Today we are going to talk about Holidays and special days in the UK and the US. A holiday is a day that is set apart for religious observance orfor the commemoration of some extraordinary event or significant person. Originally,in ancient times, holidays were mainly religious. The word holiday is actually derived from “holy day”. Afterwards, non-religious holidays commemorating historical occasions or distinguished people outnumbered holy days, though many ancient religious rituals and customs have been carried over into modern times.Holidays and festival connect the present with the past, even though they serve main as a recreational function in the modern society. There is no doubt that they give new generations of people the chance to learn about people or eventsthat shaped their culture. For religious and ethnic groups, holidays and festivals are a way to remember their roots.

In the following part, we are going to learn certain major holiday sobserved in the UK and the US. Both of these two countries have holidays that are unique and specific to their perspective cultures, but they also shareseveral common holidays, celebrating in their own manner. Let’s see them one by one.