The United States does not have national holidays (i.e., days where all employees in the U.S. receive a day free from work and all business is halted). The U.S. Federal government can only recognize national holidays that pertain to its own employees; it is at the discretion of each state or local jurisdiction to determine official holiday schedules. There are eleven such "Federal holidays", ten annual and one quadrennial holiday. The annual Federal holidays are widely observed by state and local governments; however, they may alter the dates of observance or add or subtract holidays according to local custom. Pursuant to the Uniform Holidays Bill of 1968 (taking effect in 1971), official holidays are observed on a Monday, except for New Year's Day, Independence Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. There are also U.S. state holidays particular to individual U.S. states.
Most retail businesses close on Thanksgiving and Christmas, but remain open on all other holidays. Private businesses often observe only the "big six" holidays (New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas). Some also add the Friday after Thanksgiving, or one or more of the other federal holidays.
Federal holidays
Main article: Federal holidays in the United StatesFederal holidays are designated by Congress in Title V of the United States Code (5 U.S.C. § 6103). If a holiday falls on a Saturday it is celebrated the preceding Friday; if a holiday falls on a Sunday it is celebrated the following Monday. Most, but not all, states and most private businesses also observe a Sunday holiday on the following Monday. It is less common, however, for a state or private business to observe a Saturday holiday on the preceding Friday. Some states and private businesses may observe it then, a few may observe it on Monday, and some may not observe the holiday at all in those years. In particular, banks that close on Saturdays do not observe a holiday when it falls on Saturday.
- Federal Holidays Calendars from the U.S. Office of Personnel Management.
Federal observances
The Congress has designated various United States federal observances—days, weeks, months, and other periods for the observance, commemoration, or recognition of events, individuals, or other topics. These observances do not have the status of holidays in that Federal employees do not receive any days free from work for observances.
Other holidays observed nationwide
In addition to the official holidays, many religious, ethnic, and other traditional holidays populate the calendar, as well as observances proclaimed by officials and lighter celebrations. These are rarely observed by businesses as holidays; indeed, many are viewed as opportunities for commercial promotion. Because of this commercialization, some critics apply the deprecatory term Hallmark holiday to such days, after the Hallmark greeting card company.
State holidays
In addition to the federal holidays, individual states observe the following holidays:
- Alabama: Confederate Memorial Day, fourth Monday in April
- Alaska: Alaska Day, anniversary of transfer to U.S. control, October 18 ; Seward's Day, anniversary of purchase from Russia, March 27
- Arkansas: Daisy Gatson Bates Day, February 16 , observed with Washington's Birthday
- California: Lincoln's Birthday, February 12 , César Chávez's birthday, March 31 (also may be optionally observed in Colorado and Texas)
- Colorado: Colorado Day August 1, 1876 Colorado became a state. This date is recognized/celebrated each year by state residents.
- Connecticut: Lincoln's Birthday, February 12 ; Good Friday, date varies
- Delaware: Return Day, Thursday following Election Day; every two years, celebrates the returns of an election, having political opponents "bury the hatchet" in a bucket of sand
- District of Columbia: Emancipation Day, April 16
- Florida: Pascua Florida Day, April 2
- Georgia: Robert E. Lee's Birthday and Confederate Memorial Day
- Hawaii: Good Friday, date varies; May Day or Lei Day, date varies, usually May 1st; Kamehameha Day, June 11 ; Prince Jonah Kuhio Kalanianaole Day, March 26 ; Admission Day or Statehood Day, third Friday in August
- Idaho: Idaho Human Rights Day, January 19
- Illinois: Lincoln's Birthday, February 12 (most state offices close, many schools choose to close on President's Day). Pulaski Day first Monday of every March.
- Kansas: Kansas Day, January 29
- Louisiana: Mardi Gras, date varies ( 3 February - 9 March ); Good Friday, date varies, celebrated elsewhere
- Massachusetts: Patriot's Day, 3rd Monday of April, traditionally April 19 , anniversary of Battles of Lexington and Concord
- Maine: Patriots' Day, April 19 , anniversary of Battles of Lexington and Concord
- Maryland: Maryland Day, March 25 , commemoration of first European settlement of Maryland; Defenders Day, September 12, commemorates the successful defense of the city of Baltimore from an invading British force during the War of 1812.
- Mississippi: Mardi Gras Day, date varies
- Missouri: Truman Day, May 9
- Nebraska: Arbor Day, last Friday of April, celebrated elsewhere
- Nevada: Nevada Day, October 31 , commemorates date of admission to the Union, observed on last Friday of October.
- New Hampshire: Civil Rights Day, January 19
- Oklahoma: Statehood Day, November 16
- Rhode Island: V.J. Day or Victory Day, second Monday in August
- South Dakota: Native American Day, second Monday in October
- Tennessee
- Legal holidays: Good Friday, date varies;
- Days of special observance: Robert E. Lee Day, January 19 ; Lincoln's Birthday, February 12 ; Andrew Jackson Day, March 15 ; Mother's Day, Second Sunday in May; Statehood Day, June 1 , commemorates date of admission to the Union; Memorial or Confederate Decoration Day, June 3; Nathan Bedford Forrest Day, July 13
- Texas: Confederate Veterans Day, January 19 ; Juneteenth, June 19
- Utah: Pioneer Day, July 24
- Vermont: Town Meeting Day, first Tuesday in March; Battle of Bennington Day, August 16 , commemorates Revolutionary War battle of same name
- Virginia: Lee-Jackson Day, Friday before the third Monday in January
- West Virginia: West Virginia Day, June 20
Southern holidays
May or may not be legal holidays, depending on state law.
See also: Lee-Jackson-King day
- Confederate Memorial Day, usually last Monday of April
- Alabama, fourth Monday in April, legal holiday
- Florida, April 26 , legal holiday
- Georgia, legal holiday
- Mississippi, legal holiday
- South Carolina, May 10 , legal holiday (SC Code § 53-5-10)
- Louisiana, June 3
- Tennessee, June 3
- Virginia, coincidental with US Memorial Day
- Jefferson Davis's Birthday
- Alabama, first Monday in June, legal holiday
- Florida, June 3 legal holiday
- Robert E. Lee's Birthday (often observed with MLK Day on January 19 )
- Alabama, observed with MLK Day, legal holiday
- Arkansas, January 19, observed with MLK Day
- Florida, January 19 , legal holiday
- Georgia, January 19, may be celebrated other days (Friday after Thanksgiving, for example)
- Mississippi, January 19, legal holiday
- Tennessee, January 19
- Nathan Bedford Forrest Day
- Tennessee, July 13
- Mardi Gras, held the day before Ash Wednesday.
- Florida, legal holiday in counties where carnival associations are organized for the purpose of celebrating the same.
- Louisiana, legal holiday
- Mississippi, legal holiday in Hancock, Harrison and Jackson Counties
- Alabama, legal holiday only in Baldwin and Mobile Counties
Other holidays locally observed
- Bunker Hill Day, June 17 (Suffolk County, Massachusetts)
- Brooklyn-Queens Day, (New York City, NY), first Thursday in June
- Casimir Pulaski Day (primarily Illinois, first Monday in March)
- Day of the Dead ( November 1 , sometimes celebrated in areas with large Mexican-American populations; see Dia de los Muertos)
- Devil's Night (primarily Michigan, October 30 )
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