Learn ALL United States Holidays in 48 Minutes Learn American English
want to speak real English from your
first lesson sign up for your free
lifetime account at English class
101.com
hi everyone I’m Alisha Memorial Day in
the United States dates back to the
Civil War it’s one of the two major u.s.
holidays specifically associated with
fallen soldiers it was more popular at
the beginning of the 20th century than
it is today but it’s still an important
holiday in the US
Memorial Day was not always known by its
current name can you guess what this
holiday was originally named hint
the original name has to do with
decorations we’ll show you the answer at
the end of this video
cemeteries in the u.s. are usually
decorated with flags on Memorial Day
Memorial Day is also typically marked by
the firing of large guns or multi gun
salutes in veteran cemeteries the
families of fallen soldiers will
oftentimes go to the grave of their lost
family member to remember them on this
day this holiday is celebrated on the
last Monday of May
Memorial Day has expanded in its scope
over the years originally only for the
Fallen Union and Confederate soldiers
from the Civil War it became more
inclusive of the Fallen from other wars
over the years today it’s more of a day
of remembrance of the dead in general
with a focus on military members
Memorial Day parades with plenty of
patriotic imagery are very common
Memorial Day is oftentimes the day or
close to the day when school let out for
the summer in the US this is part of the
reason that the holiday is so much
associated with summer tourism families
that visit the graves of fallen soldiers
and those who do not often have cookouts
on this day to celebrate the beginning
of the warm summer months and their
children’s time off from school
Memorial Day and Veterans Day are the
two holidays in the United States that
are closely tied to military members and
those who fell in service both holidays
have evolved over the years and now
here’s the answer to the quiz
can you guess what Memorial Day was
originally named Memorial Day was
originally called decoration day the
name and the holiday itself have both
changed a great deal over the years but
it still remains an important day for
veterans and their families how is this
lesson did you learn something
interesting do you have a similar day of
remembrance in your country please leave
a comment at English class 101.com until
next time hi everyone I’m Alicia New
Year’s Day is on January 1st in the US
it’s almost universally a day off from
work and in the u.s. closed doors gas
stations and other businesses are common
sights come January 1st it’s preceded by
some of the largest celebrations in the
nation and weary from being up all night
enjoying the parties Americans tend to
take it easy on this day
the song auld lang syne is associated
with the New Year celebration in the US
do you know what this song’s title means
we’ll show you the answer at the end of
this video
New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day in the
United States are both regarded as
holidays though only New Year’s Day is
an official one the holiday kicks off
late on New Year’s Eve when people go
out to celebrate in style this holiday
is marked by fancy parties and plenty of
parades and other events celebrating the
new year across the time zones across
the u.s. is a popular tradition with
those who like to stay at home in Times
Square in New York one of the biggest
celebrations in the nation is held and
this is typically regarded as the
official New Year party for the entire
country though each timezone rings in
the New Year with its own celebration
New Year’s resolutions are popular in
the United States though oftentimes in a
tongue-in-cheek way most of the time
people will resolve to give up a bad
habit or adopt a healthy new habit over
the course of the new year it’s almost
accepted as a matter of course that
people will not follow through on these
resolutions however and it fits well
with the tradition of American sarcastic
humor
New Year’s Day isn’t celebrated on
January 1st on all calendars according
to the Chinese lunar calendar New Year’s
is usually in February depending on the
culture and tradition can be celebrated
on other dates as well
popular resolutions include quitting
smoking losing weight becoming more
ambitious with goals and getting a
better job and now here’s the answer to
the quiz do you know what the song title
auld lang syne means all lang syne means
the good old days or days gone by
depending on the translation the song is
a very old tradition dating back
hundreds of years the New Year’s Day
celebrations in the u.s. can easily
extend from before midnight on January
1st to well into the afternoon how is
this lesson did you learn something
interesting how was New Year’s Day
celebrated in your country please leave
a comment at English class 101.com until
next time hi everyone I’m Alisha Martin
Luther King jr. Day is held on the third
Monday in January every year in the
United States this holiday is dedicated
to the slain civil rights leader who
advocated nonviolent action as a way to
reform discriminatory laws in the United
States Martin Luther King jr. Day was
not accepted by all 50 states right away
it was signed into law in 1983 do you
know when all 50 states adopted it will
show you the answer at the end of this
video
Martin Luther King jr. Day is a
federally recognized holiday but there
are celebrations in some cities and not
in others Martin Luther King jr. Day is
tied to the civil rights struggles of
the 20th century and beyond it’s very
much associated with the struggles of
the African American community in
particular but it’s also celebrated by
most people in the US as a unifying
holiday celebrating Martin Luther King
Junior’s legacy is a complex endeavor
for most people what he fought for and
how he fought for it are equally
important King advocated for the rights
of African Americans and other groups
who were discriminated against via
racist laws he also advocated
nonviolence and the images of riot
police beating unarmed nonviolent civil
rights protesters in the 1960s are
largely credited
swaying public opinion teaching
african-american history is a major
component of many Martin Luther King jr.
