Term Holidays

This period of time on campus as winter becomes Spring contains several significant holidays and celebrations.
The 2015 Calendar for the USA shows these and list holidays which are celebrated as well as those which are observed. It is easy to tell which holidays are pending by the kind of advertising which is prominent directly before the holiday.

First of all this month was a holiday celebrating Love in many forms but particularly romantic love. The holiday name is Valentine's day and it is celebrated on February 14, every year. You probably noticed advertisements for jewelry, flowers and candy in fancy wrapping which are considered gifts for a sweetheart, wife or mother.

The next holiday of note was Presidents Day. This is a Federal Holiday which is set aside every year to honor two American Presidents, George Washington, who was the first President of the United States and Abraham Lincoln who was the president during the American civil war, 1860 to 1865. Because both of these Presidents' birthdays are in February the holiday is celebrated in February and it is always on a Monday.  You probably noticed that banks and schools were closed on this day. This is due to the fact that Presidents' Day is a Federal Holiday, one of eleven holidays set aside for employees of the government, which is why Federal offices, such as the post office are closed on those days. A holiday on Monday means a three day weekend for many workers. Often retail tire shops and matress stores take advantage of htis long weekend to entice buyers into their stores with special deals.

The next celebration which you may have witnessed is called Mardi Gras. This year it was on Tuesday, February 17.  Mardi Gras is celebrated in many places, particularly in the city of New Orleans, Louisiana. This is a day dedicated to partying and revelry. This celebration was brought to the United States by immigrants from France.

The next holiday you may have observed was Thursday, February 19,  Lunar New Year or Chinese New Year. This holiday in the USA features fireworks and parades often featuring dancing dragon feature.

Next month, March, the beginning of Spring, presents many more opportunities to celebrate.

Enjoy your term!