A holiday is a day or other period of time set aside for festivals or recreation. Public holidays are set by public authorities and vary by state or region. Religious holidays are set by religious organisations for their members and are often also observed as public holidays in religious majority countries. Some religious holidays, such as Christmas, have become secularised by part or all of those who observe them. In addition to secularisation, many holidays have become commercialised due to the growth of industry.
41-652: Up Helly Aa ( / ˌ ʌ p h ɛ l i ˈ ɑː / UP -hel-ee- AH ; literally "Up Holy [Day] All") is a type of fire festival held annually from January to March in various communities in Shetland , Scotland , to mark the end of the Yule season. Each festival involves a torchlit procession by squads of costumed participants (known as guizers) that culminates in the burning of an imitation Viking galley . The largest festival held in Lerwick , Shetland's capital, involves
82-466: A weekend day a substitute holiday may be recognised in lieu. In the United Kingdom the government website states that "If a bank holiday is on a weekend, a 'substitute' weekday becomes a bank holiday, normally the following Monday.", and the list of bank holidays for the year 2020 includes Monday 28 December as " Boxing Day (substitute day)", as 26 December is a Saturday. The process of moving
123-544: A Pirate Day is observed on September 19, and Blasphemy Day is held on September 30. Other examples are April Fools' Day on April 1 and World No Tobacco Day on May 31. Various community organizers and marketers promote odd social media holidays . In the United States, holidays have been drawn into a culture of consumption since the late 19th century. Many civic, religious and folk festivals have been commercialised . As such, traditions have been reshaped to serve
164-568: A holiday from a weekend day to the following Monday is known as Mondayisation in New Zealand. National days are days of significance to a nation or nation state. National days are typically celebratory of a state's independence (e.g. 4 July in the US ), founding or unification (e.g. German Unity Day ), the commemoration of a revolution (e.g. Bastille Day in France) or liberation (e.g. 9 May in
205-577: A procession of up to a thousand guizers who march through the streets of Lerwick on the last Tuesday in January. The other rural festivals (known as the 'country' Up Helly Aas) see lower numbers of participants in accordance with their lower populations. The current Lerwick celebration grew out of the older yule tradition of tar barrelling which took place at Christmas and New Year as well as Up Helly Aa. Squads of young men would drag barrels of burning tar through town on sledges, making mischief. According to
246-525: A tradition in some non-Christian countries. For many Japanese people , it has become customary to buy and eat fried chicken on Christmas. Recently invented holidays commemorate a range of modern social and political issues and other important topics. The United Nations publishes a list of International Days and Weeks. One such day is International Women's Day on 8 March, which celebrates women's achievements and campaigns for gender equality and women's rights. Earth Day has been celebrated by people across
287-1236: Is a lesser Sabbat of the wheel of the year. Some are closely linked to Swedish festivities . The Baháʼí Faith observes 11 annual holidays on dates determined using the Baháʼí calendar . Jews have two holiday seasons: the Spring Feasts of Pesach (Passover) and Shavuot (Weeks, called Pentecost in Greek); and the Fall Feasts of Rosh Hashanah (Head of the Year), Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement), Sukkot (Tabernacles), and Shemini Atzeret (Eighth Day of Assembly). Some religious holidays are also celebrated by many as secular holidays. For example, 61% of Brits celebrate Christmas in an entirely secular way. 81% of non-Christian Americans also celebrate Christmas. A 2019 Gallup poll found that two-thirds of Americans still celebrate an at least somewhat religious Christmas. The claimed over-secularisation of particular holidays has caused controversy and claims of censorship of religion or political correctness . For example, in
328-513: Is a main guizer who is dubbed the " Jarl " (pron. "yarl"). There is a committee which a person must be part of for 15 years before one can be a jarl, and only one person is elected to this committee each year. The procession culminates in the torches being thrown into a replica Viking longship or galley . The event happens all over Shetland and is currently celebrated at eleven locations – Scalloway , Lerwick , Nesting and Girlsta, Uyeasound , Northmavine , Bressay , Cullivoe , Norwick, Waas ,
