Is holidays capitalized? This question often arises when writing about days off or when mentioning a list of holidays. The answer, as with many grammar rules, can be a bit nuanced and depends on the context in which the word is used.
Holidays, when used as a general term referring to any day or period set aside for rest, celebration, or religious observance, is typically not capitalized. For example, “We have a lot of holidays during the winter months” is correct. However, when the word is used to refer to specific, named holidays, such as “Christmas” or “Easter,” it should be capitalized. This is because these are proper nouns, and proper nouns are always capitalized in English.
Capitalizing holidays in the context of a list or title can also affect the capitalization of the word. For instance, “List of Major Holidays” is correct, whereas “list of holidays” would be incorrect if it were meant to imply a list of specific named holidays. Similarly, when using holidays in a title, such as “The Most Celebrated Holidays Around the World,” the word is capitalized to emphasize its significance in the title.
Another situation where the capitalization of holidays matters is when discussing the holiday season. The phrase “holiday season” is lowercase because it is a general term referring to the time around a specific holiday, such as Christmas or New Year’s. However, if you were to mention “Christmas holiday season,” the word “Christmas” would be capitalized, as it is a proper noun.
In conclusion, the capitalization of “holidays” depends on the context in which it is used. As a general term, it is lowercase, but when referring to specific named holidays or when used in a title or list, it should be capitalized. Understanding these rules can help ensure your writing is grammatically correct and clear to your readers.
