In the United States,public holidays are set byfederal,state, andlocal governments and are often observed by closing government offices or giving government employeespaid time off. The federal government does not require private businesses to close or offer paid time off, as is the case for most state and local governments, so employers determine whichholidays to observe.
Christmas is the onlyreligious holiday that is a federal holiday. Some businesses allowreligious employees to take paid time off for religious observances.
Other holidays, such asHalloween andValentine's Day, are widely celebrated in the United States but rarely include paid time off.
There are nonational holidays on which the law requires all businesses to close.Federal holidays are only established for certainfederally chartered and regulated businesses, government contractors, and the city ofWashington, DC. All other public holidays are created by the States. Most states allow local jurisdictions, cities, villages, etc., to establish local holidays. As a result, holidays have not historically been governed at the federal level, and federal law does not govern business openings.
Many states have additional holidays that the federal government does not observe.[1] Most prominent among these are holidays to celebratestatehood. Since 2000, some city and state-level celebrations ofMalcolm X Day andRosa Parks Day have been created, in addition to the federalMartin Luther King Jr. Day, to honor and recognizeAfrican American contributions to the United States.Missouri honors Rosa Parks on her birthday.[2][3]
Colorado became the first state to establish a paid state holiday honoring a woman in 2020 with the designation of the first Monday in October asFrances Xavier Cabrini Day.[4]
Saint Patrick's Day parade in Atlanta, 2012
Many businesses observe certain holidays, which are also not mandated by any government agency. Many workplaces celebrate religious observance as well as ethnic holidays, such asSaint Patrick's Day,Kwanzaa,Diwali,Mardi Gras, andCinco de Mayo, as a matter of best practice.[5]
Virtually all large companies observe and close on the major holidays (New Year's Day,Memorial Day,Independence Day,Labor Day,Thanksgiving, andChristmas). Some non-retail businesses close 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 onEaster Sunday if they expect to have very few customers that day.[9]
Some states restrict certain business activities on some holidays.[10] Business closures are mandated on a few holidays in some states for certain kinds of businesses byblue laws. For example, businesses that operate on more than 5,000 square feet (460 m2) cannot open onThanksgiving in someNew England states. The most notable businesses to close on such occasions arecar dealerships andliquor stores. Some holidays are observed withcommunity service, depending on the meaning of the holiday. Service is not mandated by any government agencies, whether they be federal, state, or local.
Established in 2021, Juneteenth is the newest federal holiday. In its second year of federal observance, 30% of private employers offered paid time off.[12]
Religious and cultural holidays in the United States are characterized by a diversity of religious beliefs and practices. However, theFirst Amendment to the United States Constitution provides that "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof ...." andArticle 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. In 2002, a majority of Americans reported that religion plays a "very important" role in their lives, a proportion unique amongdeveloped nations.[13]
In 2012, the majority of Americans (73–80%) identified themselves as Christians and about 15–20% had no religious affiliation.[14] In the 2008American Religious Identification Survey (ARIS), 76% of American adults 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.[15] The same survey said that other religions (including, for example,Islam,Judaism,Buddhism, andHinduism) collectively made up about 4% of the adult population, another 15% of the adult population claimed no religious affiliation, and 5.2% said they did not know, or they refused to reply. In a 2012 survey by the Pew forum, 36 percent of Americans stated that they attended services nearly every week or more.[16]
With 65% of adults in the U.S. identifying as Christian in 2019, many holidays from the liturgical calendar are observed by this segment of the population.[17] Many businesses, as well as federal, state, and local governments, are closed onChristmas.[18] A reference in the filmA Christmas Story shows aChinese restaurant being the only establishment open on Christmas.
Some private businesses and certain other institutions are closed onGood Friday (March 29 2024, April 18 2025, April 3 2026, March 26 2027).[19] The financial market and stock market is closed on Good Friday.[20] 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 ofspring break. The postal service operates, and banks regulated by the federal government do not close for Good Friday.[21]
Many companies, including banks, malls, shopping centers, and most private retail stores that normally open on Sundays are closed onEaster (March 31 2024, April 20 2025, April 5 2026, March 28 2027).[9]
The three most commonly celebrated Jewish holidays arePassover (Sunset, April 12, 2025 – nightfall, April 20, 2025),Rosh Hashanah (Sunset, September 22, 2025 – nightfall, September 24, 2025), andYom Kippur (Sunset, October 1, 2025 – nightfall, October 2, 2025).[22][failed verification]Passover,Yom Kippur,Rosh Hashanah, andHanukkah (Sunset, December 14, 2025 – nightfall, December 22, 2025) are recognized as an optional state level holiday inTexas.[23][24] All Jewish holidays start the night before, as that is when the Jewish day begins.