369-772: Is buried in St Cuthbert's churchyard . He was buried with his son Robert (who pre-deceased him) in a large and elaborate grave in the southern section. His inscription is on the rear of the monument. Jamieson's major work, the Etymological Dictionary of the Scottish Language appeared in 2 vols. in 1808. A meeting the Danish scholar Grim Thorkelin had suggested this work, and, working with Thomas Ruddiman 's glossary to Gavin Douglas 's version of
410-626: Is recognised in World War I Allied nations (and across the Commonwealth ) to memoralise those lost in the World Wars. National leaders will typically attend remembrance ceremonies at national memorial sites. Maybe surprisingly, World War II Armistice Day (and victory against Nazism ) day, on 8 May, is much less celebrated. Many holidays are linked to faiths and religions (see etymology above). Christian holidays are defined as part of
451-495: Is the Lunar New Year , which is celebrated across East Asia and South East Asia. Many other days are marked to celebrate events or people, but are not strictly holidays as time off work is rarely given; examples include Arbor Day (originally U.S.), Labor Day (celebrated sometimes under different names and on different days in different countries), and Earth Day (22 April). If a holiday coincides with another holiday or
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#1732764981413492-477: Is the first implication detailed that this article is concerned with. Modern use varies geographically. In North America, it means any dedicated day or period of celebration. In the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand, holiday is often used instead of the word vacation . The celebration of the New Year has been a common holiday across cultures for at least four millennia. Such holidays normally celebrate
533-856: Is used exclusively to refer to the nationally, religiously, or culturally observed day(s) of rest or celebration or the events themselves, whereas in the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth nations , the word may refer to the period of time where leave from one's duties has been agreed upon and is used as a synonym for the US preferred vacation . This time is usually set aside for rest, travel, or participation in recreational activities, with entire industries targeted to coincide with or enhance these experiences. The days of leave may not coincide with any specific customs or laws. Employers and educational institutes may designate 'holidays' themselves, which may or may not overlap nationally or culturally relevant dates, which again comes under this connotation, but it
574-590: The Aeneid , Jamieson completed the work almost alone. He prepared an abridgment in 1818 (reissued in 1846 with a memoir by John Johnstone), and aided by numerous others, he added two supplementary volumes in 1825. The work drew on folklore and provincialisms. The introductory antiquarian dissertation supported a theory on the Pictish influence on the Scots language . A revised edition by John Longmuir and David Donaldson
615-739: The Anti-burgher church in Nicolson Street, Edinburgh , but did not accept this until its next vacancy, being inducted on 30 May 1797. The union of the Burgher and Anti-Burgher "New Licht" churches to form the United Secession Church in 1820 was largely due to his exertions. He retired from the ministry in 1830, spending the rest of his life in Edinburgh. In the 1830s he is listed as living at 4 George Square on
656-575: The Shetland Museum , the catalyst for the establishment of Up Helly Aa was the boredom of young men after their return from fighting in the Napoleonic Wars , which had given them an opportunity to see spectacles abroad. Concern over public safety and levels of drunkenness led to a change in the celebrations, and saw them drawing inspiration from the islands' Viking history. After the abolition of tar barrelling around 1874–1880, permission
697-473: The South Mainland and Delting . After the procession, the squads visit local halls (including schools, sports facilities and hotels), where private parties are held. At each hall, each squad performs its act, which may be a send-up of a popular TV show or film, a skit on local events, or singing or dancing. Certain aspects of the festival have been changed for the modern day; for example, as of 2020
738-574: The University of Edinburgh , 1775–6. After six years' theological study, Jamieson was licensed to preach in 1781 and became pastor of the Secessionist ( Anti-burgher ) congregation in Forfar , Angus . He was 23 years old at the time and was ordained on 23 August 1780 and the following August being involved in a "romantic, moonlit marriage". In 1788 he was asked to replace Rev Adam Gib at
779-631: The liturgical year , the chief ones being Easter and Christmas . The Orthodox Christian and Western-Roman Catholic patronal feast day or "name day" are celebrated in each place's patron saint's day, according to the Calendar of saints . Jehovah's Witnesses annually commemorate "The Memorial of Jesus Christ's Death", but do not celebrate other holidays with any religious significance such as Easter, Christmas or New Year. This holds especially true for those holidays that have combined and absorbed rituals, overtones or practices from non-Christian beliefs into