Day celebrations in fact many of these
celebrations and events try to inform
people about other civil rights leaders
who were instrumental in reforming
exclusionary laws in the US
Martin Luther King jr. Day is also
celebrated in Hiroshima Japan where it
is nearly as significant as it is in the
u.s. the City of Toronto and Canada also
holds festivities in honor of Martin
Luther King jr. and now here’s the
answer to the quiz do you know when all
50 states adopted Martin Luther King jr.
Day Martin Luther King jr. Day was not
officially recognized by every state
until 2000 bill President Reagan signed
it into law in 1983 many states resisted
the holiday or tried to term it
something else such as human rights day
in Utah how is this lesson did you learn
something interesting
are there any holidays that celebrate a
famous historical figure in your country
please leave the comments in English
class 101.com
until next time hi everyone I’m Alisha
since 1919 November 11th has been a
national holiday in the United States
originally called Armistice Day Veterans
Day commemorates the men and women who
served in America’s armed forces this
holiday is marked by parades educational
events and gatherings at memorials to
fallen soldiers
there is a specific time of day
associated with this November 11th
holiday as well can you guess what it is
we’ll show you the answer at the end of
this video the holiday was originally
specific to the ending of world war 1
but it became Veterans Day in 1954 the
end of World War 1 marked the end of the
first global conflict in which the
United States had been involved it also
marked the end of one of its bloodiest
Wars and to ensure that people didn’t
forget Armistice Day was signed into law
in 1919 Veterans Day parades are popular
events on November 11th today there are
no surviving combat veterans from the
first world war which it was originally
designed to commemorate you’ll find
veterans of all wars as well as
peacetime veterans marching in Veterans
Day parades of the United States people
who served in the United States Marine
Corps also celebrate the birthday of
their branch of service on November 11th
the united states marine corps was
established on november 10 1775 but the
events are close enough to make Veterans
Day an important celebration for members
of the Marine Corps as well most members
of the marine corps get some time off to
enjoy this holiday
Veterans Day was briefly moved to
October in 1971 the move did not last
long and by 1978 the holiday had been
moved back to its original November 11th
date and now here’s the answer to the
quiz do you know the specific time of
day associated with this November 11th
holiday during Veterans Day celebrations
the most important time of day is 11
o’clock a.m. the armistice that brought
World War one to a halt was signed on
the 11th hour of the 11th day of the
11th month Germany’s agreement to the
ceasefire brought an end to a war whose
repercussions would be felt well into
the next generation how is this lesson
did you learn something interesting do
you have a similar day in your country
please leave a comment at English class
101.com until next time hi everyone I’m
Alicia on the third Monday of February
every year the United States pays
tribute to its first president George
Washington Washington’s Birthday is a
federal holiday and federal government
workers get the day off it’s not as
widely celebrated as some other national
holidays however sometimes the holiday
is referred to as Presidents Day there’s
a rather odd tradition associated with
Washington’s Birthday and Presidents Day
try to guess what it is we’ll show you
the answer at the end of this video
Washington’s Birthday is not among the
u.s. holidays that are associated with
large-scale celebrations there are
celebrations in some cities but compared
to other major holidays in the United
States this one is rather reserved in
nature Washington’s birthday is often
part of the combined Presidents Day
celebration most of the time Presidents
Day emphasizes the two people who are
generally considered to be the greatest
presidents of the United States George
Washington and Abraham Lincoln
Washington’s birthday is culturally
significant to the United States because
of General Washington’s revered place in
history he was the first American
president and beyond that he was handed
a unanimous electoral college victory to
win that office he is also the most
celebrated general in the Revolutionary
Army that defeated the British the
biggest celebrations of his holiday are
held at the George Washington birthplace
nat’l monument in Bridgend
and at Mount Vernon George Washington
designed the first metal intended for
the average soldier the Purple Heart one
of the most respected US service medals
in existence is given to soldiers who
were injured in battle and it was
designed by Washington himself and now
here’s the answer to the quiz believe it
or not sales are a tremendous part of
the traditional Washington’s Birthday
and Presidents Day celebrations
