When we look at the calendar and come across holidays, we always get excited, don't we? It could be in the middle of the week or a holiday, it doesn't matter! A day off is always good news!
They are even better when we can travel to another country and enjoy them, don't you agree? The problem is that holidays differ from one country to another, and that's when questions arise like: what are holidays like in English?
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What is “holiday” in English?
The word for holiday in English is “holiday”. This word is used to identify a commemorative date, a special day. In other words, it is not a specific day, but rather several festivities that occur throughout the year. Therefore, it is considered a more general term, used broadly to refer to all holidays in the English language.
Thinking about Portuguese, when we want to refer to a day off established in the national calendar, we use the word “holiday”. However, when we want to talk specifically about a date, we use the name of the holiday given to it, such as “Christmas”, “Easter”, “New Year” and so on.
The same thing happens in English, did you know? Understand:
Easter in English: how to say it?
When we need to refer to Easter or congratulate someone, the term used is “Easter”. And when we want to wish a happy Easter holiday to our family or friends, we use “Happy Easter”.
It's one of the first important holidays of the year – a super special and delicious date to celebrate with the whole family over lunch on Sunday!
Thanksgiving Day in English
A very special date celebrated in the United States is Thanksgiving – so important that many consider it “on par” with Christmas! It is always celebrated and has a cultural weight that justifies its importance for Americans.
The term to refer to this holiday is “Thanksgiving Day”.
This is a holiday that we can see recurring in several TV series, especially in the series Friends! In every season they set aside at least one episode to celebrate this date!
For you to learn and have fun, we have put together a post exclusive for you practice your English while watching series, including Friends!
What is the Thanksgiving?
But what is Thanksgiving and why is it so important in the US? Celebrated every 4th Thursday in November, it is celebrated as a day of thanksgiving for all the good things that have happened in the past year.
This date was chosen as a festive day in 1863 by President Abraham Lincoln, but it only became a national holiday in 1941, when it began to become even more popular throughout the country.
On this date, families gather for dinner, where typical dishes based on pumpkin, sweet potatoes, sauces, mashed potatoes and the classic Thanksgiving turkey are served.
An interesting fact: on the day of the holiday, around 50 million turkeys are consumed, and because of this, this holiday is also known as “Turkey Day” which would be “turkey day”.
Christmas in English: how to apply it in sentences?
To wish you a Merry Christmas, it is used “Merry Christmas”, very common among those who follow the gospel of Christ. After all, if we stop to think, the word “Christmas” is the union of “Christ”, who is Christ, and “Mass”, which is Mass.
If you don't know the person's culture or are in doubt, use the term “Happy Holidays” to respect the individuality of others. This term means “happy holidays” and is a universal expression, ensuring that people who do not celebrate Christmas do not feel excluded from the festivities, as well as showing empathy for all cultures and religions.
Additionally, many companies prohibit the use of other terms.
But, if you want to invest in English and try your hand at congratulations in this language, we have selected 4 expressions that are very suitable for the celebration. Check them out:
- “Merry Christmas and may God bless you and your family”.
This is a widely used phrase, which means: Merry Christmas and may God bless you and your family; - “May the peace and love of the Christmas season wrap you boundless joy during the season and in the New Year”.
Which means: May the peace and love of the Christmas season encompass boundless joy throughout the season and into the New Year; - “Merry Christmas! I hope Santa gives you what you wish for.”
Meaning: Merry Christmas! I hope Santa Claus gives you what you wish for; - “I hope the unique magic of this Christmas invades your spirit and that you get everything you crave for the new year”.
To say: I hope the unique magic of this Christmas invades your spirit and that you achieve everything you desire in the new year.
Also, if you want to test your English level and check if you are sharp in the use of adjectives and other grammatical aspects, we have a post node blog that can help you. See later.
How to wish Happy New Year in English?
To wish Happy New Year, many people use the term “Merry Christmas and Happy New Year” or even “Happy Holidays” to wish you congratulations on both holidays in one fell swoop.
If you just want to say Happy New Year: we use “Happy New Year”, which means “Happy New Year”, but to change it up a bit and be warmer with your message, you can try other expressions.
For example, we use adjectives in the sentence to personalize what we want to wish for others and make it our own, as in the case of “have a wonderful and successful new year!”
The use of adjectives changes the meaning of the sentence, and we can use many others that best suit the situation to wish a “happy new year” the other person!
If you still have doubts or if you are still a beginner in English, check out the post: English for Beginners: Where to Start?
We hope you enjoyed this content and that it helps you in your next steps with the language! But remember: there is nothing better than practicing your English daily, after all, practice makes perfect!
See you later!
