Holidays
American Style
✪ Text: Rusty Snyder, [email protected], photos: iStockphoto
Americans observe holidays all year long. Some have a religious background, some originate from
other countries and others are uniquely American.
T
he people of the United States enjoy traditions and love having a reason to celebrate. I have listed some of the major
holidays celebrated in the USA (there are many more) and
have mentioned some of the prominent secular traditions.
New Year/New Year’s Eve - On the 31st of December, Americans like to attend concerts or go to a lively party, and of course
restaurants and bars are packed with revelers. People often have
a TV on to watch the huge Times Square Ball in New York being
lowered as the countdown towards midnight goes into its final
minutes. “Auld Lang Syne” is played and at the stroke of midnight,
people make toasts, hug, kiss and become sentential. Unlike Finland, Americans don’t light their own fireworks (although there are
some firework shows) or pour melted tin into water to reveal their
fortunes. They do, however, make New Year’s resolutions…and
like Finns, they rarely keep them for very long.
New Year’s Day is a time to watch colorful parades and important college football games either live or on TV. Families often
have an “open house” where friends and relatives can drop by for
a friendly chat, a bite to eat and a seat by the TV. Some people
sleep late, trying to undo the damage of the previous night.
My first memories of Valentine’s Day were of making cards
by hand and giving them to classmates in school. This holiday is
named after an early Christian martyr named St. Valentine. Americans show affection on this day by exchanging greeting cards
or gifts such as flowers, candies, or candles with lovers, friends,
coworkers, or relatives. Some people like to organize Valentine’s
parties or take a special friend to a restaurant. Even though this
day has a reputation for being commercial, getting a personally
composed poem or a handmade object is highly appreciated.
George Washington is known as the as the “Father of the Country,” and Abraham Lincoln is known as the “President who Reshaped the Country.” Both of these men are so highly esteem in
the United State and abroad that their birthdays have been officially
commemorated. Nowadays, one holiday called Presidents’ Day
honors the two magnificent men on the third Monday of February.
People get a day off from school or work so they can reflect on the
great deeds done by these presidents, and perhaps have time to
do some great deeds themselves.
Besides observing the resurrection of Jesus Christ, Easter also
celebrates springtime. Many Americans take pride in the coloring
of eggs at this time either by dying or painting them. On Easter
morning, most children hunt for eggs that were hidden by the “Easter Bunny.” Nowadays, the eggs are mainly made of chocolate or
other candy. Most Americans do not get Good Friday and Easter
Monday off work like in Finland. Nor do they plant grass, have Easter witches, or eat anything like mämmi. They do like to decorate
homes and shops with eggs and bunnies, greet other by saying
“Happy Easter,” and eat a festive meal with family and friends.
Originally conceived to commemorate the fallen of the Civil War,
Memorial Day now honors all Americans who have died in war.
This holiday falls on the 1st Monday of May, and is often observed
by putting flowers on relatives’ graves, visiting war memorials, saying prayers and listening to solemn speeches. On the lighter side,
there are Memorial Day car races, golf tournaments and concerts.
And some people enjoy the holiday by having an outdoor picnic
or going to the beach. To each his own!
The love and sacrifices of moms have long been esteemed in
the US, but in 1914 Mother’s Day was made an official holiday.
It recognizes mothers, motherhood and the maternal connection,
and over the years has grown into a very important event. Around
14 billion dollars are spent on Mother’s Day, including vast sums for
flowers, greeting cards, spa and salon visits, jewelry and special
Mother’s rings. This is the busiest day for restaurants, and more
phone calls are made on this day than any other day in the year.
In spite of all this, if you ask a mother, she would probably say that
she would be happy with a handmade card and an enthusiastic “I
love you”…and maybe breakfast in bed.
Father’s Day is not celebrated on the second Sunday of November as in Finland, but rather on the third Sunday in June. Although it wasn’t made an official permanent holiday until 1972, it
has become a very popular holiday. The idea is to honor fathers
and fatherhood, and the contributions they have made to children’s
lives. Most often greeting cards are sent, and fathers are given an
appropriate gift such as an electronic device, a tool, outdoor cooking supplies or a ticket to a sporting event. Children might make a
paperweight or paint a picture of Dad in school. Though, probably
the thing a father most wants to hear is, “You’ve been a great, Dad!”
