I heard some people I know say halloween is their favorite day of the year. I took it on faith for most people their favorite day of the year is Christmas. Where do other people stand, is there a lot of variety in the answer to that question or does it fall on a few holidays?
For me, I’d say Christmas eve is my favorite day of the year. We have family get togethers, and I enjoy the anticipation of holidays more than the holiday itself.
Opening Day, major league baseball. Which used to be on a lovely mid-April afternoon, but now is at 3-am in Japan in mid March.
Snow days are by far my favourite days of any given year.
Indeed. Unexpected days off are the best.
Christmas Eve. I love the anticipation, and I enjoy the feeling of peace I get around six o’clock when I know all the stores have closed, and if I didn’t already get it, it’s too late. Everything is done, and we just wait.
I agree with Christmas Eve.
When I was younger I would have said my birthday, but birthdays become a lot more humdrum once you’re past the age of 30.
Other – whichever day happens to be sunny and warmish during the peak of autumn colors, when I’m in a place to enjoy them, and have at least a few hours of free time.
I’ve been lucky to encounter a day like this about 70% of my years on Earth so far.
Usually happens around October 25 or so.
(BTW, I expected there to be 365 choices in the poll, not a partial list of holidays.)
Thanksgiving is by far my favorite holiday. All the food and football you need without all the stress of Christmas gift-giving.
Despite the fact that I’m not religious, Christmas Eve. It’s just so damn cozy. Hot coco and carols, twinkly lights and cookies. For me, nothing even comes close to comparing. It’s even better if it’s snowing.
Favorite holiday is Thanksgiving- and we get two now, due to having add-on family belonging to a different religion.
Favorite day is our annual cider festival. SIL says we made 100 gallons this year…I say he was counting containers and they weren’t all gallons. You come to cidering, you bring a jug and help, you get some to take home. Vast amounts of food, cool fall weather, somehow there are always enough pumpkins for the kids to each have one, and next neighbor has a french fry potato maker he hauls around to fairs and such. Said kids also get to throw apples down the chute to the grinder, and view it as privilege.
Purim. Jewish holiday with all the costumey goodness of Halloween, all the presents of Christmas, and you are supposed to get drunk.
I like the fact that because Hanukkah tends to overlap “Christmas” vacation, I associated it with no school, as a kid, and also with seeing a lot of family I didn’t usually get to see, but when I was a kid, we didn’t get presents (we did get money, and usually the candy and baked goods flowed pretty freely, though) because “Hanukkah isn’t Christmas.” My mother now regularly drops about $300 on gifts for my son every Hanukkah, even though he just had a birthday in October, and Purim is coming up in March.
The first real rain of autumn.
Of formal holidays, Thanksgiving. All the good of Christmas - winter is still fresh and new, good food, good drink, family, a day off if not a four-day weekend… all the good parts without all the fraught bullshit about gifts and religion and score-keeping and the double whammy of New Years looming. Little or no decorating. So resistant to marketing and selling that they had to turn the next day into hell to compensate… making it a good day to stay in, nibble on leftovers and continue the good vibes.
Non holiday… the first day in the fall when I find myself driving down flaming valleys of red and yellow and gold, under an impossibly blue sky, preferably in the roadster, not too cold, and only a few vague destinations in mind on no particular schedule.
This. I’m not a religious person, but Christmas is my favorite time of year largely because of this.
I’m not religious either, but I’ll have to say Easter is my favorite day. It’s spring, the flowers are blooming, the trees are getting green; the world is waking up.
Christmas. It’s like my birthday is on everyone else’s birthday with presents for everyone and a feast of thanksgiving. Whole day off.
Other. The first full day of vacation. Still one or two weeks to go, and over the stress of travel/arrival/unpacking. I always immerse myself in the experience on that day.
Mine IS Halloween. I love the time of year, being scared, the horror movies, popcorn balls (!), haunted houses, the excitement of little kids in the anticipation of candy, the decorations, the parties, but most importantly, the costumes. From someone who just takes the time to stick cat ears on their head, to really elaborate pieces worn by couples who’ve put months’ worth of planning into it, they all make me smile. If I could, I’d have the world celebrate it in at least September and November too.
I’m a high school teacher and I’m tempted to say the first day of summer break. But it’s actually Saturday of the Penn Relays. Imagine all of March Madness put into one three days and that’s what Penn is for a track fan. For formal holidays, it’s Thanksgiving–the most informal and friendly of all large family gatherings.
My birthday . . . because it’s also my partner’s birthday. Next year’s a biggie for both of us.