furniture stores and car dealerships are
particularly notable for holding sales
on this day how is this lesson did you
learn something interesting do you
celebrate the birthdays of important
leaders in your country please leave a
comment in English class 101.com until
next time hi everyone I’m Alicia April
Fool’s Day is one of the most beloved
and some would say pointless holidays in
the United States in fact it’s
light-hearted nature is part of what
makes it so popular there is a popular
misconception regarding the origin of
April Fool’s Day do you know what it is
we’ll show you the answer at the end of
this video the events associated with
April Fool’s Day are not officially
organized and are often not observed
intentionally this is a holiday when
just about everybody gets a prank or two
played on them in the United States
Americans generally celebrate April
Fool’s Day by looking for any
opportunity they can to play a prank on
their friends in fact this is really the
only point of the entire holiday April
Fool’s Day is not marked by parades
speeches or other events this holiday is
all about fun on April Fool’s Day you’ll
find people falling victim to pranks
that are elaborate and simple alike a
lot of the time the pranks involve
telling somebody something outrageous or
false and if they’re gullible enough to
believe it
saying April Fool to let them know that
they’ve been had by a prank even
companies get into the action on April
Fool’s Day in the United States for
example Google the internet search giant
became famous for adding features to its
Google Earth and maps products that were
downright ridiculous if you tried to
plot a walking route across an
for example you might get advice to use
a kayak or a jetski to traverse the
natural barrier
April Fool’s Day is not just an American
holiday it actually dates back to
earlier holidays including the Roman
festival of hilarya the idea of having a
holiday specifically to play pranks is
in a United States tradition alone and
now here’s the answer to the quiz do you
know what a popular misconception is
regarding the origin of April Fool’s Day
contrary to popular belief April Fool’s
Day is not rooted in people mistaking
April 1st for the beginning of the new
year in fact there are references to
this holiday known to historians that
date back as early as the late 1300s how
is this lesson did you learn something
interesting this April Fool’s Day exists
in your country if so what are some
traditional tricks or jokes for this day
please leave a comment in English class
101.com
until next time hi everyone i’m alicia
daylight saving time begins in the
United States in the second week of
March it’s not a holiday in the normal
sense of the word but it’s s marks the
beginning of the time of year when the
afternoons last longer and when people
enjoy more light later in the evening
daylight saving time is about saving
power but there are other reasons for it
as well
can you guess what some of them might be
we’ll show you the answer at the end of
this video
daylight saving time dates back to the
days of World War one it was originally
intended as a way to save energy the
logic behind it was that because people
would have more they liked to work with
they would have to burn less fuel to
light factories houses and so forth
the beginning of daylight saving time is
usually a bit more traumatic for people
than the ending of daylight saving time
in November because everybody’s clocks
are one hour ahead most people end up
losing one full hour of sleep at night
this means a lot of tardiness at work a
lot of drowsy people on the roads and
other hazards daylight saving time was
extended by the Energy Policy Act of
2005
this means that daylight saving time
always starts on the second Sunday of
March and ends on the first Sunday of
November of course this does not apply
to the many states that do not
participate in daylight saving time at
all
in northern latitudes the effects of
daylight saving time are more pronounced
than they are in southern latitudes in
the northernmost parts of the
continental United States summer
Twilight can last until as late as ten
o’clock p.m. due to setting the clocks
forward in March and now here’s the
answer to the quiz do you know other
reasons for daylight saving time another
reason that daylight saving time was
extended to the first Sunday in November
is actually one of the biggest holidays
in the u.s. Halloween some members of
Congress determined that extending
daylight saving time past Halloween
would make it more fun for children to
go out trick-or-treating due to the
extended daylight hours how is this
lesson if you learned something
interesting do you observe daylight
saving time in your country please leave
a comment in English class 101.com until
next time
hi everyone I’m Alicia Tuesday after the
first Monday in November marks election
day in the United States Election Day
isn’t a national holiday but people are
required to be let off of work for a
certain amount of time so that they can
participate in the election when people