Independence Day is more often called the 4th of July because
of the date it falls on. This holiday commemorates the adoption of
the Declaration of Independence on July 4h, 1776. It is a relaxing day of picnics, family barbeques, family gatherings, baseball
games and concerts. During this time, there are many political
speeches, ceremonies and patriotic songs such as the National
Anthem, God Bless America, America the Beautiful, and This Land
is Your Land, played on the radio, on TV and live. Red, white,
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blue colors as well as star and stripes decorate homes, offices
and shops. But perhaps the most exciting part is the fireworks.
Privately, they are set off on streets, backyards and in parks, and
publically there are spectacular firework shows enhanced with live
or recorded music.
Celebrated on the 1st Monday in September, Labor Day commemorates the economic and social contributions of workers. It
started as a tribute to labor associations, but is now considered a
day of rest for the workingperson. Labor Day has been a national
holiday since 1894, and is the symbolic end of summer, the beginning of the football season and the start of autumn fashions. It
is also a popular time to travel, hold a big event or just relax with
the family.
Halloween is celebrated on the 31st of October. It is believed
that this holiday has Celtic or Pagan origins, but it is also the night
before All Saints Day. Traditions include carving a face on a pumpkin called a jack-o-lantern, adorning windows with scary or creepy
decorations, telling frightening stories and watching horror films.
Children dress up in various costumes and go house to house
yelling, “Trick or Treat,” after which they are given a candy or a
treat. Adults also dress up in costumes and go to parties full of
Halloween ornaments, chilling music and eerie games that last until
late in the night. Children get up the next day on a sugar high, and
adults wake up with an “after party” low.
Every year on the 4th Thursday of November, Americans take
time to reflect on their blessings. Above all, Thanksgiving Day is
a time for family, so it’s no surprise that it is the busiest travel day of
the year. During this holiday, everything revolves around a festive
meal in which the centerpiece is a large turkey as well as stuffing,
gravy and cranberry sauce. These are, for example, accompanied
by mash potatoes, winter squash, corn on the cob, yams, deviled
eggs, salad and perhaps apple cider or wine. In some regions the
turkey may be substituted with goose, duck, prime rib, ham or, in
the case of vegetarians, tofu. After the obligatory overeating, everyone goes for a long walk before settling down to watch a parade
(Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade is the most famous), a football game
or a special program about the Pilgrims.
Although Christmas is the most significant holiday for many
religious Christians, its secular traditions have become important
to people of all faiths and beliefs. Many American Christmas traSUOMI-USA 1/2012
ditions are similar to Finnish ones. However, there are some big
differences.
American Christmas fare tends to resemble Thanksgiving food
with a roast turkey rather than the Finnish preference of ham. For
desserts, no one can top the variety of American pies: apple, pecan, lemon meringue, pumpkin, etc. Ethnic influences can be noticed on many holiday tables with Mexican tamales, Italian pasta
and Swedish meatballs next to mash potatoes and string beans.
Heavy Christmas soups are also popular. Besides cider and juices,
Americans like hot chocolate, eggnog (milk, sugar, egg yolks and
spirits) or champagne to enhance their food.
Children are told that Santa lives on the North Pole. He delivers his presents late at night, so they are opened on Christmas
morning rather than Christmas Eve. In addition, unlike Finland,
there is no Christmas Peace declared, therefore, shops and some
businesses may be open, and almost all restaurants are ready for
a large number of customers. Many Americans have an “open
house” on Christmas Eve, which means that friends and relatives
are welcome to visit.
For the approximately 6.5 million Jews in America and their
friends, Hanukkah or the “Festival of Lights” is a popular occasion. Not because it’s a major holiday, but because it is so close
to Christmas time and gives Jews a reason to celebrate along with
their Christian friends. Hanukkah honors a great Jewish victory in
165 BC as well as the miracle of the Temple’s eternal lamp that
lasted eight days on very little oil… until new oil could be obtained.
The holiday is celebrated for eight days starting with the lighting of
one candle on a menorah, and adding one each night. Traditionally a gift is exchanged after the lighting ceremony. Other customs
include singing songs, storytelling, and spinning a four-sided top
called a dreidel. Time-honored backed goods and foods fried in
olive oil are served at this time and especially popular are the delicious potato pancakes (latkes).
So, when it comes to holidays, Americans love and look forward
to familiar customs and traditions. However, Americans are also
flexible and innovative. They are ready to try new ways of doing
things and adopt manners of celebrating. They take the attitude,
“Whatever works!”. And as you know, attitude is everything! ✪
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