Public Holidays In The USA

Many holidays are widely observed in the USA. January 1st is New Year's Day. It is celebrated both in Europe and in the USA. Banks, post-offices and most places of business are closed on January 1. People see the old year out and the New Year in , they go to bed after midnight.
On February 12 Americans commemorate Lincoln's birthday, who was the sixteenth president of the United States.
Americans commemorate the birth of George Washington on February 22. Washington was the first president of the USA.
They mark Memorial Day on May 30.That is a day honoring Americans killed in wars.
One of the greatest holidays in the USA is on July 4. It is Independence Day. In 1776 the Declaration of Independence was proclaimed in Philadelphia. It was on July 4. Since then it has become a national holiday.

The first Monday in September is Labour Day.
October 12 is Columbus Day. It considered that on that day in 1492 Christopher Columbus discovered America.
The fourth Thursday in November is Thanksgiving Day. It is an annual festival celebrating the successful harvest of the Pilgrim settlers in the 17th century.
The main religious holiday which is widely observed in the USA is Christmas - December, 25. Schools and colleges are closed between Christmas and New Year's Day. Christmas is usually celebrated at home.

Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving Day is a harvest festival. Traditionally, it is a time to give thanks for the harvest and express gratitude in general. It is a holiday celebrated primarily in Canada and the United States. While perhaps religious in origin, Thanksgiving is now primarily identified as a secular holiday.
The date and location of the first Thanksgiving celebration is a topic of modest contention. Though the earliest attested Thanksgiving celebration was on September 8, 1565 in what is now Saint Augustine, Florida, the traditional "first Thanksgiving" is venerated as having occurred at the site of Plymouth Plantation, in 1621.

Today, Thanksgiving is celebrated on the second Monday of October in Canada and on the fourth Thursday of November in the United States. Thanksgiving dinner is held on this day, usually as a gathering of family members and friends.
Most people celebrate by gathering at home with family or friends for a holiday feast. Though the holiday's origins can be traced to harvest festivals which have been celebrated in many cultures since ancient times. The period from Thanksgiving Day to New Year's Day is often called the holiday season. U.S. tradition compares the holiday with a meal held in 1621 by the Wampanoag and the Puritans who settled in Plymouth, Massachusetts. This element continues in modern times with the Thanksgiving dinner, often featuring turkey, playing a large role in the celebration of Thanksgiving.