The holiday season is a time of joy, celebration, and togetherness. It’s a time to gather with loved ones, exchange gifts, and create special memories. Whether you’re celebrating Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, or any other holiday, there are certain words and phrases that are associated with this time of year. From traditional foods and decorations to common greetings and festive activities, the holiday season is filled with a rich tapestry of language.
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In this list, we’ll explore 100 words and phrases that are closely associated with holidays. From the familiar to the obscure, these terms capture the essence of this special time of year.
100 Words Associated With Holidays Meanings
Vacation: A period of time spent away from home or work in travel or leisure activities. Vacations can be for relaxation, tourism, or travel for an event or holiday.
Getaway: A brief vacation or trip, usually for the purpose of relaxation or escapism. A getaway is often spontaneous or planned on short notice.
Trip: A journey or excursion, especially for leisure, travel, or tourism. A trip could be a brief visit to a place or a long holiday.
Tour: A planned route or journey, often involving visits to various places of interest for purposes of sightseeing or education.
Travel: The act of moving from one place to another, often over long distances or to different countries. Travel is often associated with vacations and holidays.
Holiday: A day of observance, often celebrating a particular event, person, or cultural tradition. Holidays may include special festivities, rituals, or meals.
Celebration: A social gathering or enjoyable activity held to commemorate a special event or achievement. Celebrations often occur on holidays or birthdays.
Festivity: The celebration or observance of any joyful and often formally recurrent occasion. Festivities often involve parties, ceremonies, or special activities.
Party: A social gathering of people for entertainment or celebration. Parties often mark birthdays, holidays, or other special occasions.
Event: A significant happening or occasion. Events can range from small gatherings to large public occurrences. Holidays often have specific events associated with them.
Observance: The practice of following or honoring a custom, law, holiday, or ritual. Observances often involve special activities or traditions.
Commemoration: A ceremony or celebration in which a particular event is remembered. Commemorations often honor historical events or individuals.
New Year’s Day: The first day of the year, celebrated as a holiday in many cultures. Celebrations typically include parties and fireworks the night before, known as New Year’s Eve.
Valentine’s Day: Celebrated on February 14, it’s a day dedicated to romantic love, often marked by the exchange of cards, flowers, chocolates, or other tokens of affection.
Easter: A Christian holiday celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ, typically involving church services, feasting, and the tradition of an Easter egg hunt.
Halloween: Celebrated on October 31, it involves activities like trick-or-treating, wearing costumes, carving pumpkins, and telling spooky stories.
Thanksgiving: An American holiday celebrated on the fourth Thursday in November, traditionally marking the giving of thanks for the autumn harvest.
Christmas: A Christian holiday celebrated on December 25, marking the birth of Jesus Christ. Celebrations often include the exchange of gifts, a special meal, and various decorations.
Hanukkah: A Jewish holiday, also known as the Festival of Lights, celebrated for eight days and nights, usually in late November or December. It commemorates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem.
Kwanzaa: A holiday celebrated by African Americans from December 26 to January 1, focusing on African culture and heritage and values such as family, community, and unity.
Martin Luther King Jr. Day: Celebrated on the third Monday in January, it’s a holiday in honor of Martin Luther King Jr., a civil rights leader who fought for racial equality in the United States.
Presidents’ Day: A U.S. federal holiday that takes place on the third Monday in February. It originally honored George Washington and now serves to honor all U.S. presidents.
Memorial Day: A U.S. federal holiday that honors military personnel who have died while serving in the United States Armed Forces. It is observed on the last Monday of May.
Independence Day: A U.S. federal holiday, also known as the Fourth of July, celebrating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence in 1776.
Labor Day: A U.S. federal holiday observed on the first Monday in September, honoring the American labor movement and the contributions of workers.
Columbus Day: A U.S. federal holiday that takes place on the second Monday in October, commemorating Christopher Columbus’s arrival in the Americas.
Veterans Day: A U.S. federal holiday observed on November 11, honoring military veterans, that is, people who have served in the United States Armed Forces.
National Day: A day on which celebrations mark the nationhood of a country, often the country’s independence, constitution, or monarchy.
Constitution Day: A holiday that celebrates the adoption of a country’s constitution. Dates vary by country, and activities often include parades, fireworks, music, and public readings of the constitution.
Flag Day: A holiday that commemorates the adoption of a country’s flag. Dates and traditions vary by country.
Father’s Day: A day to honor fathers and father figures, usually celebrated on the third Sunday of June in many countries.
Mother’s Day: A day to honor mothers and mother figures, usually celebrated on the second Sunday of May in many countries.
Family Day: A day to celebrate and spend time with family, observed in several countries on various dates.
St. Patrick’s Day: A cultural and religious holiday celebrated on 17 March, the death date of the most commonly-recognized patron saint of Ireland, Saint Patrick.
Diwali: A major festival in Hinduism, Sikhism, and Jainism, celebrating the victory of light over darkness and good over evil.
Chinese New Year: The Chinese festival marking the start of the new year, beginning on the second new moon after the winter solstice and ending on the full moon fifteen days later.
Passover: A major Jewish holiday that commemorates the liberation of the Israelites from Egyptian slavery, lasting seven or eight days from the 15th day of Nisan.
May Day: A public holiday usually celebrated on 1 May or the first Monday of May. It is an ancient festival of Spring and a current traditional spring holiday in many European cultures.
Armed Forces Day: A holiday observed in several countries in honor of their military forces. The day varies by each country and may honor each service branch or the entire armed forces.
Boxing Day: A holiday celebrated the day after Christmas Day. It originated in the United Kingdom and is celebrated in a number of countries that previously formed part of the British Empire.
All Saints’ Day: A Christian holiday commemorating all known and unknown Christian saints. It is usually celebrated on November 1st.
All Souls’ Day: A day of prayer and remembrance for the souls of those who have died, observed by some Christian denominations.
Guy Fawkes Night: Also known as Bonfire Night, it’s a British observance commemorating the failure of the Gunpowder Plot in 1605, with firework displays and the burning of Guy Fawkes effigies.
Lunar New Year: The beginning of a calendar year whose months are cycles of the moon. The whole year may account to a purely lunar calendar or a lunisolar calendar. It’s celebrated by many Asian cultures.
Victory Day: A holiday observed in several countries to commemorate victory in important battles or wars, often marking the end of a war.
Spring Festival: Another name for Chinese New Year, marking the end of winter and the beginning of spring.
Easter Monday: The day after Easter Sunday, it’s celebrated as a holiday in many predominantly Christian countries.