By Crystal Linn

The word holiday is a mutation of the word holy day as throughout history most holidays were religious celebrations and considered sacred.

Holidays are a critical part of life for culture, communities and families. They allow for the opportunity to celebrate our beliefs, to remember our roots and to celebrate the continuity of life. Holidays encourage us to honor our cultural identity and to realize we are part of something bigger.

Many experts declare holidays are important for mental and physical health, and for one’s social well-being. They also believe holidays can create a sense of stability, especially for children and youth.

Contrary to what American commercialism says, holidays do not need to be expensive. One simple example is, staying home and playing a favorite board game or watching a beloved movie can be just as memorable as a fancy trip.

Holidays mean time off from work, usually with pay. They are a time for connecting with family and friends, celebrating with special foods and much-loved traditions. Holidays encourage bonding between the generations, allowing older generations to pass on values and traditions to younger generations. Holidays are also an opportunity to cherish past memories and to create new ones.

The oldest holiday tradition in America is Thanksgiving when in 1621 the pilgrims invited the Wampanoag Tribe to join them in giving thanks to God for His faithfulness.

The pilgrims did not celebrate Christmas because they did not read anywhere in the Bible where it said to celebrate Christ’s birth. They considered it a pagan holiday and hated the rowdy, non-religious activities associated with that holy day.

In the early 1700s the pioneers began to celebrate Christmas but it was a local event and there were no regional or national celebrations.

In 1863 Abraham Lincoln declared Thanksgiving was to be a national holiday held on the last Thursday in November every year.

Then in the year 1870 President U.S. Grant created the first set of national holidays: New Year’s Day, Independence Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. This made Christmas and Thanksgiving both legal and federal holidays, with the two of them considered religious holidays.

Christmas commercialization first began in the 1840s when retailers started to market the day as a child-focus, gift-giving day.

Here is a piece of trivia. In America today there are roughly 30 holy days celebrated each year between the Jews, Catholics and Protestants.

As a brief reminder, while most of us are blessed to have family and friends to celebrate with, we all need to be mindful of those who are alone with no one.

Email us and share your favorite holiday tradition. I personally answer every one. Info@WellnessWithAge.com