A holiday in many parts of the world is a synonym for a
vacation or a specific trip for the purpose of recreation or tourism, but in
the United States of America, it is considered to be a day designated as having
special significance for which individuals, a government, or a religious group
has deemed that observance is warranted. It is generally an official (more
common) or unofficial observance of religious, national, or cultural
significance, often accompanied by celebrations or festivities. A holiday does
not necessarily exclude doing normal work: the relatively minor Jewish holiday
of Chanukah has been described as a "working holiday" and those who
celebrate a holiday such as Diwali may have to work a normal schedule in
countries where it is not a public holiday.
