Percentag

e of
Official
Date Americans Remarks
Name
celebratin
g
Celebrates beginning of the Gregorian calendar year.
Festivities include counting down to 12:00 midnight on
the preceding night, New Year's Eve, often with
January 1 New Year's
72% fireworks display and party. The ball drop at Times
(Fixed) Day Square in New York City has become a national New
Year's festivity. Traditional end of Christmas and holiday
season.[13]
Honors Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Civil Rights leader,
who was actually born on January 15, 1929; combined
Birthday of with other holidays in several states. Some cities and
Third municipalities hold parades; and more recently, the
Martin
Monday in 26% 1994 King Holiday and Service Act, which was passed
Luther King, to encourage Americans to transform the King Holiday
January
Jr. into a day of citizen action volunteer service, has
gained in popularity (sometimes referred to as a
National Day of Service).
Washington's Birthday was first declared a federal
holiday by an 1879 act of Congress. The Uniform
Holidays Act, 1968, shifted the date of the
commemoration of Washington's Birthday from
Third February 22 to the third Monday in February (between
February 15 and 21, meaning the observed holiday
Monday in
Washington' never falls on Washington's actual birthday). Because
February 52%
s Birthday of this, combined with the fact that President Lincoln's
(Presidents birthday falls on February 12, many people now refer to
' Day) this holiday as "Presidents' Day" and consider it a day
honoring all American presidents. However, neither the
Uniform Holidays Act nor any subsequent law changed
the name of the holiday from Washington's Birthday to
Presidents' Day.[16]
Honors the nation's war dead from the Civil War
Last
Memorial onwards; marks the unofficial beginning of the summer
Monday in 21%
Day season. (traditionally May 30, shifted by the Uniform
May Holidays Act 1968)
Celebrates the signing of the Declaration of
July 4 Independenc Independence from British rule, also called the Fourth
79%
(Fixed) e Day of July. Fireworks celebration are held in many cities
throughout the nation.
First Celebrates the achievements of workers and the labor
Monday in Labor Day 53% movement; marks the unofficial end of the summer
September season.
Honors Christopher Columbus, traditional discoverer of
Second
Columbus the Americas. In some areas it is also a celebration of
Monday in 8%
Day Indigenous Peoples, or Italian culture and heritage.
October (traditionally October 12)
Honors all veterans of the United States armed forces.
It is observed on November 11 to recall the end of
November Veterans World War I on that date in 1918 (major hostilities of
43%
11 (Fixed) Day World War I were formally ended at the 11th hour of the
11th day of the 11th month of 1918 when theArmistice
with Germany went into effect).
Fourth
Traditionally celebrates the giving of thanks for the
Thursday Thanksgivin
87% autumn harvest. Traditionally includes the sharing of
in g Day a turkey dinner.
November
The most widely celebrated holiday of the Christian
December
Christmas 90% year, Christmas is observed as a commemoration of the
25 (Fixed) birth of Jesus of Nazareth.