Federal Holidays

Holidays are celebrated by people all over the world. We celebrate or commemorate a particular event as a holiday such as the birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr. The term holiday is also used when we celebrate or commemorate a religious holy day such as Easter. Certain holidays such as Veterans Day and Christmas allow us to have the day off work to spend with our family and friends or just relaxing.

In the United States there are no federal or national holidays. Federal holidays are legally designated by the President and Congress and really apply only to federal government employees. Each of the fifty states has jurisdiction over the holidays they celebrate. When a federal holiday is declared, the state decides to honor it. Most observe the ten federal holidays:

• New Year's Day - January 1
• Martin Luther King Day - January 15 (Official day is the third Monday in January)
• Presidents Day - Traditional observance is February 12 (Abraham Lincoln) and February 22 (George Washington). (Official day is the third Monday in February
• Memorial Day - Traditional observance is May 30 (Official day is the last Monday in May)
• Independence Day - July 4
• Labor Day - First Monday in September
• Columbus Day - Traditional observance is October 12 (Official day is the second Monday in October)
• Veterans Day - November 11
• Thanksgiving Day - Fourth Thursday in November
• Christmas Day - December 25

President Richard Nixon officially moved the dates of the federal holidays to the nearest Monday in 1971. Independence Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day are actually celebrated on their respective day. When New Year's Day, Independence Day, or Christmas Day falls on a Sunday, the next day is also a holiday.

All federal government offices, including the post office, are closed on all federal holidays. Schools and businesses are usually closed on most major holidays such as Independence Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas Day. Businesses such as department stores may be open on other federal holidays such as Presidents Day or Veterans Day.

The legislature of each date is responsible for determining if and when a holiday is to be observed. Some have retained observances on traditional days while others follow the dates established by the federal government. Some states have their own holidays such as the date the state joined the Union. Cities and towns can also decide if they are going to observe a particular holiday.

The observance of Memorial Day was founded by the city of Waterloo, New York on May 30. The city always celebrates the traditional day.

Whatever the event, it is an individual choice to celebrate it.

• New Years Day
  
  New Years Day is a day of renewal and self-examination. Many people make resolutions to change bad habits into good ones.
• Martin Luther King Jr
  
  The birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr. is the first major holiday to commemorate the life and good deeds of an African American was passed into law by Congress on November 2, 1983.
• Presidents Day
  
  Presidents Day is officially observed as the birthday commermoration of George Washington and Abraham Lincoln.
• Memorial Day
  
  Memorial Day was originall a day to honor the dead soldiers of the Civil War. It has grown to be a day to honor the dead who have served in all wars fought by the United States.
• Independence Day
  
  Independence Day is celebrated on July 4, the date the Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence.
• Labor Day
  
  Labor Day was the result of workers wanting to be paid appropriate wages for the work they do, decent working hours, and time off to rest.
• Columbus Day
  
  Columbus Day is celebrated as the day Christopher Columbus discovered America.
• Veterans Day
  
  Veterans Day is celebrated by states and cities throughout the United States. It is a day to honor those who fought in war for the U. S.
• Thanksgiving Day
  
  The first Thanksgiving Day was a feast with the Pilgrims and Indians sitting down together to share the harvest the Indians had helped the Pilgrims to grow.