The major Islamic holidays ofRamadan,Eid al-Fitr, andEid al-Adha have been recognized in the United States. Awareness of these holidays can be found in calendars published by major calendar manufacturers.[25][26][27] According toAl-Jazeera, schools inNew York andMichigan (mainlyDearborn) may begin to close in observance of all Muslim holidays.[28][when?]
The Hindu holidays ofDiwali andHoli are celebrated in some parts of the United States, mostly byIndian Americans or peoples ofIndian descent.[29][30] Holi, the "festival of colors" has inspired aBroadway musical based on this festival.[31] While not officially recognized in most of the United States, the New York City Council officially recognized these as official school holidays in New York City.[32] CNN reported that the Diwali holiday is shown in American pop culture through an episode ofThe Office.[33][34]
Holidays with other cultural or historical significance
Crowds onVine Street at the Oktoberfest in Cincinnati
According to the National Institutes of Health, about 86% of the population over 18 drinks alcohol recreationally or socially.[35] In the United States, the holidays that are considered the most "festive" are generally regarded as some of the "most drunken holidays". Celebrations usually revolve around barbecues and beer. Although many of these holidays lack any official status, they are generally observed by the drinking culture for the fact that these holidays revolve around drinking.[36]
One measurement of the popularity of these holidays is the amount of alcohol purchased for the occasion.[36] One survey namesNew Year's Eve as the holiday on which the most alcohol is consumed based on sales.[36] While many holidays are listed, some are generally notable for their drinking requirement while others are known for abstinence.[37]
2003 Kwanzaa celebration with its founder,Maulana Karenga, and others
Some holidays in the United States celebrate or recognize the struggle of African-Americans foremancipation fromslavery andcivil rights. Two holidays are celebrated as Federal holidays:
Martin Luther King Jr. Day, observed on the Monday falling on or between January 15–21, commemorates the birthday ofDr. King, a significant leader of the Civil Rights Movement. The holiday was established federally in 1983 and first officially celebrated in 1986; efforts to create the holiday faced strong opposition and some southern states paired the new holiday with a holiday honoring theConfederacy
Juneteenth, observed on June 19, commemorates the announcement of theabolition ofslavery in Texas in June 1865, and more generally the emancipation of enslaved African-Americans. The name is aportmanteau ofJune andnineteenth[38][39] and has been afederal holiday since 2021.
Some states and cities have additional holidays honoring African-Americans:
Emancipation Day, observed in Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, Mississippi, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, and the US Virgin Islands on various days based on when enslaved people were emancipated in those jurisdictions
Harriet Tubman Day, observed in New York and in some parts of Maryland on March 10
Malcolm X Day, observed in Illinois and Berkeley, California, on May 19; also celebrated in cities such as Atlanta, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C. as an unofficial holiday
Rosa Parks Day, observed in Missouri on February 4, in California and Michigan on the following Monday, and in Ohio on December 1
Some states celebrate holidays honoring theConfederate States of America that seceded from the United States. Many of these state holidays were created in the early twentieth century, fifty years after the end of theCivil War, as part of the myth of theLost Cause of the Confederacy.[42]
Robert E. Lee Day (on or around Lee's Jan 19 birthday) is still observed in Alabama and Mississippi combined withMartin Luther King Jr. Day, the only remaining states to do so.[43] It is officially recognized in Florida, but is not widely observed there.[44]Arkansas combined the observance of Robert E. Lee Day withMartin Luther King Jr. Day in 1985.[45] In 2017, the state passed a law removing Lee's name from the January holiday and instead establishing a state memorial day on the second Saturday of October in honor of Lee.[46]
Confederate History Month has been declared at least once in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas, and Virginia as well as by various cities, usually in April to augment Confederate Memorial Day.
In addition to the federal/national holidays, many religious, ethnic, and other traditional holidays populate the calendar, as well as lighter celebrations. These are rarely observed by businesses as holidays;[9] indeed, many are viewed as opportunities for commercial promotion. Because of this commercialization, some critics apply the deprecatory termHallmark holiday to such days, after theHallmarkgreeting card company.
Super Bowl Sunday (the second Sunday in February; the day of theNational Football League'schampionship; festivities generally including in-home parties and watching the game on television with beverages and snacks)
Festivus (Dec 23; a parody holiday that protests Christmas commercialization)
^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 fromthe original on August 30, 2016. RetrievedOctober 13, 2014.
Bizarre American Holidays – a comprehensive compilation of special recognition given both to months and individual days.Unfortunately, the origins of the commemorations aren't provided.
