Perhaps the concept of a ‘holiday’ is as old as the creation of man itself. The Bible tells that God created the world for 6 days and took rest on the 7th day. Since God created man in his image, man also thought it worthwhile to earmark one day of the week as a day for rest – ‘the Sabbath’. Jews observe Sabbath religiously.
Apart from religious considerations, Holidays have always charmed the mankind in all countries and all cultures of the world. One day week end or two days weekend in a week may be inventions of the modern man in an Industrial age, but days of festivities following the sowing or harvesting of crops are regularly enjoyed by agricultural communities since times immemorial. Many dances and folk songs have evolved around such festivities.
When we mention holidays we usually refer to summer, autumn and winter vacation enjoyed by the students or week-ends or spans of leave enjoyed by working people away from their day-to-day work.
Such holidays work as a wonderful tonic to fight mental fatigue. Torn away from the work place, mind finds rest and recuperation in pleasant and congenial surroundings. Some people undertake excursions to pleasure resorts on hills or beaches while others visit places of historical importance or pilgrimage. Still others visit their relations or friends to renew ties and bonds of affection and to spend time together in groups or play. Whatever be the mode of spending holidays if it is spent in open, healthy surroundings and in company of agreeable people it surely breaks the monotony of daily existence and refreshes the mind. It induces a sense of enthusiasm and vitality in his outlook.
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If imaginatively planned, holidays can be a source of great pleasure and excitement. Most of the city dwellers lead a regimented and mechanical existence shuttling between place of work or study and the residence. They have very few intimate friends or relations to mix with and get emotional sustenance from.
Holidays provide excellent opportunity to visit intimate friends and relatives. Picnics and excursions cannot only bring you relaxation but can also cement the bonds of affection by engaging in collective activities.
During holidays, you can change the routine of waking up and going to sleep summer noons can be spent partly in catching up with your sleeping time. You can get up early; can go for long walks if possible by the river-side or near some park.
You may like to spend part of your holidays in a planned inactivity. You can while away time looking at flowers or birds. You may read fiction for pure delight.
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You can catch up with your hobbies and interests during holidays. You can spend; long hours with your brush and paints attempting a landscape or do some model work or house decoration. You may collect coins or stamps if you can afford.
Holidays can be used in a way that combines pleasure with instructions. English- I men have been fond of sending their youth on continental tour in Europe. While the hills, rivers, gardens and museums give delight to the sense, travels also tickle the intellectual curiosity of young people and make them interested in studying the culture and manners of different nationalities.
In England and America the education of young men was considered incomplete without a tour of the European continent which would invariably include visits to ancient monuments of Greece and Italy, Art Galleries of France and Italy, boating in Austria and long walks in gardens of Holland.
There is no standard way of utilizing holidays. It depends on the taste of the person how he wants to spend his free time. He may confine himself to fun and frolic. He may, if he so likes, add to his knowledge or experience by undertaking educational trips or may practice games and sports to strengthen his physical culture.
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In any case, holidays offer much needed respite from a dead routine and refresh the mind and energise the body of a person to pursue his vocation more vigorously.