talk about election day they’re usually
talking about the federal offices in the
United States
the United States has always tries to
position election day near November can
you guess why this might be the case
we’ll show you the answer at the end of
this video
Election Day in the United States means
the end of long periods of campaigning
something which many Americans are
grateful to see come about it also means
that polling places have long lines and
that people sit by the TV radio or
computer waiting to hear the results as
soon as they’re turned in for most
people in the United States the Tuesday
after the first Monday in November is a
workday this has been controversial for
many years some people have advocated
that Election Day be made an official
federal holiday so that everybody has
the day off to vote at their leisure the
media in the United States covers
election day like nothing else in fact
this is one of the most competitive
times of the year for media in general
all of the most popular and best known
anchor men and women will be behind a
desk with a map of the United States
showing where the electoral both of
those states are going as soon as the
results are available
the United States does not vote on a
popular vote system the Electoral
College determines the winner of a given
state which translates to a certain
amount of electoral votes making some
states much more important than others
to politicians and now here’s the answer
to the quiz can you guess why the United
States has always tried to position
Election Day in November so November
date of election day is due to the fact
that the US was largely an agrarian
society when the first elections were
held by November most farmers had their
produce harvested and could then make a
trip sometimes long to town to vote how
was this lesson did you learn something
interesting is there a special day when
elections are held in your country
please leave a comment at English class
101.com until next time hi everyone I’m
Alicia groundhog day is a fun tradition
in the United States it’s not a national
holiday and nobody gets a day off but
everybody waits to see whether the
groundhog predicts that spring will come
early or late it takes place on February
2nd
Punxsutawney appeared in a popular movie
about Groundhog Day can you guess what
the movie was called we’ll show you the
answer at the end of this video
Groundhog Day comes at the time of year
when winter has dragged on for quite a
while and when people are ready for
spring
of course the groundhog really cannot
predict whether spring will come early
or late but when he predicts the spring
is on its way soon people are generally
much more chipper Groundhog Day might
not be a national holiday but it’s
certainly an important and well-known
tradition in the United States
Punxsutawney Pennsylvania which is as
close to the national capital for the
holiday as there is receives
approximately 40,000 people every year
who come to celebrate the day Groundhog
Day involves a rather simple tradition
when the groundhog looks out of his
burrow his prediction is based upon his
choice to either go back into his burrow
or to come out if the weather is cloudy
and he doesn’t see his shadow the legend
holds that he’ll stay out of his burrow
signaling that spring is on its way soon
if he sees his shadow and goes back into
his burrow it means that there are six
more weeks of winter on the way
Groundhog Day is for kicks and not about
being accurate according to most
reputable sources the accuracy of
Punxsutawney Phil or any other groundhog
is close enough to and as significant as
the accuracy of chance and now here’s
the answer to the quiz do you know the
movie in which Punxsutawney appeared
that was about Groundhog Day not too
surprisingly the film that featured
Punxsutawney Pennsylvania was called
Groundhog Day starring Bill Murray
the film’s plot centered around Bill
Murray’s character living the same day
over and over again which happened to be
Groundhog Day how is this lesson did you
learn something interesting had you
heard of this holiday before please
leave a comment at English class 101.com
until next time hi everyone I’m Alisha
st. Patrick’s Day is one of the most
popular United States holidays it
combines the celebration of Irish
culture with a great excuse to get out
let loose and have some fun it has been
celebrated since the 18th century making
it one of the most enduring holidays in
the United States it’s celebrated in
mid-march
the biggest but not the first st.
Patrick’s Day celebrations are held in
New York do you know where the first one
was held will show you the answer at the
end of this video
Irish Americans have contributed much
the United States and Saint Patrick’s
Day to a large extent is about
celebrating that st. Patrick’s Day is
also about celebrating the culture from
which Irish Americans come
it has affiliations with the Catholic
Church and is also recognized as one of
the biggest nights of the year to go out
to the local pubs and taverns st.
