American HolidaysHistory and Practice

Presenter: Valery Colby, USA Embassy to Moldova

We share the same holidays• New Year’s Eve & Day• Valentine’s Day• Easter• Christmas• Memorial Day/Veterans Day

We borrow other cultures’ holidays

• Chinese New Year• Mardi Gras• St. Patrick’s Day• Cinco de Mayo

Some NYC Parades and Festivals• Chinese New Year• St. Patrick’s Day• Phagway/Holi (Hindu)• Greek• Tartan Day (Scottish)• Persian• Sikh• Romania• Cinco de Mayo• Asian/Pacific Heritage• Ukranian• Ecuadorian • Norwegian-American• Japan• Turkish• Haitian-American• Philippine• Puerto Rican• Russian Heritage• Swedish • Arab-American

• North African• Bastille Day• Burmese• Dominican• Peruvian• Pakistan• Colombia• Hong Kong• India• West Indian• Brazilian• Honduran• San Gennaro (Italian)• German-American• Mexican• African-American• Korean• Pulaski Day• Greek• Nigerian

States celebrate their own holidays

• King Kamehameha Day – Hawaii• Patriots Day – Maine and Massachusetts• San Jacinto Day – Texas• Pulaski Day –Illinois• Pioneer Day – Utah

We celebrate American holidays

• Martin Luther King Jr. Day• Groundhog Day• Presidents Day• Flag Day• Independence Day• Labor Day• Columbus Day• Halloween• Thanksgiving• Kwanzaa

Groundhog Day – Feb. 2

What happens if the groundhog sees his shadow? (Six more weeks of winter.)

• Pennsylvania German custom from 18-19th c.• Feb. 2 is 40 days after Christmas. Traditionally this was known as Candlemas, a religious holiday to celebrate the presentation of Jesus at the temple.

“If Candlemas Day is clear and bright, winter will have another bite. If Candlemas Day brings cloud and rain, winter is gone and will not come again."

Thanksgiving4th Thursday of November

• 1621 – Plymouth, Massachusetts

• Colonists and Wampanoag Indians celebrated the harvest

• In 1863 President Abraham Lincoln issued a proclamation making Thanksgiving an official holiday:

"The First Thanksgiving at Plymouth,“ Jennie A. Brownscombe

“I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens.”

Thanksgiving foodTurkey with stuffingCranberry sauceMashed potatoesSweet potatoes (yams)VegetablesPumpkin pie

Veterans Day – November 11

"To us in America, the reflections of Armistice Day will be filled with solemn pride in the heroism of those who died in the country's service and with gratitude for the victory, both because of the thing from which it has freed us and because of the opportunity it has given America to show her sympathy with peace and justice in the councils of the nations.”

– President Woodrow Wilson, November 11, 1919