Holidays and observances in the USA and Croatia

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Holidays in the USA and Croatia

CONTENTS

1. Senior Citizens Day 4
2. Tax Day 6
3. Groundhog Day 8
4. Juneteenth 11
5. Sweetest Day 14
6. Saint Patrick's Day 16
7. Halloween 20
8. St Nicholas Day
9.Thanksgiving Day
10. Valentine's Day 
11. Labor Day

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A day that is all about respecting your elders

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SENIOR CITIZENS DAY

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- celebrated in the USA on the 21st of August
- importance: honoring those people who have been on this earth longer than we have and showing how much we appreciate them

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HISTORY OF SENIOR CITIZENS DAY

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- first occurred in 1988
- founded by Ronald Reagan officially; the former president of the USA
- the promulgation of 5847 was signed on the 19th of August in 1988.
- He announced it saying the following:

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"For all that, they have achieved throughout their lives and for all that they continue to do, we owe our gratitude and sincere greetings to our senior citizens. We can show our gratitude and appreciation better by making sure our communities are good places. Age and maturity, places where older people can participate as much as possible and find the encouragement, acceptance, support and services they need to continue living a life of independence and dignity."
President Ronald Reagan

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HOW TO CELEBRATE SENIOR CITIZENS DAY

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there are no 'rules' on how to celebrate senior citizens day; all you have to do is be with your seniors so that they have someone to rely on

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SOME IDEAS:

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- volunteer at organizations that help to support those Senior Citizens who are living on their own
- stop by local Adult Care Homes to visit those who may have seen their friends and family pass before them
- you can reach out to one of your senior family members
- sitting down and listening to the stories they have to tell can give you a unique perspective on the world and yourself
- watch a movie or enjoy afternoon tea with your seniors
- the most important thing is to show gratitude: say thank you to your seniors for all that they have done for the world

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Marija Majić, 2.d

TAX DAY

What is Tax Day?

TaxDay is the due date for federal individual income tax returns and tax payments. For most taxpayers–in most years–federal income tax returns must be submitted to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) by April15. This date applies to individuals who file taxes based on a calendar year. If you use a fiscalyear, you must file your taxes by the 15th day after the last day of your fiscal year.

Deadlines for state taxes may be different from federal income tax deadlines. If you are required to file a state income tax return, check with your state tax agency to confirm the due dates.

If you need more time to prepare your tax return, you may ask for an extension. This can give you an extra six months to file your taxes, but your tax payment is still due on Tax Day.

Special Considerations

When a tax filing due date falls on a weekend or a legal holiday, the deadline is moved up to the next business day. The only national legal holiday that would affect Tax Day is Emancipation Day, which is a holiday in Washington, D.C., that recognizes the abolition of slavery in the U.S. and is celebrated on April 16.

Croatia does not have Tax Day and I do not think we should celebrate it.

Marija Radoš, 3.d

Groundhog Day

Groundhog Day is considered a holiday that takes place every year on February 2nd.

Some German communities in Pennsylvania believed that if a groundhog saw its shadow on the morning of February 2nd, it would return to its burrow and there would be six more weeks of winter. If a groundhog did not see its shadow, then that was considered a sing that spring would arrive early.

 February 2nd already had special significance because it was a feast day, called Candlemas. It was believed that if the weather was clear on February 2nd it was a sign that winter would continue for six more weeks. If the weather was cloudy on that day, they believed it meant that spring would arrive early. The shadow was their way of testing how clear the weather was, so they didn't actually believe that the groundhogs knew what the future weather would be. 

In 1840, a man named James Morris wrote about this practice in his diary; this is the earliest reference to looking at groundhogs on February 2nd.

It wasn't until 1886. that it became well known, when a newspaper called the Punxsutawney Spirit in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania wrote about it. A year later, people gathered to watch a groundhog, among them was the editor of the Punxsutawney Spirit, Clymer Freas who is known as the Father of Groundhog Day.

There isn't such a holiday as Groundhog Day in Croatia and I certainly think there shouldn't be one. Making looking at a groundhog and watching if he'll see his shadow looks like a fun tradition but I think it shouldn't be considered a holiday.

fun facts:
-groundhogs are also known as woodchucks
-Punxsutawney Phil is the official groundhog that makes the prediction in Punxsutawney

Matea Buljan, 2.d