Patrick’s Day in the United States is a
big party
if you want to see a big st. Patrick’s
Day Parade New York is the place to be
this parade has been held every year
since 1762
and is one of the country’s most vibrant
vivacious and largest celebrations there
are parades held across the nation and
most of them date back to the 19th
century or earlier st. Patrick’s Day
parades are some of the most attended
events of the year
green the color most associated with
Ireland is a huge part of st. Patrick’s
Day Americans typically try to sport
something green on st. Patrick’s Day to
show their support for the Irish
American community and their
acknowledgement of the importance of the
day one popular American tradition is to
pinch anybody who fails to wear green on
this holiday in some cities rivers and
fountains are dyed green temporarily to
celebrate this special day for Irish
Americans
in 1780 George Washington gave March
17th to his troops as a day to celebrate
the Irish fight for independence he
considered this an act of solidarity
with the Irish people of whom made up a
large number in his army and now here’s
the answer to the quiz do you know where
the first st. Patrick’s Day celebrations
were held the first st. Patrick’s Day
observance was held in Boston this was
nowhere near as elaborate and events as
you see in the United States today but
it was important and that it lost a
tradition that is now deeply ingrained
in American society how is this lesson
did you learn something interesting is
st. Patrick’s Day celebrated in your
country please leave a comment in
English class 101.com
until next time hi everyone I’m Alisha
Valentine’s Day is a very popular
holiday in the United States it’s
centered on romance and is a heavily
commercialized holiday as well during
this time of year married couples
partners and sweethearts are encouraged
to go out to dinner spend some romantic
time together and generally acknowledge
the importance of one another in each
other’s live this holiday is celebrated
on February 14th every year Valentine’s
Day is associated with a particular type
of love from the high middle ages do you
know what that type of love is called
we’ll show you the answer at the end of
this video
valentine’s Day is among other things a
day when one partner is encouraged to
essentially court their partner as they
would before they were dating or married
presenting a wife lover or girlfriend or
boyfriend with flowers candy and other
romantic gifts is a huge part of
Valentine’s Day traditions in the United
States during this particular holiday
the most romantic restaurants in any
city will generally be booked followed
Valentine’s Day is very important
commercially in the United States due to
the traditional gifts that sweethearts
and married couples give one another
this is particularly true of the floral
industry as keeping one special someone
red roses on this day is more or less
expected clothing jewelry food and other
items are also popularly given to
sweethearts and spouses on this day
for some couples Valentine’s Day is when
one member of the couple goes overboard
to spoil the other and is delighted to
do so Valentine’s Day celebrations can
be very innocent in addition to being
romantic in schools in the United States
children are quite frequently encouraged
to make and exchange Valentines Morris
gestures of friendship than anything
else this allows everybody to give it on
the fun in some cases people in the
United States who are currently single
will do something special for a friend
who means a great deal to them and to
whom they want to express affection even
though it’s not romantic affection
Valentine’s Day cards are among the most
impressive pieces of artwork associated
with this holiday and peak Valentine’s
Day cards can fetch handsome prices from
collectors due to their intricacy and
their sometimes very imaginative artwork
and now here’s the answer to the quiz do
you know what type of love is associated
with Valentine’s Day from the high
middle ages Valentine’s Day has strong
associations with what was called
courtly love in the High Middle Ages
this was a highly ritualized form of
romantic love where each partner was
expected to do particular things to
express their appreciation for one
another how is this lesson did you learn
something interesting what Valentine’s
Day traditions exist in your country if
any please leave a comment in English
class 101.com
until next time hi everyone I’m Alicia
Earth Day is a worldwide celebration
that started in the United States in
1970 a US senator named Gaylord Nelson
held what is considered to be the first
birthday celebration today is
international but particularly important
in the United States it’s all about
educating people about and celebrating
the importance of the natural
environment and working to preserve it
the first Earth Day was tied to a
particular environmental disaster do you
know which one it was we’ll show you the
answer at the end of this video
Earth Day is a holiday that is designed
to be educational but it’s a lot of fun
as well
when Gaylord Nelson had the first Earth
Day it was based on the idea of an
environmental teachin that first holiday
attracted over 20 million people today
the holiday has expanded tremendously
it’s estimated that across the 175
nations that celebrate Earth Day 500
million people participate in the event
Earth Week is an offshoot of the
celebration
Earth Day celebrations typically include
both events where people gather in
public places engage in games and other
diversions and community service efforts
some of the people who go out to
celebrate Earth Day attend one of the
many parades that are held to
commemorate the day while the first
Earth Day celebrations were considered
to be rather political that has faded
over time and today most people just go
out and have fun and learn something
about the environment in the United
States Earth Day is generally celebrated
in schools and teachers use the occasion
to give lessons on environmental science
