United States of America Holidays 2025

Complete list of public holidays and observances

636 holidaysUpdated: 11/13/2025

About These Holidays

This list includes national holidays, public holidays, and observances for United States of America in 2025. Some holidays may be regional or observed only in specific locations.

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Understanding United States of America Holidays 2025

Holiday Culture in United States of America

The United States observes 11 federal holidays plus numerous state and regional celebrations. As a diverse nation spanning 6 time zones, American holidays blend Christian traditions with civic patriotism and commercial celebrations. The federal structure means holiday observance varies significantly between states, with some states adding their own days.

Major Holidays & Celebrations

Independence Day (Fourth of July)(July 4)

Significance: Commemorates the Declaration of Independence from Britain in 1776. The most important patriotic holiday, celebrating American freedom, democracy, and national identity. Deeply emotional for many Americans.

Traditions: Barbecues, fireworks displays, parades, flag displays everywhere, wearing red/white/blue, baseball games, beach trips, hot dog eating contests, and patriotic music. Massive fireworks shows in every city.

Traditional Foods: Hot dogs and hamburgers (peak consumption day), apple pie, corn on the cob, watermelon, potato salad, baked beans, and ice cream. Coca-Cola flows freely.

Business Impact: Federal holiday with government and banks closed. Most businesses give day off but retail and restaurants stay open. Week around July 4th sees reduced productivity as people vacation.

Thanksgiving(Fourth Thursday in November)

Significance: Harvest celebration tracing to 1621 Pilgrim-Native American feast. More universally celebrated than any religious holiday - truly national gathering day. Kicks off Christmas shopping season (Black Friday next day).

Traditions: Turkey dinner with family (28 million turkeys consumed), watching NFL football, Macy's Thanksgiving Parade in NYC, saying grace/gratitude, and family gatherings often involving long-distance travel.

Traditional Foods: Roast turkey with stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, cranberry sauce, green bean casserole, sweet potato casserole, rolls, and pumpkin pie. The most food-centric American holiday.

Business Impact: Federal holiday - everything closes except some retail. Black Friday (day after) is massive shopping day. Many take full week off. Busiest travel days of the year surrounding Thanksgiving.

Christmas(December 25)

Significance: Christian celebration of Jesus's birth but heavily commercialized in America. Gift-giving, Santa Claus, and shopping dominate as much as religious aspects. Major economic driver.

Traditions: Christmas trees, gift exchanges on Christmas morning, Santa Claus mythology, Christmas lights on houses, caroling, Christmas movies (Home Alone, etc.), and varied religious observance.

Traditional Foods: Ham or turkey, eggnog, Christmas cookies, candy canes, gingerbread houses, hot chocolate, and varied ethnic foods reflecting immigrant diversity.

Business Impact: December 25 federal holiday. Retail/hospitality peak season. Many businesses close December 24-26. Holiday shopping accounts for 20-30% of annual retail sales.

Memorial Day(Last Monday in May)

Significance: Honors military personnel who died in service. Originally after Civil War, now commemorates all fallen soldiers. Marks unofficial start of summer season.

Traditions: Visiting cemeteries/memorials, decorating graves with flags, moment of silence at 3 PM, parades, flying flag at half-staff until noon, and barbecues (unofficial).

Traditional Foods: Barbecue season opener - burgers, hot dogs, ribs, potato salad, and beer. More about outdoor cooking than specific Memorial Day foods.

Business Impact: Federal holiday creating 3-day weekend. Major travel weekend. Retail sales especially for grills, outdoor furniture, summer clothes. Stock market closed.

Holiday Pattern & Statistics

The US observes 11 federal holidays, but state/local governments and private businesses can add more. The southern and western states tend to have fewer holidays than northeastern states. Federal employees get all 11 days off, but private sector varies widely. Retail and hospitality rarely close except Christmas.

Business Travel & Coordination

Avoid Thanksgiving week (nearly impossible to travel) and week between Christmas-New Year (skeleton crews). Summer (July-August) sees vacation slowdowns. Major trade shows and conferences avoid holidays but can cluster around them. American business culture values productivity and results over long holidays. Expect more work-focused atmosphere than Europe.

Cultural Traditions & Insights

American holiday culture is highly commercialized - Christmas shopping season starts before Thanksgiving. Black Friday shopping is cultural phenomenon. Americans take fewer vacation days than Europeans (average 10 days vs 20-30). Holiday patriotism is strong - flags everywhere on July 4th and Memorial Day. Sports dominate holidays - Super Bowl Sunday (not official holiday) practically is one. Regional variations huge - New England has Patriot's Day, Southern states have Confederate holidays (controversial), Hawaii has King Kamehameha Day.

Timezone Coordination Tips

The US spans 6 time zones (Eastern, Central, Mountain, Pacific, Alaska, Hawaii). Coordinating meetings across zones is routine - specify EST/CST/MST/PST clearly. Business hours are typically 9-5 but vary by industry and coast. East Coast (NYC, DC) starts early and values punctuality. West Coast (California) is more relaxed. Conference calls often scheduled at 11 AM ET/8 AM PT to accommodate both coasts. No federal DST mandate - Arizona and Hawaii don't observe it.

Why Check United States of America Public Holidays?

Plan business meetings and avoid scheduling conflicts during bank closures
Coordinate with remote teams and international colleagues across time zones
Book travel and accommodations around peak holiday periods for better rates
Respect cultural and religious observances important to local communities
Optimize project timelines and deadlines accounting for reduced business days
Anticipate supply chain and logistics disruptions during major holidays

Frequently Asked Questions

Stay Perfectly Synchronized

Our holiday calendar for United States of America is regularly updated to ensure accuracy. Use this information alongside our United States of America timezone tools and meeting planner to coordinate seamlessly with United States of America and stay perfectly synchronized with local schedules.