American Holidays_holidays少儿英语
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American Holidays
Americans celebrate a variety of federal holidays and other national observances throughout the year.American holidays can be secular, religious, international, or uniquely American.With the wide variety of federal holidays, and the many levels of American government, it can be confusing to determine what public and private facilities are open on or around a given federal holiday.You can usually find such information in the daily newspaper or by calling the office you wish to visit.The following are American federal holidays and other common national observances.Federal holidays are indicated as such.is January 1.The celebration of this federal holiday begins the night before, when Americans gather to wish each other a happy and prosperous coming year.Many Americans make New Year's resolutions.in January.The Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr.was an African-American clergyman who is recognized for his tirele efforts to win civil rights for all people through nonviolent means.is February 2, and has been celebrated since 1887.On Groundhog Day, crowds gather in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, to see if groundhog Punxsutawney Phil sees his shadow after emerging from his burrow, thus predicting six more weeks of winter weather.and on Valentine's Day, Americans give presents like candy or flowers to the ones they love.The first ma-produced valentine cards were sold in the 1840s.is a federal holiday observed the third Monday of February to honor George Washington, the first President of the United States.This date is commonly called Presidents' Day and many groups honor the legacy of past presidents on this date.falls on a spring Sunday that varies from year to year.Easter is a Christian holiday celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ.For Christians, Easter is a day of religious services and the gathering of family.Many Americans follow old traditions of coloring hard-boiled eggs and giving children baskets of candy.is observed on April 22.First celebrated in 1970 in the United States, it inspired national legislation such as the Clean Air and Clean Water Acts.Earth Day is designed to promote ecology, encourage respect for life on earth, and highlight concern over pollution of the soil, air, and water.was proclaimed as the last Friday in April by President Richard Nixon in 1970.A number of state Arbor Days are observed at other times to coincide with the best tree planting weather, from January and February in the south to May in the far north.The observance began in 1872, when Nebraska settlers and homesteaders were urged to plant trees on the largely treele plains.iued a proclamation in 1914, asked Americans to give a public expreion of reverence to mothers on this day.Carnations have come to represent Mother's Day, following President William McKinley's habit of always wearing a white carnation, his mother's favorite flower.is a federal holiday observed the last Monday of May.It originally honored the people killed in the American Civil War, but has become a day on which the American dead of all wars, and the dead generally, are remembered in special programs held in cemeteries, churches, and other public meeting places.The flying of the American flag is widespread., celebrated June 14, has been a presidentially proclaimed observance since 1916.Although Flag Day is not a federal holiday, Americans are encouraged to display the flag outside their homes and businees on this day to honor the history and heritage the American flag represents.celebrates fathers every third Sunday of June.Father's Day began in 1909 in Spokane, Washington, when a daughter requested a special day to honor her father, a Civil War veteran who raised his children after his wife died.The first presidential proclamation honoring fathers was iued in 1966 by President Lyndon Johnson.is July 4.This federal holiday honors the nation's birthday-the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776.It is a day of picnics and patriotic parades, a night of concerts and fireworks.The flying of the American flag is widespread.is the first Monday of September.This federal holiday honors the nation's working people, typically with parades.For most Americans it marks the end of the summer vacation season and the start of the school year.is a federal holiday celebrated on the second Monday in October.The day commemorates October 12, 1492, when Italian navigator Christopher Columbus landed in the New World.The holiday was first proclaimed in 1937 by President Franklin D.Roosevelt.is celebrated on October 31.On Halloween, American children dre up in funny or scary costumes and go “trick or treating” by knocking on doors in their neighborhood.The neighbors are expected to respond by giving them small gifts of candy or money.is celebrated on November 11.Originally called Armistice Day, this federal holiday was established to honor Americans who had served in World War I, but it now honors veterans of all wars in which the U.S.has fought.Veterans' organizations hold parades, and the2
president places a wreath on the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia.is a federal holiday celebrated on the fourth Thursday in November.In the fall of 1621, the Pilgrims held a three-day feast to celebrate a bountiful harvest.Many regard this event as the nation's first Thanksgiving.The Thanksgiving feast became a national tradition and almost always includes some of the foods served at the first feast: roast turkey, cranberry sauce, potatoes, and pumpkin pie.is December 7.In 1994, Congre designated this national observance to honor the more than 2,400 military service personnel who died on this date in 1941, during the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, by Japanese forces.The attack on Pearl Harbor caused the United States to enter World War II.is a federal holiday celebrated on December 25.Christmas is a Christian holiday marking the birth of the Christ Child.Decorating houses and yards with lights, putting up Christmas trees, giving gifts, and sending greeting cards have become traditions even for many non-Christian Americans.Other Celebrations
Various ethnic and religious groups in America celebrate days with special meaning to them even though these are not national holidays.Jews, for example, observe their high holy days in September, Muslims celebrate Ramadan, African Americans celebrate Kwanzaa, Irish Americans celebrate the old country's patron saint, St.Patrick, on March 17, and Mardi Gras is the day before the Christian season of Lent begins and is a big occasion in New Orleans, Louisiana, where huge parades and wild revels take place.There are many other such religious and ethnic celebrations in the United States.Words and expreions
Secular: not connected with or controlled by a church or other religious authority
New Year's resolution [countable]: a decision to do something better or to stop doing something bad in the New Year.Groundhog: a small North American animal that has thick brown fur
Resurrection: the return of Jesus Christ to life after his death on the cro, which is one of the main beliefs of the Christian religion
