In the United States, public holidays are set by federal, state, and local governments and are often observed by closing government offices or giving government employees paid time off. The federal government does not require any private business to close or offer paid time off, as is the case for most state local governments, so employers determine which holidays to observe.
Christmas is the only religious holiday that is a federal holiday. Some businesses allow religious employees to take paid time off for their religious observances.
Other holidays, such as Halloween and Valentine's Day, are widely celebrated in the United States but rarely include paid time off.
There are no national holidays on which the law requires all businesses to close. Federal holidays are only established for certain federally chartered and regulated businesses, government contractors, and the city of Washington, DC. All other public holidays are created by the States. Most states allow local jurisdictions, cities, villages, etc, to establish their own 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 are not observed by the federal government.[1] Most prominent among these are holidays to celebrate statehood. Since 2000, some city and state-level celebrations of Malcolm X Day and Rosa Parks Day have been created, in addition to the federal Martin Luther King Jr. Day, to honor and recognize African American contributions to the United States. Illinois and Berkeley, California are two places where Malcolm X is honored by a legal holiday with offices closed. Missouri honors Rosa Parks on her birthday.[2][3]
Saint Patrick's Day parade in Atlanta, 2012
Many businesses observe certain holidays as well, which are also not mandated by any government agency. Many workplaces celebrate religious observance as well as ethnic holidays, such as Saint Patrick's Day, Kwanzaa, Diwali, Mardi Gras, and Cinco de Mayo, as a matter of best practice.[4]
Virtually all large companies observe and close on the major holidays (New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas). Some non-retail businesses close on 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 on Easter Sunday if they expect to have very few customers that day.[8]
Holiday business restrictions
Some states restrict certain business activities on some holidays.[9] Business closures are mandated on a few holidays in some states for certain kinds of businesses by blue laws. For example, businesses that operate on more than 5,000 square feet (460 m2) cannot open on Thanksgiving in some New England states. The most notable businesses to close on such occasions are car dealerships and liquor stores. Some holidays are observed with community 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.[11]
Religious and cultural holidays in the United States are characterized by a diversity of religious beliefs and practices. However, the First Amendment to the United States Constitution provides that "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof ...." and Article 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 among developed nations.[12]
In 2012, the majority of Americans (73–80%) identified themselves as Christians and about 15–20% had no religious affiliation.[13] In the 2008 American 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.[14] The same survey said that other religions (including, for example, Islam, Judaism, Buddhism, and Hinduism) 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.[15]
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.[16] Many businesses, as well as federal, state, and local governments, are closed on Christmas.[17] A reference in the film A Christmas Story shows a Chinese restaurant being the only establishment open on Christmas.
Some private businesses and certain other institutions are closed on Good Friday.[18] The financial market and stock market is closed on Good Friday.[19] 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 of spring break. The postal service operates, and banks regulated by the federal government do not close for Good Friday.[20]
Many companies, including banks, malls, shopping centers, and most private retail stores that normally open on Sundays are closed on Easter.[8]
Hindu holidays
Rangoli decorations, made using colored powder, are popular during Diwali.
The Hindu holidays of Diwali and Holi are celebrated in some parts of the United States, mostly by Indian Americans or peoples of Indian descent.[21][22] Holi, the "festival of colors" has inspired a Broadway musical based on this festival.[23] 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.[24] CNN reported that the Diwali holiday is shown in American pop culture through an episode of The Office.[25][26]
The major Islamic holidays of Ramadan, Eid al-Fitr, and Eid al-Adha have been recognized in the United States. Awareness of these holidays can be found in calendars published by major calendar manufacturers.[30][31][32] According to Al-Jazeera, schools in New York and Michigan (mainly Dearborn) may begin to close in observance of all Muslim holidays.[33]
Holidays with other cultural or historical significance
Crowds on Vine 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.[34] 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.[35]
One measurement of the popularity of these holidays is the amount of alcohol purchased for the occasion.[35] One survey names New Year's Eve as the holiday on which the most alcohol is consumed based on sales.[35] While many holidays are listed, some are generally notable for their drinking requirement while others are known for abstinence.[36]
2003 Kwanzaa celebration with its founder, Maulana Karenga, and others
Some holidays in the United States celebrate or recognize the struggle of African-Americans for emancipation from slavery and civil 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 of Dr. 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 the Confederacy
Juneteenth, observed on June 19, commemorates the announcement of the abolitionofslavery in Texas in June 1865, and more generally the emancipation of enslaved African-Americans. The name is a portmanteauofJune and nineteenth[37][38] and has been a federal 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 California and Missouri on February 4 and in Ohio on December 1
Some states celebrate holidays honoring the Confederate 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 the Civil War, as part of the myth of the Lost Cause of the Confederacy.[41]
Robert E. Lee Day (on or around Lee's Jan 19 birthday) is still observed in Alabama and Mississippi combined with Martin Luther King Jr. Day, the only remaining states to do so.[42] It is officially recognized in Florida, but is not widely observed there.[43]Arkansas combined the observance of Robert E. Lee Day with Martin Luther King Jr. Day in 1985.[44] 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.[45]
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;[8] indeed, many are viewed as opportunities for commercial promotion. Because of this commercialization, some critics apply the deprecatory term Hallmark holiday to such days, after the Hallmarkgreeting card company.
Super Bowl Sunday (the second Sunday in February; the day of the National Football League's championship; festivities generally including in-home parties and watching the game on television with beverages and snacks)
^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 from the original on August 30, 2016. Retrieved October 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.
(federal) = federal holidays, (abbreviation) = state/territorial holidays, (religious) = religious holidays, (cultural) = holiday related to a specific racial/ethnic grouporsexual minority, (week) = week-long holidays, (month) = month-long holidays, (36) = Title 36 Observances and Ceremonies