biology and other relevant topics
because Earth Day is so rooted in the
idea of educating people about the
environment many of the events are
educational in and of themselves
oftentimes large-scale events are held
in parks and other public places that
emphasize the importance of keeping
green spaces for everybody to use
Earth Day is on April 22nd in part
because for students in college it would
be right between spring break and summer
vacation this makes it easier to reach
out to post-secondary students and now
here’s the answer to the quiz do you
know which environmental disaster is
tied to the first Earth Day and oil
spill in Santa Barbara California in
1969 is credited for scoring the first
Earth Day the event was designed to be a
grassroots one from the start and
continues on in that tradition today I
was this lesson did you learn something
interesting Earth Day is celebrated
around the world how is it celebrated in
your country please leave a comment in
English class 101.com until next time hi
everyone I’m Alicia
in the United States federal income
taxes and most state income taxes are
due on April 15th this is not a holiday
of course but it’s a major event
nonetheless throughout the nation you’ll
see people scrambling to get their tax
forms in the mail before midnight on
April 15th
technically federal income taxes are
only due on this day if you owe the
federal government money
the first income tax in the United
States was imposed to pay for a war do
you know which war it was imposed to pay
for we’ll show you the answer at the end
of this video in the United States the
beginning of tax season generally starts
in February tax season is that time of
year when people start bringing their
taxes into preparers to get them ready
to send in to the federal government US
citizens have the option of using a tax
preparer or an accountant usually a much
more expensive option to prepare their
taxes there are stiff penalties charged
if taxes are underpaid or not paid at
all
on April 15th of every year the United
States Post Office stays open until
midnight to make sure that people have
every possible opportunity to get their
taxes in the mail before the deadline
those individuals who don’t owe any tax
to the government don’t have to make
this deadline in addition to sending in
tax forms payment is due on or before
April 15th of every year as well every
year around tax time you see the parking
lots of tax preparation agencies
overflowing with cars
one tradition in the United States
relating to tax time is holding sales at
various businesses people who get tax
returns oftentimes spend the money on
something for themselves and to
capitalize on this businesses often
offer discounts on their items during
this time of year some tax preparation
agencies even allow people to take out a
loan of the same amount as their
anticipated tax refund it’s a busy time
of the year for the IRS and businesses
alike
so it has been controversial the 16th
amendments to the United States
Constitution is the US government the
authority to levy income taxes it has
been contested but it’s held up to all
challenges and now here’s the answer to
the quiz do you know for which war the
first income tax was imposed the first
income taxes in the United States were
imposed during the Civil War the
constitutional amendment that gives the
federal government the authority to
collect income taxes was actually passed
in 1913 how is this lesson did you learn
something interesting is there a special
day for paying taxes in your country
please leave a comment in English class
101.com
until next time hi everyone I’m Alicia
Easter Sunday in the United States is
among the most important religious
holidays in the nation there are also
secular events held around this holiday
and in some cases families celebrate
traditions other than the Christian one
for Christians the holiday is centered
on the resurrection of Jesus Christ
churches hold special events during
Easter weekends
besides midnight masses on Christmas
Easter services are some of the most
popular in churches in the United States
do you know when many of them hold these
services we’ll show you the answer at
the end of this video
aside from the religious traditions
which vary from church to church Easter
Sunday in the United States is
celebrated in other ways as well whether
or not they happen to be followers of
any church people in the United States
are inclined to have family gatherings
on this day and large feasts are usually
served for some people Easter Sunday is
merely a celebration of spring while for
others it has tremendous religious
significance the most prevalent Easter
Sunday tradition involves church
services some churches hold elaborate
parades to celebrate the day and others
have less noticeable celebrations most
churches at least have social events
over the Easter holiday allowing them to
spend time with their fellow churchgoers
and to socialize picnics and other
events are also commonly held during
this particular holiday secular events
held during Easter Sunday in
clewd Easter egg hunts and other
activities for children these events are
open to everyone and don’t have any
particular religious overtones to them
community events are often held as well
simply because the holiday is notable
and people tend to want to get together
the Easter Bunny eggs flowers and other
symbols are very much associated with
spring and are still important
traditions for this particular holiday
because denominations in the United
States are so diverse you’ll find many
different traditions being celebrated on
Easter Sunday some traditions involve
all-night vigils before the holiday
itself and now here’s the answer to the
quiz do you know when many churches hold
Easter services services at the break of
day are among the most popular church
events on Easter Sunday during these
services Christians come to church in
the pre-dawn hours and have their
service as the Sun rises for many these
services have a powerful symbolic
