It’s that time of the year again, and we’re all thinking about all the festivities coming our way. Worry not, if you are one of those who have been stressing over whether you should capitalize ‘Holiday’ or not. The good news is, that there are no fixed rules here. There might be some general formats for writing and using words but, as with every other grammar rule, there are exceptions to them too. Sometimes writers choose to break the norms to keep things interesting and fresh. However, if you are new to this whole world of grammar thing and are still getting used to these little rules and exceptions, here is a quick guide for using the word ‘Holiday’ in your sentences
Does Holiday Need To Be Capitalized?
It depends on the context in which you are using the word. The general rule is that if you’re talking about a specific holiday, then it should be capitalized, and if you’re talking about a generic holiday, then it shouldn’t be capitalized.
What’s The Difference Between “Holiday” And “Vacation”? 5 Differences:
1. Holiday refers to the festivities and celebrations, while vacation refers to a break or a rest.
2. Holiday is an event that could happen all year long, while vacation only happens once a year.
3. Vacation is usually spent away from home, while holidays are spent at home.
4. Vacations are often paid for, while holidays are not always paid for.
5. Vacating means taking a break or going on vacation, whereas holidays refer to festivities and celebrations.
When To Use Capital Letters For ‘Holiday’?
1. Capitalize the word ‘Holiday’ when it is a part of a proper noun.
Examples: Christmas Holiday, New Year’s Day Holiday, Independence Day Holiday, etc.
2. Capitalize the word ‘Holiday’ when it is used as a synonym for vacation and not for any specific holiday.
Examples: I am going on holiday next week. My parents are going on their annual holiday this year.
3. Capitalize the word ‘Holiday’ when it is used to refer to any specific holiday.
Examples: I am going on a vacation this summer. I will be celebrating Christmas with my family this year.
4. Capitalize the word ‘Holiday’ when it is used as a verb.
Examples: My father always celebrates his birthday by taking a week-long holiday.
5. Capitalize the word ‘Holiday’ when its first letter is an uppercase letter in an acronym or an abbreviation.
Examples: Happy New Year (HNY), Merry Christmas (Merry Xmas), etc.
When To Use Lowercase Letters For ‘holiday’?
1. Do not capitalize the word ‘Holiday’ when it is used as a noun to represent a specific holiday.
Examples: We will be celebrating Thanksgiving this year. I am going to take a vacation this summer.
2. Do not capitalize the word ‘Holiday’ when it is used as an adjective that describes a period of time or the activities that occur during that time.
Examples: I will be taking my holiday next week. My favorite holiday is Thanksgiving because of all of the family traditions and food involved.
3. Do not capitalize ‘holiday’ when it is used in an idiomatic expression (a group of words or a phrase that has a figurative meaning different from its literal meaning).
Examples: You are always on holiday whenever you see him! I am on my last legs (which means I am very tired).
4. Do not capitalize ‘holiday’ when it is used as a verb.
Examples: I want to holiday in Hawaii next year. I hope that you will be able to holiday with us this year.
5. Do not capitalize ‘holiday’ when it is used as an adjective to describe a noun.
Examples: My favorite holiday is Thanksgiving because of all of the family traditions and food involved. Holidays are often paid for, but vacations are usually not (because vacations could be paid for).
Basic rules of capitalization:
1. Capitalize the first letter of any sentence.
Examples: I am going to take a vacation this summer. My parents are going on their annual holiday this year.
2. Capitalize the first letter of each proper noun (a name that refers to a specific person, place, or thing). Examples: My father always celebrates his birthday by taking a week-long holiday. Happy New Year (HNY), Merry Christmas (Merry Xmas), etc.
3. Capitalize the first letter of any title (the words that come before and after an individual’s name and indicate whether he or she has a specific job, position, or honor).
Examples: Mr., Mrs., Ms., Dr., President, Senator, Judge, Prime Minister, etc.
4. Capitalize the first letter of any word that is repeated for emphasis.
Examples: I want to go on vacation this year! I want to go on vacation this year! I want to go on vacation this year! I want to go on vacation this year! It is important for me to take my vacation next week! It is important for me to take my vacation next week! It is important for me to take my vacation next week! My favorite holiday is Thanksgiving because of all of the family traditions and food involved. My favorite holiday is Thanksgiving because of all of the family traditions and food involved. My favorite holiday is Thanksgiving because of all of the family traditions and food involved. I love to travel, but I never want to visit the same place twice. I love to travel, but I never want to visit the same place twice. I love to travel, but I never want to visit the same place twice. My aunt is taking a vacation in Europe this year and will be traveling alone. My aunt is taking a vacation in Europe this year and will be traveling alone. My aunt is taking a vacation in Europe this year and will be traveling alone (because she’s going on her own).
5. Capitalize all of the letters of acronyms (words formed from the first letter or letters of each word of a series or phrase). Examples: NASA (National Aeronautics & Space Administration), PC (personal computer), AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome), etc.
6. Capitalize proper adjectives that are derived from proper nouns. Examples: American/American Indian/Asian/Asian-American/Cajun/Chinese/European/French/Germanic origin, British English, etc.
7. Capitalize words that refer to specific places or geographic regions when they are directly preceding those places or regions as part of an official name for the place or region. Examples: New York State, North Carolina Department of Transportation, South Africa, New England Confederation, etc.)
8. Capitalize words that refer to specific organizations when they are directly preceding those organizations as part of the official name for the organization. Examples: American Legion, the Republican Party, etc.)
9. Capitalize a word when it immediately follows a colon in a sentence. Examples: I have three rules that I follow every day: 1) be honest; 2) show respect; 3) be on time.
10. Capitalize words when they are used as part of a title (e.g., president, governor, mayor, etc.).
Conclusion
In the United States, the word “holiday” is often capitalized, but in other countries, the word “holiday” is lowercase. In American English, it is often capitalized in contexts related to religious observances.
FAQs
Why do I need to know the difference between ‘holiday’ and ‘vacation’?
Holiday and vacation are two different words that have different meanings. A holiday means a day or time that is set aside for celebrating a special occasion or event such as Christmas, Easter, etc. Vacation means taking time off from work for rest and relaxation.
What does the word ‘holiday’ mean?
The word ‘holiday’ can be used in different ways. The word holiday can be used to refer to a specific holiday (Christmas, Easter, etc.) or it can be used to describe a period of time (winter holiday) or activities that occur during that period of time (I will be going on vacation next week).
