INTRODUCTION

In the following document will be investigated on some holidays of

the United States of America.

Among the holidays that can be found are: Independence Day,

Mother's Day, Valentine's Day and the day of Thanksgiving.

Of those days will be detailed what is its origin and how they usually
celebrate those days in the United States of America.
 ORIGIN OF MOTHER'S DAY

The modern holiday of Mother's Day was first celebrated in 1908,

when Anna Jarvis held a memorial for her mother at St Andrew's
Methodist Church in Grafton, West Virginia. St Andrew's Methodist
Church now holds the International Mother's Day Shrine. Her
campaign to make "Mother's Day" a recognized holiday in the United
States began in 1905, the year her mother, Ann Reeves Jarvis, died.
Ann Jarvis had been a peace activist who cared for wounded
soldiers on both sides of the American Civil War, and created
Mother's Day Work Clubs to address public health issues. Anna
Jarvis wanted to honor her mother by continuing the work she
started and to set aside a day to honor all mothers because she
believed that they were "the person who has done more for you than
anyone in the world".

In 1908, the US Congress rejected a proposal to make Mother's Day

an official holiday, joking that they would also have to proclaim a
"Mother-in-law's Day". However, owing to the efforts of Anna Jarvis,
by 1911 all US states observed the holiday, with some of them
officially recognizing Mother's Day as a local holiday, the first being
West Virginia, Jarvis' home state, in 1910. In 1914, Woodrow Wilson
signed a proclamation designating Mother's Day, held on the second
Sunday in May, as a national holiday to honor mothers

Although Jarvis was successful in founding Mother's Day, she

became resentful of the commercialization of the holiday. By the
early 1920s, Hallmark Cards and other companies had started
selling Mother's Day cards. Jarvis believed that the companies had
misinterpreted and exploited the idea of Mother's Day, and that the
emphasis of the holiday was on sentiment, not profit. As a result,
she organized boycotts of Mother's Day, and threatened to issue
lawsuits against the companies involved. Jarvis argued that people
should appreciate and honor their mothers through handwritten
letters expressing their love and gratitude, instead of buying gifts
and pre-made cards. Jarvis protested at a candy makers' convention
in Philadelphia in 1923, and at a meeting of American War Mothers
in 1925. By this time, carnations had become associated with
Mother's Day, and the selling of carnations by the American War
Mothers to raise money angered Jarvis, who was arrested for
disturbing the peace.

HOW MOTHER'S DAY IS CELEBRATED.

Many people send cards or gifts to their mother or mother figure or

make a special effort to visit them and spend a family day. The most
common gifts are flowers, chocolates, sweets, clothing, jewelry,
phones, beauty treatments, spa cards or a trip. Some families
organize a trip for all of their members or have a special meal at
home or in a restaurant.

ORIGIN OF THANKSGIVING DAY

Thanksgiving, or Thanksgiving Day, is a public holiday celebrated on

the fourth Thursday of November in the United States. It originated
as a harvest festival. Thanksgiving has been celebrated nationally
on and off since 1789, after Congress requested a proclamation by
George Washington.It has been celebrated as a federal holiday
every year since 1863, when, during the American Civil War,
President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed a national day of
"Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in
the Heavens," to be celebrated on the last Thursday in November.
Together with Christmas and the New Year, Thanksgiving is a part
of the broader fall/winter holiday season in the U.S.

The event that Americans commonly call the "First Thanksgiving"

was celebrated by the Pilgrims after their first harvest in the New
World in October 1621. This feast lasted three days, andas
accounted by attendee Edward Winslow it was attended by 90
Native Americans and 53 Pilgrims. The New England colonists were
accustomed to regularly celebrating "thanksgivings"days of prayer
thanking God for blessings such as military victory or the end of a
drought.

HOW THANKSGIVING DAY IS CELEBRATED.

Thanksgiving Day is traditionally a day for families and friends to get
together for a special meal. The meal often includes a turkey,
stuffing, potatoes, cranberry sauce, gravy, pumpkin pie, and
vegetables. Thanksgiving Day is a time for many people to give
thanks for what they have.

Thanksgiving Day parades are held in some cities and towns on or

around Thanksgiving Day. Some parades or festivities also mark the
opening of the Christmas shopping season. Some people have a
four-day weekend so it is a popular time for trips and to visit family
and friends.

ORIGIN OF INDEPENDENCE DAY

Independence Day, also referred to as the Fourth of July or July

Fourth, is a federal holiday in the United States commemorating the
adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. The
Continental Congress declared that the thirteen American colonies
regarded themselves as a new nation, the United States of America,
and were no longer part of the British Empire. The Congress actually
voted to declare independence two days earlier, on July 2.

