cultural holidays in the United States are characterized by a diversity of religious beliefs and practices. However, the First Amendment to the United States Constitution provides that "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof...." and Article VI specifies that "no religious Test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any Office or public Trust under the United States." As a result, various religious faiths have flourished, as well as perished, in the United States. A majority of Americans report that religion plays a "very important" role in their lives, a proportion unique among developed nations.[42]
The majority of Americans (73–80%) identify themselves as Christians and about 15–20% have no religious affiliation.[43] According to the American Religious Identification Survey (ARIS) (2008) 76% of the American adult population identified themselves as Christians, with 51% professing attendance at a variety of churches that could be considered Protestant or unaffiliated, and 25% professing Catholic beliefs.[44] The same survey says that other religions (including, for example, Islam, Judaism, Buddhism, and Hinduism) collectively make up about 4% of the adult population, another 15% of the adult population claim no religious affiliation, and 5.2% said they did not know, or they refused to reply. According to a 2012 survey by the Pew forum, 36 percent of Americans state that they attend services nearly every week or more With 65% of adults in the U.S. identifying as Christian, many holidays from the liturgical calendar are observed by this segment of the population.[46] Many businesses, as well as federal, state, and local governments, are closed on Christmas, arguably the most significant holiday of the Christian religion.[47] A reference in A Christmas Story shows a Chinese restaurant being the only establishment open on Christmas.
Some private businesses and certain other institutions are closed on Good Friday. The financial market and stock market is closed on Good Friday.[49] Most retail stores remain open although some might close early. Public schools and most universities are closed on Good Friday, either as a holiday of its own, or part of spring break. The postal service operates, and banks regulated by the federal government do not close for Good Friday.
A one-day holiday, celebrated the Jews being saved from a plot by Haman, the second-in-command to the Persian king, Achasverosh, or Xerxes, to exterminate every single Jew. It is generally celebrated by reading the Book of Esther in Synagogue the preceding night (which, like all Jewish holidays, is actually part of the holiday) and in the morning, giving charity, giving presents of food baskets to at least two friends, and having a celebratory feast. Unlike most other Jewish holidays (other than Hanukkah), work is allowed including using electricity, and other prohibited actions on Sabbath, and other holidays. The day before (or the Thursday before, if Purim is on a Sunday) is a fast day commemorating the fast of Esther before she met with King Achashverosh. In Jerusalem, Purim is celebrated the day after the rest of the world.
The major Islamic holidays of Ramadan, Eid al-Fitr, and Eid al-Adha have been recognized in the United States. Awareness of these holidays can be found in calendars published by major calendar manufacturers.[83][84][85] According to Al-Jazeera, schools in New York and Michigan (mainly Dearborn) may begin to close in observance of all Muslim holidays.
Ramadan (Arabic: رمضان‎ Ramaḍān, IPA: [rɑmɑˈdˤɑːn];[variations] Persian: رَمَضان‎ Ramazān; Urdu / Punjabi رَمْضان Ramzān; Turkish: Ramazan) is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar;[87] Muslims worldwide observe this as a month of fasting.[88] This annual observance is regarded as one of the Five Pillars of Islam.[89] The month lasts 29–30 days based on the visual sightings of the crescent moon, according to numerous biographical accounts compiled in the hadiths.[90][91] The word Ramadan comes from the Arabic root ramiḍa or ar-ramaḍ, which means scorching heat or dryness.[92] Fasting is fard ("obligatory") for adult Muslims, except those who are ill, traveling, pregnant, breastfeeding, diabetic or going through menstrual bleeding.[93] Fasting the month of Ramadan was made obligatory (wājib) during the month of Sha'aban, in the second year after the Muslims migrated from Mecca to Medina.

List of literature

1. 
   Massachusetts, for example, forbids most retailers from opening on Thanksgiving and Christmas: Attorney General's Office, "Sunday and Holiday Openings" "Office of Attorney General Maura Healey". Archived from the original on August 30, 2016. Retrieved October 13, 2014.
   
2. 
   "Federal Holidays". Opm.gov. Retrieved March 3, 2014.
   
3. 
   Uniform Monday Holiday Act
   
4. 
   "State Holidays". Infoplease.com. Retrieved March 3, 2014.
   
5. 
   "Rosa Parks to be honored by Missouri on Feb 4th". Archived from the original on March 6, 2017.
   
6. 
   "Illinois designates May 19 as Malcolm X Day". May 20, 2015.
   
7. 
   "2014 Diversity Holidays". Archived from the original on October 21, 2014.
   
8. 
   Enten, Harry J. (December 22, 2012). "Christmas may be on the cards, but is it the most popular American holiday?". The Guardian.
   
9. 
   "Hours". Mall of America. Retrieved March 3, 2014.