The Holiday season is now upon us. Families are planning their annual seasonal events and getting ready to travel to wherever they go to celebrate the holidays be it Thanksgiving, Christmas, or Easter. In this article, I will show you some websites that focus on holidays and their celebrations.
Some of these sites are available year round; others may only be available during the season. It is my hope that these sites will help you to better understand the Holidays, their meanings, why they are celebrated and how they began. Some sites may give you ideas on adding more traditions to the holiday that you are about to celebrate.
Now here are some websites that talk about the various holidays that are celebrated each year.
General Holiday History Websites:
Here are some good general history websites about the holidays.
History of the Holidays
The History Channel gives you a general overview of the various holidays that are celebrated around the world. It includes facts, videos and more.
Holiday
The Wikipedia website has this article about what a holiday is and explains the types of holidays that are recognized.
Holiday Resources
At the About.com site for American History, you can check out this list of federally recognized holidays.
Holiday Calendar
Holiday Insights.com has this calendar of the major holidays that are celebrated.
Halloween History Websites:
Halloween is actually the day before All Saints Day in Catholic tradition. Here are some good sites about Halloween and its history.
Halloween History
The History channel website has tons of information about Halloween, from its ancient roots to how it is celebrated today.
Halloween History and the Bible
From the answer Genesis website you will learn about this holiday from a Christian perspective.
The History of Halloween
The Pumpkin Patch website has this history of Halloween with links to information about pumpkins, clip art and more.
Thanksgiving History Websites:
Almost every American is familiar with the first Thanksgiving in Plymouth Massachusetts, but there is more to that story and its modern day celebration. Here are some fine sites about Thanksgiving and its history.
Thanksgiving History
This is the History Channel website dedicated to Thanksgiving and its history.
Thanksgiving History | Plymouth Plantation
The Plymouth Plantation website describes the original thanksgiving that is taught in schools every year.
How FDR Changed Thanksgiving
At the About.com website to the 20th Century, you can read this article about how FDR changed Thanksgiving in America.
Thanksgiving Recipes
Of course Thanksgiving isn't a holiday without the food. All Recipes.com provides several recipes for your thanksgiving meal.
Christmas History Websites:
Christmas is perhaps the most celebrated holiday on the planet. It celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ. Although primarily a religious celebration, this holiday it has become a worldwide cultural and commercial event. On these sites you will out more about the holidays history and why it is celebrated.
Christmas
This is the History Channel website section devoted to Christmas and its history.
History of Christmas
This website is devoted to Christmas. It has information about the history of Christmas, how it is celebrated by country and more.
Christmas History
Wikipedia supplies this information about Christmas. It includes references and links to other sites about the topic.
The History of Christmas and How it Began
The Judaism Online website provides this information about the holiday from Judaism's viewpoint.
History of the Christmas Tree
The History Channel provides this information about the Christmas Tree and its origin.
Easter History Websites:
Easter is the holiday that Christians around the world celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. This holiday soon became associated with bunnies and eggs. Here are some sites that explain this holiday and its history.
Easter
This is the history Channel websites section about the history of Easter.
History of Easter
This website is dedicated to this holiday. Here you will learn about its history, traditions and symbols.
Easter Facts
From the Religious Facts website, check out this article about Easter.
Passover
For those folk of the Jewish Faith, here is the History Channel section on the history of Passover.
Passover: History and Overview
The Jewish Virtual Library website explains Passover in detail here.
As you can see, there are quite a few websites devoted to, or have information about the holidays. I hope that all my readers have a safe and happy holiday season.
Happy Holidays!