significance how is this lesson did you
learn something interesting
what kind of Easter traditions exists in
your country please leave a comment in
English class 101.com
until next time hi everyone I’m Alisha
Passover is one of the most important
Jewish holidays the holiday is widely
celebrated in the United States in areas
where there is a large Jewish population
an area for the Jewish population is not
so large Passover is generally not
celebrated it’s not an official holiday
anywhere in the United States
a particular type of bread is associated
with Passover do you know which type of
bread this is and why it’s associated
with the holiday we’ll show you the
answer at the end of this video the
Passover celebration goes on for up to
eight days it commemorates the flight of
the Israelites from Egypt and one of the
10 plagues that the god of the
Israelites released upon the Pharaoh
according to the tradition the
Israelites were commanded to paint their
door jambs with the blood of a spring
lamb so that they would not be subjected
to the death of their firstborn as the
Egyptians were this is where the term
passed over comes from in areas where
there is a large Jewish population many
people of other faiths spend time with
their Jewish friends during this holiday
and learn a bit about the Jewish culture
and traditions Passover is celebrated by
secular Jews though the religious
connotations are obviously much less
prevalent in these celebrations both
feasting and fasting are part of the
celebration community Passover events
are scarcely heard of in the United
States this is largely a family holiday
with a significant focus on the Jewish
religion itself there are many different
rituals related to eating during this
time of year and the retelling of the
stories behind the celebration of
Passover
while it may not be an official holiday
most Americans are well aware of
Passover and people of the Jewish faith
are often given time off of work so that
they can observe the holiday if need be
and now here’s the answer to the quiz do
you know which type of bread is
associated with Passover unleavened
bread is associated with the Passover
holiday according to the story in Exodus
the Israelites did not have time to wait
for the bread to rise before they fled
Egypt because of that they ended up
traveling with unleavened bread and it
would evolve into a cultural symbol
within the Jewish community as well as
an important staple of many people
worldwide how was this lesson did you
learn something interesting
are there any holidays with religious
significance in your country please
leave a comment in English class 101.com
until next time hi everyone i’m elisha
mother’s day is held on the second
Sunday in May of every year it’s one of
the most important commercial holidays
in the nation the holiday is over 100
years old and was officially declared a
federal holiday in 1914 originally the
holiday was celebrated by hanging a flag
to recognize the mothers who had a child
who died in war today it has no
association with war whatsoever
the first Mother’s Day celebrations were
associated with a particular movement do
you know what movement with which it was
associated will show you the answer at
the end of this video
Mother’s Day is just as the name implies
a celebration of everything to do with
mothers it’s common for people to buy
expensive gifts for their mothers or at
the very least to send them a card
showing their appreciation Mother’s Day
cards have become among the most
commercially successful items associated
with the holiday it’s one of the times
of year where card companies are just
swamped more so than other occasions in
the United States children will
sometimes really go over the top for
their mothers on this holiday this is
particularly true of sons in families
where there is more than one son it’s
not uncommon for all of them to compete
to get the best gift for their mother
this is truly a day where motherhood is
venerated in the United States
while motherhood is the main theme
behind Mother’s Day people in the United
States only celebrate this holiday for
their own mothers it’s rare for people
to give Mother’s Day gifts to anybody
but their own mother some families may
include the grandmothers in the
celebrations but by and large this is a
holiday celebrated within the nuclear
family
the International Mother’s Day shrine is
a historic landmark in the United States
where the inaugural Mother’s Day
celebration was held and now here’s the
answer to the quiz do you know what
movement the first Mother’s Day
celebrations were associated with some
of the first Mother’s Day celebrations
were connected to the temperance
movement the movement behind the
prohibition laws that went into effect
in the early 20th century today however
Mother’s Day is completely apolitical
how is this lesson did you learn
something interesting is there a day
dedicated to mothers in your country
please leave a comment in English class
101.com
until next time hi everyone I’m Alicia
father’s day is a relatively recent
holiday in the United States having come
into existence in 1972 it’s celebrated
on the third Sunday of June every year
so it’s not as commercially important as
Mother’s Day it’s equally important to
many families Father’s Day can be a bit
more irreverent than Mother’s Day in
many regards lots of people call home on
Father’s Day guess which type of calls
are particularly popular during this
holiday we’ll show you the answer at the
end of this video
Father’s Day is all about showing
father’s appreciation for what they do
for acknowledging the role of fathers
and children’s lives and in many cases
simply for making an excuse to hang out
with one’s dad the holiday tends to have
less of the soft imagery associated with
Mother’s Day and in fact it does have a
reputation as being an occasion that is
rather light-hearted Father’s Day gifts
tend to be not surprisingly manly in
nature it’s common for people to buy
their dads power tools neckties sporting
equipment and so forth to show
