Observances & Traditions
From religious and patriotic holidays to celebrations of ethnic pride, explore the history of Easter, New Year's Day, Veterans Day and more annual observances, plus traditions and rituals that take place all year long.
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Native American Heritage Month is celebrated each November to honor the history and culture of American Indians and Alaska Natives.
Daylight savings time, when clocks "spring forward or fall back," has been controversial since it was first proposed in 1895.
Veterans Day is a US holiday dedicated to all veterans. Formerly called Armistance Day, Veterans Day 2026 occurs on Wednesday, November 11.
The winter solstice is the day of the year with the fewest hours of daylight. Humans may have celebrated the winter solstice as far back as the Stone Age.
Chinese New Year
Chinese New Year in San Francisco
New Year's celebrations in China are thousands of years old, but across the Pacific, the holiday took on a life of its own.
3 Holidays Honoring U.S. Military Personnel
Armed Forces Day
Celebrated annually on the third Saturday in May, Armed Forces Day thanks those currently serving in the military for their service. It was created in 1949 by then-Secretary of Defense Louis Johnson to replace separate Army, Navy and Air Force Days.
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Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, is one of Judaism’s holiest days and, with Yom Kippur, forms the High Holy Days in the Jewish religion.
The date of the Jewish new year changes annually, and its two-day observance is the product of ancient customs.
Veterans Day is a US holiday dedicated to all veterans. Formerly called Armistance Day, Veterans Day 2026 occurs on Wednesday, November 11.
Americans have been celebrating workers since the late 19th century, but exactly who is responsible for the holiday is debated.
The old adage is a piece of American fashion folklore.
Daylight savings time, when clocks "spring forward or fall back," has been controversial since it was first proposed in 1895.
Christopher Columbus' 1492 arrival in the Americas controversially changed the world and the lives of the Indigenous people he encountered.
Columbus Day 2026, a day to celebrate Christopher Columbus' voyages and Italian-American heritage, occurs on Monday, October 12.
Indigenous Peoples’ Day celebrates the culture, history and contributions of Native Americans. The holiday is usually celebrated on Oct. 12.
When the federal government was called in to suppress a railroad workers' strike, dozens were killed and politicians sought a way to show they still supported workers.
Labor Day became a US holiday in 1894 during a railroad workers’ strike. It celebrates the labor movement on the first Monday in September.
Samhain is an ancient Celtic festival celebrated from October 31 to November 1. It marks the end of the harvest and the oncoming winter.
Yom Kippur, or the Day of Atonement, is the most important holiday in the Jewish faith and concludes a 10-day period of repentance.
A century after the first observances, Juneteenth faced the possibility of becoming a forgotten tradition.
Eating red foods and promoting activism on Juneteenth pay tribute to the liberation of America’s formerly enslaved people.
Discover the history of the annual holiday and check out 13 facts about the American flag and how to properly display it.