820-512: The 1990s, Birmingham City Council promoted a series of events in the Christmas season under the brand Winterval to create a more multi-cultural atmosphere about the seasonal festivities. The Bishop of Birmingham responded to the events, saying "the secular world, which expresses respect for all, is actually embarrassed by faith. Or perhaps it is Christianity which is censored". In the United States, conservative commentators have characterised
861-656: The Channel Islands ), or the feast day for a patron saint (e.g. St Patrick's Day in Ireland) or ruler (e.g. 5 December in Thailand). Belgium's national day, on the 21st of July, commemorates the oath of office of the first King of the Belgians (an uncle of the then-future Queen Victoria ), i.e., so to say, the day Belgium became a kingdom by ending the initial interregnum . Every country other than Denmark and
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#1732764981413902-669: The Gregorian calendar except Israel . Christmas is a popular holiday globally due to the spread of Christianity . The holiday is recognised as a public holiday in many countries in Europe, the Americas, Africa and Australasia and is celebrated by over 2 billion people. Although a holiday with religious origins, Christmas is often celebrated by non-Christians as a secular holiday. For example, 61% of British people celebrate Christmas in an entirely secular way. Christmas has also become
943-615: The Scottish Language (1818), up is used in the sense of something being at an end, and derives from the Old Norse word uppi which is still used in Faroese and Icelandic , while helly refers to a holy day or festival. The Scottish National Dictionary defines helly , probably derived from the Old Norse helgr ( helgi in the dative and accusative case , meaning a holiday or festival), as "[a] series of festive days, esp.
984-608: The United Kingdom observes a national day. In the UK, constituent countries have official or unofficial national days associated with their patron saint. A British national day has often been proposed, such as the date of the Acts of Union 1707 (1 May) or the King's Official Birthday , but never adopted. Other days of national importance exist, such as one to celebrate the country's military or veterans . For example, Armistice Day (11 November)
1025-514: The celebration, as well as those holidays that distract from or replace the worship of Jehovah. In Islam , the largest holidays are Eid al-Fitr (immediately after Ramadan ) and Eid al-Adha (at the end of the Hajj ). Ahmadi Muslims additionally celebrate Promised Messiah Day , Promised Reformer Day , and Khilafat Day , but contrary to popular belief, neither are regarded as holidays. Hindus , Jains and Sikhs observe several holidays, one of
1066-506: The commemoration of the ending of World War II , or the Shoah , can also be part of the reparation obligation as per UN General Assembly Resolution 60/147 Basic Principles and Guidelines on the Right to a Remedy and Reparation for Victims of Gross Violations of International Human Rights Law and Serious Violations of International Humanitarian Law. Another example of a major secular holiday
1107-545: The festival, and many like it, were products of Victorian do-goodery. The Lerwick Up-Helly Aa was first established by the Total Abstinence Society in the 1870s to give the young men who would otherwise drink themselves silly something to do. The name itself derives from Upholiday, the lowland Scots' word for Twelfth Day, and was brought by them to the Shetland Islands in the 19th century. There
1148-513: The largest being Diwali (Festival of Light). Japanese holidays as well as few Catholic holidays contain heavy references to several different faiths and beliefs. Celtic, Norse, and Neopagan holidays follow the order of the Wheel of the Year . For example, Christmas ideas like decorating trees and colors (green, red, and white) have very similar ideas to modern Wicca (a modern Pagan belief) Yule which
1189-424: The last day of a year and the arrival of the next year in a calendar system. In modern cultures using the Gregorian calendar, the New Year's celebration spans New Year's Eve on 31 December and New Year's Day on 1 January. However, other calendar systems also have New Year's celebration, such as Chinese New Year and Vietnamese Tet . New Year's Day is the most common public holiday, observed by all countries using
1230-476: The needs of industry. Leigh Eric Schmidt argues that the growth of consumption culture allowed the growth of holidays as an opportunity for increased public consumption and the orderly timing of it. Thus, after the Civil War, as department stores became the spatial expression of commercialism , holidays became the temporal expression of it. John Jamieson John Jamieson (3 March 1759 – 12 July 1838)
