Editing Holiday (section)

== Religious holidays ==
Many holidays are linked to [[faith]]s and [[religion]]s (see etymology above). [[Christianity|Christian]] holidays are defined as part of the [[liturgical year]], the chief ones being [[Easter]] and [[Christmas]]. The Orthodox Christian and Western-Roman Catholic [[patronal feast day]] or "name day" is celebrated on each place's patron saint's day, according to the [[calendar of saints]]. [[Jehovah's Witnesses]] annually commemorate "The Memorial of Jesus Christ's Death", but do not celebrate other holidays with any religious significance such as Easter, Christmas or New Year. This holds especially true for those holidays that have combined and absorbed rituals, overtones or practices from non-Christian beliefs into the celebration, as well as those holidays that distract from or replace the worship of Jehovah.<ref>Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania. ''Reasoning from the Scriptures''. Watchtower, 1985, pp. 176–182</ref> In [[Islam]], the largest [[Islamic holidays|holidays]] are [[Eid al-Fitr]] (after [[Ramadan]]) and [[Eid al-Adha]] (at the end of the [[Hajj]]). [[Ahmadi Muslims]] additionally celebrate [[Promised Messiah Day]], [[Promised Reformer Day]], and [[Khilafat Day]], but contrary to popular belief, neither are regarded as holidays. [[Hindu]]s, [[Jainism|Jains]] and [[Sikh]]s observe several holidays, one of the largest being [[Diwali]] (Festival of Light). [[Public holidays in Japan|Japanese holidays]] as well as few Catholic holidays contain heavy references to several different faiths and beliefs. Celtic, Norse, and [[Neopaganism|Neopagan]] holidays follow the order of the [[Wheel of the Year]]. For example, Christmas ideas like decorating trees and colors (green, red, and white) have very similar ideas to modern Wicca (a modern Pagan belief) Yule which is a lesser Sabbat of the wheel of the year. Some are closely linked to [[Swedish festivities]]. The [[Baháʼí Faith]] observes [[Baháʼí Holy Days|11 annual holidays]] on dates determined using the [[Baháʼí calendar]]. Jews have two holiday seasons: the Spring Feasts of [[Pesach]] (Passover) and [[Shavuot]] (Weeks, called [[Pentecost]] in Greek); and the Fall Feasts of [[Rosh Hashanah]] (Head of the Year), [[Yom Kippur]] (Day of Atonement), [[Sukkot]] (Tabernacles), and [[Shemini Atzeret]] (Eighth Day of Assembly).

=== Secularisation ===
Some religious holidays are also celebrated by many as secular holidays.  For example, 61% of Brits celebrate Christmas in an entirely secular way.<ref name=":1" /> 81% of non-Christian Americans also celebrate Christmas. A 2019 Gallup poll found that two-thirds of Americans still celebrate an at least somewhat religious Christmas.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2019-12-20 |title=More Americans Celebrating a Secular Christmas |url=https://news.gallup.com/poll/272378/americans-celebrating-secular-christmas.aspx |first1= Zach |last1=Hrynowski |access-date=2022-12-27 |website=Gallup |language=en}}</ref>

The claimed over-secularisation of particular holidays has caused controversy and claims of censorship of religion or [[political correctness]]. For example, in the 1990s, [[Birmingham City Council]] promoted a series of events in the Christmas season under the brand [[Winterval]] to create a more multi-cultural atmosphere about the seasonal festivities. The [[Bishop of Birmingham]] responded to the events, saying "the secular world, which expresses respect for all, is actually embarrassed by faith. Or perhaps it is Christianity which is censored".<ref>{{Cite web |title= Winterval gets frosty reception |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/210672.stm |access-date=2022-12-27 |website=BBC News |date=November 9, 1998 }}</ref> In the United States, conservative commentators have characterised the secularisation of Winter festivities as "the [[War on Christmas]]".<ref>{{cite news |last=Keck |first=Kristi |date=18 December 2009 |title=Heated Debate Again over 'War on Christmas' Claims |publisher=[[CNN]] |url=http://edition.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/12/18/war.on.christmas/index.html |access-date=25 December 2012}}</ref>