Independence Day is commonly associated with fireworks, parades,

barbecues, carnivals, fairs, picnics, concerts, baseball games, family
reunions, and political speeches and ceremonies, in addition to
various other public and private events celebrating the history,
government, and traditions of the United States. Independence Day
is the National Day of the United States.

During the American Revolution, the legal separation of the Thirteen

Colonies from Great Britain in 1776 actually occurred on July 2,
when the Second Continental Congress voted to approve a
resolution of independence that had been proposed in June by
Richard Henry Lee of Virginia declaring the United States
independent from Great Britain rule. After voting for independence,
Congress turned its attention to the Declaration of Independence, a
statement explaining this decision, which had been prepared by a
Committee of Five, with Thomas Jefferson as its principal author.
Congress debated and revised the wording of the Declaration, finally
approving it two days later on July 4. A day earlier, John Adams had
written to his wife Abigail:

The second day of July, 1776, will be the most memorable epoch in
the history of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated
by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival. It ought
to be commemorated as the day of deliverance, by solemn acts of
devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with pomp and
parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and
illuminations, from one end of this continent to the other, from this
time forward forever more.

HOW INDEPENDENCE DAY IS CELEBRATED.

Independence Day is a national holiday marked by patriotic displays.

Similar to other summer-themed events, Independence Day
celebrations often take place outdoors. Independence Day is a
federal holiday, so all non-essential federal institutions (such as the
postal service and federal courts) are closed on that day. Many
politicians make it a point on this day to appear at a public event to
praise the nation's heritage, laws, history, society, and people.

Families often celebrate Independence Day by hosting or attending

a picnic or barbecue; many take advantage of the day off and, in
some years, a long weekend to gather with relatives or friends.
Decorations (e.g., streamers, balloons, and clothing) are generally
colored red, white, and blue, the colors of the American flag.
Parades are often held in the morning, before family get-togethers,
while fireworks displays occur in the evening after dark at such
places as parks, fairgrounds, or town squares.

ORIGIN OF VALENTINES DAY

Landing every year on February 14, Valentines Day is the most

romantic day on the calendar in the United States.
There are certain traditions and anti-traditions which are likely to be
observed in the days leading up to Valentines Day and on the day
itself

The main symbols associated with this day include red and pink
hearts, cupid, cards, chocolate and flowers. Despite all of these
traditional elements, the real message of the day is to celebrate the
love one has with anyone, ranging from family to friends to lovers
and spouses. However, just as many holidays in the US or other
countries, this day of love has been commercialized, and most
companies produce and sell items specifically for Valentines Day.
Intended to serve the demand for V-Day gifts, some people believe
all of this has taken away the real meaning of the day, and support
some anti-traditions, such as going so far as to boycott the holiday
entirely.

HOW VALENTINES DAY IS CELEBRATED.

For those who do celebrate Valentines Day, there are certain things
which are always done. Some of these include the following:

Sending flowers.
Going out for dinner or cooking dinner at home.
Sending Valentines (cards).
Spending time with loved ones.

Despite all of these things which should be done for Valentines Day,
almost no one receives a day off from work for this day. Because it
is around the same time as Martin Luther King, Jr. Day and
Washingtons Birthday, this day sees almost everyone going to
work.

For many, the commercialization of Valentines Day became too

much. Instead of sending the mandatory dozen of red roses, box of
chocolates, and going to have an expensive dinner, some people
are choosing nontraditional methods of celebrating. These may
include staying at home together, celebrating on a different day
altogether, or doing something more intimate and personal than
what is usually prescribed for Valentines Day.
 CONCLUTION

In the development of this work we find the following data:

The day of the father as Mother's Day in the United States are two
very special days for the United States, which take that day to spend
with their family, make a gift, share with their parents.

Thanksgiving Day (it is an important celebration that takes place

annually in the United States (USA or USA), is celebrated on the
fourth Thursday of November.

On Thanksgiving, families and friends gather and sit together at a

table to share a feast that usually consists of a roast turkey
accompanied by salad, rice and sauces to taste.

Independence Day is annually celebrated on July 4 and is often

known as "the Fourth of July". It is the anniversary of the publication
of the declaration of independence from Great Britain in 1776.
Patriotic displays and family events are organized throughout the
United States.

Valentine's Day is a time when people express feelings of love,

affection and friendship. It is celebrated in many ways throughout
the united state and falls on February 14 of each year.