Everyone has their favorite holiday, but among all Americans, a few always make the top of the list. Every few years, pollsters conduct surveys on the most popular holidays in the United States. The most current lists include Christmas, Thanksgiving, Halloween, Fourth of July and Easter.
The following looks at these five most popular holidays in the United States, based on the Harris Poll. Each holiday offers a chance to get together with people whose company we love the most. It also offers an opportunity to throw a great party with memorable entertainment.
No. 1: Christmas
If America ever needs a backup motto after “e pluribus unum,” they should consider “don’t mess with Christmas.” Every year, no matter what is happening in the world, people want their Christmas season (or “winter break,” as some might call it). It’s a time of year when people travel to get together with those they love the most, then relax and enjoy themselves. Christmas often includes great food, beautiful lights, decorated trees and of course, presents. No one can argue with a holiday where people give you gifts. The Christmas holiday, which really is the last two weeks of the year, is so sacred in American culture that many holiday movies make the villain someone who wants to work at Christmas or is a bad boss (like in “Elf” or “Scrooged”).
No. 2: Thanksgiving
It’s the food. And maybe football. But mostly, it’s the food. Thanksgiving gives every person in the country the right to eat as much as they want without embarrassment (or, at least, less embarrassment than a random Thursday night). It’s also a time to share food and your time – with family, friends, neighbors and even complete strangers. No wonder it’s so popular.
No. 3: Halloween
It’s important to point out that among Millennials, Halloween is actually more popular than Thanksgiving. It’s a holiday that is so flexible, and filled with so many different options, that it’s hard not to love. Depending on your crowd and what goes on in your community, Halloween can mean:
- A traditional night of going trick or treating with the kids
- A Halloween parade
- Visiting a haunted house
- Holding a Halloween party for kids with age-appropriate entertainment
- Having a movie-watching night of classic horror movies
- Going to an adults-only party where the only rule for costumes is there are no rules
Halloween may not have the heartwarming aspects of Christmas and Thanksgiving, but it’s hard to beat for fun.
No. 4: Fourth of July
It’s all about summertime. Nothing says the kids are out of school and it’s time to take a vacation quite like the Fourth of July, which falls right in the middle of the long summer months. If you’re lucky, you get grilled food and time by the pool, lake or ocean, enjoying a refreshing beverage. Oh, and it’s also the birthday of the country.
No. 5: Easter
Easter is another great time to spend with family. It also marks the beginning of spring, a time when people are starting to spend more time outside after a long winter. Plus, kids still love an Easter egg hunt.
The Best of the Rest
In case you’re curious, here are the rest of the Top 10 holidays, based on the poll.
- New Year’s. Time to make resolutions, most of which you will break by Jan. 15.
- Memorial Day. The start of summer.
- Labor Day. A day set aside to celebrity the nation’s workers.
- Valentine’s Day. Romance is always popular.
Interestingly, rounding out the Top 10 list of the most popular holidays in the United States were people saying, “my birthday.” That may not be an official holiday, but it’s certainly another good day to get together with family and friends to celebrate!
