American Holiday Calendar (2021)
Learn about the biggest holidays in the United States of America! Start by clicking a month, and discover more about each holiday!
January
January 1st – New Year’s Day
Federal
New Year’s Day is the first day, and holiday, of the year. People may start the new year by heading to the gym, meeting with friends, or cleaning up after New Year’s Eve festivities. This is a federal holiday, meaning that most schools, businesses, and offices are closed.
January 18th – Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Federal
Martin Luther King Jr. Day is a federal holiday that occurs every third Monday in January. It falls near Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday, January 15th, and was created to commemorate his incredible work in the American Civil Rights movement. This day is a time for reflection on Martin Luther King’s teachings and fight for racial equality.
February
February 14th – Valentine’s Day
Valentine’s Day is a holiday that celebrates love of all kinds. People exchange chocolates, gifts, and cards with their friends and partners, and those in relationships often take the time to go on special dates.
February 15th – Presidents’ Day
Federal
President’s Day is a federal holiday that falls on the third Monday in February, near George Washington’s birthday on February 22nd. George Washington was the first president of the United States, and the day is used to celebrate him and his successors.
March
March 17th – St. Patrick’s Day
St. Patrick’s Day is a Catholic holiday celebrating the patron saint of Ireland, but due to the high number of Irish immigrants, it is a popular cultural holiday in the U.S. St. Patrick’s Day is represented by the color green, leprechauns, shamrocks, and Ireland. Beware: those who do not wear green on St. Patrick’s Day are often pinched by enthusiastic celebrators.
March 27th to April 4th (changes yearly) – Passover
Passover is a Jewish holiday that is celebrated by millions of Jewish Americans every year. During the week, people celebrate with rituals, special meals, and the retelling of the story of Passover.
March 28 to March 29 (changes yearly) – Holi
Holi is a Hindu festival that celebrates love, forgiveness, and the beginning of spring. It is also called the festival of colors because people celebrate it by throwing colored powders on one another as they sing and dance together. It falls on the day after the full moon in March, every year.
April
April 1st – April Fools’ Day
The first day of April is an unofficial holiday called April Fools’ Day. The day is reserved for pranks, practical jokes, and hoaxes. If you trick someone on this day, be sure to tell them “April Fools!”
April 4th (changes yearly) – Easter
Easter is the holiest day of the year according to Christianity, but it is also celebrated secularly by many Americans. The Easter Bunny is the mascot of the holiday, and many children participate in Easter egg hunts.
April 12th to May 11th (changes yearly) – Ramadan
Ramadan is a holy month for the Muslims all over the world, including several million Muslim Americans. During this month, Muslims focus on prayer, charity, and self-reflection, and those who are in good health fast during the day. Eid al-Fitr is a different holiday that occurs at the end of Ramadan, which celebrates the breaking of the fast.
May
May 9 (changes yearly) – Mother’s Day
Mother’s Day is the second Sunday in May each year and a counterpart to Father’s Day. On this day, children show appreciation for their mothers by cooking and cleaning for them, giving them gifts, and doing fun activities together.
May 31 (changes yearly) – Memorial Day
Federal
Memorial Day is a federal holiday that falls on the fourth Monday in May every year. It is dedicated to those who have died in military service. Americans give thanks and remembrance to their sacrifice on this day.
June
June 20 (changes yearly) – Father’s Day
Father’s Day is the third Sunday of June and a counterpart to Mother’s Day. Children celebrate their fathers by doing chores for them, giving them gifts, and spending quality time together.
July
July 4th – Independence Day
Federal
Independence Day is a federal holiday that is often called the Fourth of July. It celebrates the anniversary of the Declaration of Independence being adopted, which was the day that America claimed independence from Great Britain. Americans celebrate their freedom with fireworks, barbecues, and parades.
July 19th to July 20th (changes yearly) – Eid al-Adha
Eid al-Adha is the more holy of two Eid’s, or celebration festivals, in the Islamic faith. Many Muslims spend the day enjoying special feasts with their family and friends.
August
No special holidays this year!
September
September 6th (changes yearly) – Labor Day
Federal
Labor day is a federal holiday on the first Monday in September. It honors American laborers and recognizes the contribution they make to the country’s achievements.
September 15th to September 16th (changes yearly) – Yom Kippur
Yom Kippur is the holiest day of the year for the Jewish faith. Many Jewish Americans spend the day fasting and attending special religious ceremonies to seek forgiveness from God.
October
October 11th (changes yearly) – Columbus Day/US Indigenous Peoples Day
Federal
Columbus Day is a federal holiday that occurs on the Second Monday of October. It commemorates Christopher Columbus’s landing in the Americas. However, many groups celebrate Indigenous People’s Day instead of this holiday, honoring the Native American groups that suffered as a result of Columbus’s voyage.
October 31st – Halloween
Halloween is a popular holiday that celebrates all things spooky and scary. During the Halloween season, many people decorate their houses, dress up in costumes, carve pumpkins into jack-o’-lanterns, and “trick or treat” by going from house to house collecting candy. It originated from a Celtic festival called Samhain.
November
First Tuesday in November (None this year) – Election Day
Election Day occurs on the first Tuesday in November every two years. While it is not a holiday, it is a very important day for all Americans. On this day, citizens vote on issues and candidates from the local to national levels.
November 4th (changes yearly) – Diwali
Diwali is a five day Hindu festival that celebrates the triumph of good over evil. It is also called the Festival of Lights, since people celebrate it by lighting their homes inside and out.
November 11th – Veterans Day
Federal
Veteran’s Day is a federal holiday that occurs on the anniversary of the end of World War II. It honors the former soldiers of the United States military for their sacrifices.
November 25 (changes yearly) – Thanksgiving Day
Federal
Thanksgiving Day is every third Thursday of November and dates back to feasts shared between New England Colonists and Native Americans. It is a day to give thanks to others and eat a special meal with loved ones. A traditional Thanksgiving meal includes turkey, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, and more.
November 28th to December 6th changes yearly) – Hanukkah
Hanukkah is a Jewish holiday that dates back to the 160s B.C. It lasts eight days, and is celebrated with traditional food, gifts, and the lighting of menorah candles. Some symbols of Hanukkah are the menorah, dreidels, and gelt.
December
December 25th – Christmas Day
Federal
Christmas and Christmas Eve, the 24th of December, are Christian holidays that are also celebrated secularly by many Americans. For Christmas, many families decorate their homes and Christmas trees, give each other gifts, and leave milk and cookies out for Santa Claus.
December 26th to January 1st – Kwanzaa
Kwanzaa is a celebration of African American culture that lasts from December 26th to January 1st. Families celebrate it with gift-giving, a special meal, and a seven-candle holder called a Kinara.
December 31st – New Year’s Eve
New Year’s Eve is the last day of the year. Many Americans celebrate it by gathering together with family and friends to drink champagne, watch the Times Square Ball drop in New York City, and share a kiss at midnight.