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The United States has many holidays.Most national holidays in the United States commemorate historical events or promote common national traditions.The only official national holidays that have religious origins are Thanksgiving and Christmas，but these have lost much of their religious importance.Various ethnic groups also celebrate their own traditional holidays and festivals.

The Thanksgiving holiday originated in the United States.It started in the early colonial period when Puritan settlers in Massachusetts celebrated their first harvest and offered thanks to God.In 1863，President Lincoln proclaimed the last Thursday in November as Thanksgiving Day.Congress officially established Thanksgiving as a national holiday after the Civil War.Today，Thanksgiving has lost most of its religious meaning.Rather，it is an occasion for family reunions and Thanksgiving Dinner，a feast which usually includes a roast turkey and a pumpkin pie.Many people also watch televised NFL football games that are traditionally held on Thanksgiving.

Christmas is the most important traditional holiday in the country.It is a Christian religious festival which celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ.Millions of Christians hold religious celebrations of Christmas each year.For many other Americans，Christmas is celebrated as a secular holiday.Christmas Day falls on December 25，but people begin to make preparations for the holiday weeks in advance，including buying gifts and decorating a Christmas tree in their home.The celebration begins on Christmas Eve when many people light Christmas decorations and sing Christmas carols.On the morning of Christmas Day，families traditionally open gifts together next to the Christmas tree.Later in the day，a Christmas feast similar to Thanksgiving Dinner is typically served.

In the spring，many religious and non⁃religious people alike celebrate the Christian holiday of Easter.Secular festivities include Easter egg hunts，where participants compete to find decorated eggs（either real or made from candy）that have been hidden in various places.

The U.S.government officially recognizes a number of other national holidays in addition to Thanksgiving and Christmas.These include Columbus Day，Independence Day，Labor Day，Memorial Day，New Year’s Day，the Birthday of Martin Luther King，Veterans Day and Washington’s Birthday.Independence Day，also called the 4th of July，is the most important of the secular holidays.It marks the date in 1776 on which the 13 British colonies declared their independence from Britain.Americans celebrate the occasion by holding parades，fairs and picnics during the day，and enjoying fireworks in the evening.