People everywhere celebrate special days known as festivals or holidays. Although each festival and holiday has a different purpose, they tend to have some things in common. Many are associated with traditions. These include decorating a tree at Christmas or lighting menorah candles during Hanukkah. Festivals and holidays also bring people together in a variety of ways. For some holidays people join together for solemn ceremonies—such as honoring the war dead on Memorial Day. Other holidays, such as Mardi Gras, are occasions for joyous celebrations.
The word festival comes from the word feast (an elaborate meal). Many festivals were originally connected with the planting or harvesting of crops. Food still plays a major role in many of today’s festivals and holidays. The Thanksgiving turkey is an example of a traditional food linked to a holiday.
The word holiday originally meant “holy day.” Many holidays are still religious occasions—for example, the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. Other holidays are not religious. For instance, national holidays, such as the Fourth of July in the United States, help citizens to remember their nation’s history.
