A holiday is a day set apart by law or custom where normal everyday activities, particularly work or business, including school, are either suspended or completely reduced. In general, holidays are meant to let people to celebrate, honor or commemorate an occasion or belief of national or ethnic origin. In some parts of the world, a holiday is also a public holiday created as a day off from routine activities to mark a significant historical date or event. In other words, a holiday would be a time to do something different or more leisurely than usual.
Holidays have been a source of great celebration throughout the history of the world and they are now a major international business, with over a billion pounds worth of trade every year. It is estimated that nearly thirty million people in England and Wales are fasting this Christmas (including many children), as part of the worldwide act to kick-off the new year with good cheer. Many local areas around the United Kingdom observe major religious holidays such as Christmas, St. Valentine’s Day and Hanukkah. The international community celebrates many other religious holidays, including Good Friday and Ramadan. In the United States, the main religious holiday celebrated is Christmas, while other holidays include Easter, which is largely Christian and marks the birth of Jesus Christ, and Halloween, which is an all-hallow tradition.
In most instances, the amount of people fasting during the times of festivals and holidays is proportional to the number of tourists visiting that particular area at that time of year. On average, the United States and Canada see about one million visitors to their respective countries during any given holiday month. The high volume of traffic and shopping that takes place in these areas, combined with the relatively short amount of daylight during those times, result in very high rates for hotels and restaurants on those days. The high holiday pay that Americans and Canadians earn allows them to take their annual holidays at or near their respective vacation spots. Unfortunately, the influx of visitors to these destinations, coupled with the high prices charged by hotels and restaurants, often results in an increase in the average holiday spending rate for that same city or town. Hotel room rates tend to be higher during times of high holiday demand, but holiday paychecks are not usually effected.