USA-HOLIDAYS-美国重要节日的介绍

USAFEDERALHOLIDAYSIntheUnitedStates,afederalholidayisapublicholidayrecognizedbytheUnitedStatesfederalgovernment.Non-essentialfederalgovernmentofficesareclosed.Allfederalemployeesarepaidfortheholiday;thosewhoarerequiredtoworkontheholidayshouldreceiveholidaypayforthatdayinadditiontotheirordinarywages.Constitutionally,therearenonationalholidaysintheUnitedStatesbecauseCongressonlyhasauthoritytocreateholidaysforfederalinstitutions(includingfederallyownedproperties)andemployees,andfortheDistrictofColumbia.Instead,therearefederalholidays,stateholidays,cityholidays,andsoon.NewYear'sDayJANUARY1CelebratesbeginningoftheGregoriancalendaryear.Festivitiesoftenincludecountdownstomidnight(12:00AM)ontheprecedingeveningMartinLutherKing,Jr.DayThirdMondayinJanuaryHonorsMartinLutherKing,Jr.,CivilRightsleader,whowasactuallybornonJanuary15,1929;combinedwithotherholidaysinseveralstates.Washington'sBirthdayThirdMondayinFebruaryHonorsGeorgeWashington.Oftenpopularly,buterroneously,observedasPresidentsDayinrecognitionofotherAmericanpresidents,suchasAbrahamLincoln(whowasbornFebruary12).Thelegalnameofthefederalholiday,however,remainsWashington'sBirthday.(ItwashistoricallyobservedonFebruary22,priortopassageoftheUniformMondayHolidayActbyCongress.)MemorialDayLastMondayinMayAlsoknownasDecorationDay,MemorialDayoriginatedinthe19thcenturyasadaytorememberthesoldierswhogavetheirlivesintheAmericanCivilWarbydecoratingtheirgraveswithflowers.Later,thepracticeofdecoratinggravescametoincludemembersofone'sownfamily,whethertheysawmilitaryserviceornot.MemorialDayistraditionallythebeginningofthesummerrecreationalseasoninAmerica.(ItwashistoricallyobservedonMay30,priortotheUniformMondayHolidayAct.)IndependenceDayJuly4CelebratestheadoptionoftheDeclarationofIndependence.AlsopopularlyknownastheFourthofJuly“.LaborDayFirstMondayinSeptemberCelebratesachievementsofworkersandthelabormovement.LaborDaytraditionallymarkstheendofthesummerrecreationalseasoninAmerica.Thefollowingdayoftenmarksthebeginningofautumnclassesinprimaryandsecondaryschools.ColumbusDaySecondMondayinOctoberCelebratedsince1792inNewYorkCity,honorsthearrivalofChristopherColumbusintheAmericawholandedintheBahamasonOctober12,1492(accordingtotheJuliancalendar).InsomeareasitisalsoacelebrationofItalian-Americancultureandheritage.CongressandPresidentFranklinDelanoRooseveltsetasideColumbusDayin1934asafederalholidayatthebehestoftheKnightsofColumbus(historicallyobservedonOctober12,priortotheUniformMondayHolidayAct).VeteransDayNovember11AlsoknownasArmisticeDay,and(althoughrarelyintheUS)occasionallycalledRemembranceDay,'VeteransDay'istheAmericannamefortheinternationalholidaywhichcommemoratesthesigningoftheArmisticeendingWorldWarI.IntheUnitedStates,theholidayhonorsallveteransoftheUnitedStatesArmedForces,whetherornottheyhaveservedinaconflict;butitespeciallyhonorsthesurvivingveteransofWorldWarII,theKoreanWar,theVietnamWar,thePersianGulfWar,theIraqWar,andtheWarinAfghanistan.TheAmericanholidaywasbrieflymovedtothefinalMondayinOctoberundertheUniformMondayHolidayAct,butthechangewasgreatlydislikedandsoundlycriticized–amongotherreasons,becauseitputVeteransDayoutofsyncwithinternationalobservance;soitwasrestoredtoNovember11.ThanksgivingDayFourthThursdayinNovemberAmericanshaveaturkeydinnersuchasthedinnersharedbyNativeAmericansandthePilgrimsatPlymouth,Massachusetts.Historically,Thanksgivingwasobservedonvariousdays,althoughbythe1930sitwasobservedonthelastThursdayofNovember.PresidentFranklinDelanoRooseveltfixeditonthefourthThursdayofNovember,attherequestofnumerouspowerfulAmericanmerchants.(ManyAmericansalsoreceivetheFridayfollowingThanksgivingDayoffwork,andsomanypeoplebegintheirChristmasshoppingonthatFriday.ChristmasDayDecember25AworldwideholidaythatcelebratesthebirthofJesusChrist.Popularaspectsoftheholidayincludedecorations,emphasisonfamilytogetherness,andgiftgiving.DesignatedafederalholidaybyCongressandPresidentUlyssesS.Grantin1870.Otherreligious,traditional,andinformalholidayscelebratedintheUnitedStatesGroundhogDayFebruary2ThedayonwhichfolklorestatesthatthebehaviorofagroundhogemergingfromitsburrowissaidtopredicttheonsetofSpring.Valentine'sDayFebruary14St.Valentine'sDay,orsimplyValentine'sDayisnamedafteroneormoreearlyChristianmartyrsnamedSaintValentine,andwasestablishedbyPopeGelasiusIin496AD.Moderntraditionalcelebrationofloveandromance,includingtheexchangeofcards,candy,flowers,andothergifts.SaintPatrick'sDayMarch17AholidayhonoringSaintPatrickthatcelebratesIrishculture.Primaryactivityissimplythewearingofgreenclothing(wearingo'thegreen),althoughdrinkingbeerdyedgreenisalsopopular.Bigparadesinsomecities,suchasinNewYorkCity.AprilFools'DayApril1Adaythatpeoplecommonlyplaytricksorjokesonfamily,friends,andcoworkers,especiallyinEnglish-speakingnations.SometimescalledtheFeastofAllFoolsasaplayonthefeastdaysofsaints;thereisnoevidencetheholidayhasanyChristianreligiousorigins.EasterMarch22toApril25ManyAmericansdecoratehard-boiledeggsandgivebasketsofcandy,fruit,toysandsoon,especiallytochildren;butgiftsofage-appropriateEasterba