Holy Days (Holidays)

Subject: Holy Days (Holidays) Thu Aug 28, 2008 9:17 am

In reading the book, "The Reformation," I was reminded of the reference to
days off from work we refer to as holidays. As you may know, the word
“holiday” is derived from the word, “holy day.” The observation of “Holy Days” most often included attendance at a church service.

Today we use the word holiday as a day off from work. It is a day to remember, reflect and/or commemorate a significant event of the past. Very few days in America are set-aside for religious (or holy) days.

The following is a list of normal holidays in America. They do not all come with a day off from work. Usually Christmas, Thanksgiving, Memorial Day, Independence Day and New Year’s Day are with days off. Some companies designate other holidays as “electives” with a day off, but that is selective.

Holidays in America:
New Year’s Day
M. Luther King Day
Washington’s Birthday
Lincoln’s Birthday
Memorial Day
Mother’s Day
Whit Sunday/Pentecost
Father’s Day
Independence Day
Columbus Day
Veterans Day
Thanksgiving Day
Good Friday
Easter Sunday
Christmas Day
New Year’s Day

Note: Christmas Day is the only “holy day” that is observed as a holiday. I did not count Easter Sunday.

The following is a list of Holy Days (Holidays in Germany). Some of the
“holy days” are observed just in some regions and not in others, i.e., the
catholic southern part of Germany will observe one or two that are not observed in the predominantly Protestant north. Most of them come with a day off. You will note that the majority of holidays are associated with some religious observance:

*New Year’s Day / Neujahr
Epiphany / Hl. Drei Könige
*Monday before Ash Wednesday / Rosen Montag
Ash Wednesday / Aschenmittwoch
*Valentines Day / Valentinstag
Good Friday / Karfreitag
Easter Sunday / Ostersonntag
Easter Monday / Ostermontag
*May Day / Maifeiertag
Ascension Day / Christi Himmelfahrt
*Mother’s Day / Muttertag
*Father’s Day / Vatertag
Whit Sunday/Pentecost / Pfingstsonntag
Whit Monday/Penticost / Pfingstmontag
Corpus Christi / Fronleichnam
Assumption / Maria Himmelfahrt
*Unification Day / Tag der Deutschen Einheit
Thanksgiving / Erntendankfest
Reformation Day / Reformationstag
All Saints Day / Allerheiligen
*National Day of Mourning / Volkstrauertag
Day of Prayer and Repentance / Buß- und Bettag
Christmas Eve / Heiligabend
First Christmas Day / 1.Weihnachtstag
Second Christmas Day / 2. Weihnachtstag
*New Year’s Eve / Silvester

*non religious observances
Note: Less and less people observe the religious aspect of the “holy day” and it is simply a day off from work. I expect that there will be fewer days off in the future.
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"To Beirut and Back"
http://www.freewebs.com/abemarch

Subject: Re: Holy Days (Holidays) Thu Aug 28, 2008 2:06 pm

I suspect you are right, Abe. The three-day weekend holidays have taken away most of the original meaning of events such as Memorial Day. Just another day to goof off is what they now amount to in America.
As for holy days, I hope they never come into being here. The only thing like that I can recall was the number of holy days in which Jewish soldiers were given the day off duty. Not while in combat, of course.
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Mystery Writers of America, Private Eye Writers of America
www.dickstodghill.com

Subject: Re: Holy Days (Holidays) Fri Aug 29, 2008 1:11 am

We often refer to "vacations" as "holidays" here; it's a traditional term and not a religious one, and I actually prefer the word "holidays" because it sounds softer and more appealing than a "vacation". That probably has a lot to do with what I grew up with I suspect.
The other thing that I find interesting is that although a lot of folks do not observe the religious holidays, they will fight like crazy to "hold on" to the holiday (as was seen when a lot of places stopped observing Easter Monday as a statutory holiday). They want Remembrance Day as a stat too (our version of Veteran's Day) and yet the turn out at the memorial services are shrinking every year.
Suspect

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Pam Robertson

http://andthebandplayedonmylawn.blogspot.com

Subject: Re: Holy Days (Holidays) Mon Sep 29, 2008 7:19 pm

I have this really neat Celtic calender which includes Samhain, Beltane, Yule, and Ostara. Wink

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~ JoElle ~
http://www.joellemartin.com

Subject: Re: Holy Days (Holidays) Tue Sep 30, 2008 2:12 am

Hey JoElle, I have that one too. It explains each of the days in a very neat way, so I am learning from it at the same time. I love it!
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Pam Robertson

http://andthebandplayedonmylawn.blogspot.com