Would You Still Celebrate If It Wasn’t a Day Off?

I’m wondering how many people would actually celebrate New Year’s Eve / New Year’s Day if they could choose to have their day off on New Year’s Day or take it whenever they want.

The same question goes for other public holidays: Christmas, Passover, Independence Day, and more.

The Religious Holiday Test

Let’s take into consideration religious holidays. Are these the days I truly value because I celebrate what they represent? Or do I celebrate them (probably in a different way) just because I have the days off?

Would I participate in a family gathering every year on December 25 if it weren’t a day off?

This isn’t about criticizing anyone’s faith or traditions. It’s about understanding our own motivations. Do we gather because the day has meaning, or because everyone else is off work too?

The National Days Question

How about all the National Days? Watching the parade or the fireworks—is it something genuinely interesting to me, or do I just do it because I have a day off and everyone else does it?

If Independence Day celebrations happened on a random Wednesday, and you had to take vacation time for it, would you? Or would you save that day for something else?

What This Reveals

This thought experiment reveals something uncomfortable: many of us might be celebrating the time off more than the occasion itself.

And that’s okay. But it’s worth knowing the difference.

Because if we’re honest about what we value, we might make different choices. Maybe we’d skip the obligatory family gathering that drains us, and use that precious day off for something we actually want to do. Maybe we’d realize some traditions matter deeply to us, regardless of the calendar.

The Real Question

The question isn’t whether holidays should be mandatory days off. They probably should be - shared cultural moments have value.

The real question is: what would you do with complete freedom to choose?

The answer tells you what you truly value.

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Discussion: This post is being discussed on Hacker News.