appreciation in fact getting an ugly
necktie on Father’s Day is something of
a cliched joke among fathers across the
nation it’s been poked fun at in
commercials and in other venues
Father’s Day is not quite as popular as
Mother’s Day researchers attribute this
partially to the fact that there are
more families with single mothers than
there are with single fathers which may
skew the popularity of the holiday the
holiday is consistently popular however
and many families find an excuse to do
something special just for the father
and the family on this particular day
for younger children actually making a
Father’s Day gift is something of a
tradition many children are encouraged
to make something that they think their
father would like such as artwork or
crafts for example other children may
opt to help their father out with chores
and now here’s the answer to the quiz
do you know what type of calls are
popular on Father’s Day collect calls
are particularly popular on Father’s Day
someone humorously while fewer people
tend to call home on Father’s Day than
they do on Mother’s Day many of them
choose to call collect how was his
lesson did you learn something
interesting is there a day dedicated to
fathers in your country please leave a
comment in English class 101.com
until next time hi everyone I’m Alisha
Chanukah is the most popular Jewish
holiday in the United States it falls on
a date determined by the Jewish calendar
but it’s also very close to Christmas
making for a natural association between
the two holidays it’s also called the
festival of life and commemorates the
rededication of the temple by the
Maccabees in the second century BC
a particular toy is associated with
Hanukkah do you know which one will show
you the answer at the end of this video
Hanukkah is one of the most important
Jewish holidays and is one that most
people in the United States are very
familiar with the distinctive menorah a
candelabra that is kindled as part of
the celebration is commonly associated
with the holiday by most people Jewish
or otherwise gift-giving is also
sometimes a part of this holiday
even though Hanukkah is not as widely
celebrated as Christmas in the United
States it’s a holiday that most people
are cognizant of and many non-jewish
people who have Jewish friends do
participate in it to some extent the
holiday is also sometimes celebrated by
secular Jews to keep the holiday season
alive for non-religious reasons
the name festival of lights comes from
the story behind Hanukkah according to
tradition the life in the temple were
able to keep burning for eight straight
days despite only having enough oil to
keep burning for one day this tradition
is remembered today by the lighting of
the menorah this is the Hanukkah
tradition with which most non-jewish
people are familiar and the menorah is
widely known in the United States as an
emblem of Jewish people
a Hanukkah gelt is a small quantity of
money traditionally given at this time
of year
chocolate coins so they possess no
monetary value have become popular over
the years as well and now here’s the
answer to the quiz do you know which toy
associated with Chanukah the dreidel a
particular type of top with which a game
is associated it’s a traditional
activity for children during this time
of year the dreidel is very commonly
recognized as a symbol of the Jewish
people in the u.s. how is this lesson
did you learn something interesting are
there any holidays with religious
significance in your country please
leave a comment in English class 101.com
until next time hi everyone I’m Alicia
Kwanzaa is the holiday in the United
States that celebrates the heritage of
African American the holiday originated
in 1966 and is held from December 26
until January 1st
today it provides an opportunity for
African Americans and other US citizens
to learn about each other as well as the
day that serves as uniquely African
American holiday the first film about
Kwanzaa was released in 2009 do you know
the name of that film will show you the
answer at the end of this video
Kwanzaa came out of the 1960’s in the
United States when racial tensions were
particularly high many leaders in the
african-american community wanted to
create cultural events and holidays that
were specific to African Americans
Kwanzaa comes out of that desire this
holiday has endured over the years and
in fact has become more popular as the
years have gone on Kwanzaa is very much
centered on communities the holidays
name comes from a swahili term which
refers to both tradition and reason
there are seven principles associated
with Kwanzaa unity collective work and
responsibility self-determination
purpose cooperative economics creativity
and faith the holiday was recently
commemorated with its own stamp issued
by the United States Postal Service over
the years Kwanzaa has become an ideal
occasion for people to learn about
African American heritage and culture
art literature music and dance are all
celebrated at this time of year
shared with friends and family as well
as with people outside of the
african-american community while it may
have come out of a divisive time Kwanzaa
has become a very unifying holiday and
when that’s widely acknowledged and
celebrated
Kwanza has a seven candle candelabra
that’s lit over the course of the
holiday this is a tradition similar to
other holiday celebrations during the
darkest time of year when lights are
very important symbols and now here’s
the answer to the quiz do you know the
name of the first film about Kwanzaa
that was released in 2009 the black
candle was the first American film about
the Kwanzaa celebration it has been
featured in other films however but not
as a central element most people in the
United States are familiar with Kwanzaa
and whether or not they celebrate it
they generally do know when it’s held
how is this lesson did you learn
something interesting do you have any
similar holidays in your country please
leave a comment in English class 101.com
until next time
[Music]
you
you