1271-580: The period from Thanksgiving to New Year's (late November to January 1), which contains many important holidays in American culture. The word holiday comes from the Old English word hāligdæg ( hālig " holy " + dæg " day "). The word originally referred only to special religious days. The word holiday has differing connotations in different regions. In the United States , the word
Up Helly Aa - Misplaced Pages Continue
1312-491: The period in which Christmas festivities are held from 25th Dec. to 5th Jan. ", while aa may represent a' , meaning "all". Holiday Holidays can be thematic, celebrating or commemorating particular groups, events, or ideas, or non-thematic, days of rest that do not have any particular meaning. In Commonwealth English , the term can refer to any period of rest from work, such as vacations or school holidays . In American English , "the holidays" typically refers to
1353-482: The secularisation of Winter festivities as "the War on Christmas ". These are holidays that are not traditionally marked on calendars. These holidays are celebrated by various groups and individuals. Some promote a cause, others recognize historical events not officially recognized, and others are "funny" holidays celebrated with humorous intent. For example, Monkey Day is celebrated on December 14, International Talk Like
1394-756: The south side of the city. Jamieson was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh in 1803. His proposers were James Bonar , Alexander Fraser Tytler , and William Moodie . He was also a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland . He was elected a member of the American Antiquarian Society in 1816. In 1827 he was elected a member of the Bannatyne Club . He retired due to ill health in 1830 and died at home, 4 George Square, Edinburgh on 12 July 1838 and
1435-715: The use of blackface has been banned at festivals in Shetland. Traditionally the guizers at the main festival in Lerwick have always been male (although some women joined the march in 1901 disguised in their costumes). However some smaller rural festivals now include women and the South Mainland Up Helly Aa festival appointed a female Jarl in 2015. Starting from the 2023 festival, restrictions on women's participation within squads in Lerwick were removed. According to John Jamieson 's Etymological Dictionary of
1476-430: The world since 1970, with 10,000 events in 2007. It is a holiday marking the dangers of environmental damage, such as pollution and the climate crisis . Other secular holidays are observed regionally, nationally and across multi-country regions. The United Nations Calendar of Observances dedicates decades to a specific topic, but also a complete year, month, week and days. Holidays dedicated to an observance such as
1517-597: Was Dissertations on the Reality of the Spirit's Influence (1844). In 1781, Jamieson married Charlotte Watson (died 1837), daughter of Robert Watson, Esq., of Easter Rhind , Perthshire , and had seventeen children, of whom only two daughters and one son survived. His son, Robert Jameson (died 1834) advocate, became a distinguished member of the Faculty of Advocates . His daughter Margaret Robina married Donald Mackenzie of
1558-765: Was a Scottish minister of religion , lexicographer , philologist and antiquary . His most important work is the Etymological Dictionary of the Scottish Language . He was born in Glasgow in March 1759 the son of Rev John Jamieson, minister of the Associate Congregation on Duke Street. He was educated at Glasgow Grammar School . He studied at the University of Glasgow 1768 to 1771, and subsequently attended classes in Divinity at
1599-410: Was eventually obtained for torch processions. The first Yule torch procession took place in 1876. The first torch celebration on Up Helly Aa Day took place in 1881. The following year the torchlit procession was significantly enhanced and institutionalised through a request by a Lerwick civic body to hold another Up Helly Aa torch procession for the visit of Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh . The first galley
1640-648: Was fabricated and burned in 1889. In 1894 Haldane Burgess , a Shetland author, wrote the book The Viking Path which was a major influence in creating the Viking theme of the Up Helly Aa festival. Burgess also wrote the Up Helly Aa Song which is sung at the burning of the replica longship and elsewhere. The honorary role of the 'Jarl' was introduced to the festival in the early twentieth century. In reality, despite many sources claiming these ancient origins,
1681-570: Was issued in 1879–87. These volumes remained the standard reference work for the Scots language until the publication of the Scottish National Dictionary in 1931. Jamieson's other works included: Jamieson wrote on other themes: rhetoric, cremation, and the royal palaces of Scotland, besides publishing occasional sermons. In 1820 he issued edited versions of John Barbour 's Bruce and Blind Harry 's Wallace . Posthumous