A holiday is a day designated as having special significance for which individuals, a government, or a religious group have deemed that observation is warranted. It is generally an official (more common) or unofficial observance of religious, national, or cultural significance, often accompanied by celebrations or festivities…. The word holiday derived from the notion of "Holy Day", and gradually evolved to its current form. The word holiday comes from the Old English word hāligdæg. The word originally referred only to special religious days. In modern use, it means any special day of rest or relaxation…. (Wikipedia)
Thank goodness for holidays. Coming off the 4th of July it is possible to feel reinvigorated after a day of rest, relaxation, and observance. Imagine what it would be like to have no holidays; to have no days sanctified with special significance; to have no days marked as holy. What kind of religion, what type of nation would have nothing worth celebration or observance? To say “humbug” to holidays says “nix” to life and human needs. It makes the fatal mistake of ingratitude; it assumes all good things came down to us on a silver platter of indifference and ease. It discounts the gifts to us from our predecessors and would make callous our posterity. In view of this, I would like to propose a holiday in celebration of holidays—but rather than Thanksgiving’s two days off, there would be a week off for special observance, rest, and relaxation. It would be a “floating event” and occur on everyone’s birthday.
Print Page
