A holiday is a day usually set aside by law or custom, where normal daily activities, particularly work or school including church or school are either suspended or completely reduced. In general, holidays are meant to let people celebrate or commemor an occasion or tradition of social or spiritual significance. There can also be associated political events that have domestic and international implications. For instance, American holidays such as Christmas and New Year’s Eve are mostly associated with the celebration of Christ and the victory over the evil spirit, while the Chinese New Year is marked by the New Year’s festivities.
For many people, a holiday is synonymous with family and friends spending time together in a familiar environment. It is common for families to have a national holiday at the beginning of the year where they get together and enjoy a feast and dance around the fire. This festive spirit still persists throughout the year, though there is less of the joy associated with the traditional New Year’s Eve party and more of the stress and planning involved with preparing for the festivities. With that said, there were still some traditions and customs associated with the holidaying season that do not fade even up to the end of the New Year. There is also a large amount of money and time spent in holidaying and many people enjoy their holidaying experience and the money spent on them. For this reason, there is a large industry of accommodation, travel and shopping companies that thrive on the tourism created by people looking to enjoy the festivities of their national holidays.
If you’re looking for accommodation in New Zealand, whether it be in the country, in the Bay of Islands or in Picton, book your holiday accommodation as early as possible. In most cases, holiday rates and reservations can be made well in advance of the dates for major events, so if you want to enjoy the festivities of your chosen holiday period, book early. The earlier you plan your holiday, the lower your holiday rate will be. In New Zealand, the term holiday rates are also commonly used to refer to mid-week and weekend holiday rates.