Holidays are not only a time of joy and fun, but also a golden opportunity for businesses to attract customers’ attention and increase sales. Moreover, the symbolism associated with the main holidays in each country is firmly embedded in the lives of all people and associated exclusively with positive traits and good moods, which is why many companies and brands use holiday symbolism in their marketing campaigns. Signs and banners, packaging materials, and printable advertisements decorate store windows with symbols of significant holidays. World brands shoot commercials, the main accents of which are based on symbolism. After all, these symbols are also unifying and even somewhat patriotic. Today we’ll talk about the major American holidays and their symbols, look at the historical context, and try to answer the question of how much influence they have on marketing and branding of modern brands.
Holiday Symbols: History
America is not rich in historical events compared to countries in Europe and Asia. Local customs have emerged thanks to colonists with different folk roots. But there are the most significant holidays for Americans, in which the whole country announces the weekend, and many people rush to celebrate these or those events on the main streets of cities, where they hold festive parades, concerts, and entertainment programs.
Independence Day
Independence Day – the day of the U.S. Declaration of Independence in 1776, which declared the independence of the United States from the Kingdom of Great Britain – is considered the birthday of the United States as a free and independent country. Most Americans refer to this holiday simply by its date, the Fourth of July.
On July 4, 1776, Congress approved the Declaration of Independence, which was signed by John Hancock, President of the Second Continental Congress, and Charles Thomson, Secretary of the Continental Congress.
Celebrations in honor of the date of the signing of the Declaration of Independence began on the very first anniversary. In 1870, the U.S. Congress made Independence Day an unpaid holiday for federal employees, and in 1938 Congress changed the status of the day to a paid federal holiday.
Nowadays, the national Fourth of July holiday is filled with fireworks, picnics, and other outdoor activities, as well as concerts patriotic speeches, festivals, and historical reenactments.
St. Patrick’s Day
Americans are a multi-ethnic people with diverse backgrounds. That’s why many of the locals celebrate St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland who brought the Christian faith to the country, on March 17.
It is believed that on this day everyone should wear their best clothes (sports style is not acceptable), and the mood of the parade participants should be solemn. On the holiday morning, St. Patrick’s Cathedral hosts a morning Mass, which is a traditional Catholic service.
In Chicago on this date, it is worth watching a stunning spectacle – the coloring of the river of the same name in a rich green color. The hue was chosen for a reason. St. Patrick told the Irish about Christianity through the example of the green clover, the color of which became the symbol of the holiday.
Thanksgiving Day
Thanksgiving is celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November, after which preparations for Christmas begin. The history of the holiday dates back to 1621, when English colonists managed to grow a large crop of vegetables. After the harsh cold winter, they considered it a blessing. In honor of this and arranged a holiday that lasted several days.
American Thanksgiving Day is spent with the family. Several generations gather around a large table to celebrate. The main feature of Thanksgiving is the exchange of thanks before the meal.
On the fourth Thursday of November, festive services are held in temples, and parades are held in the streets. This is the same day that Americans cook a holiday turkey and have parades. The eve of the famous selling period called Black Friday.
Halloween
Modern Halloween is a modified holiday of the ancient Celts called Samhain. It appeared because the Celtic tribes divided the year into two halves: from May to October – the time of light and warmth, and from November to April – the time of evil and cold. It was the night from October 31 to November 1 that the ancient people considered the boundary between the two segments of the year, and now it is the day of Halloween celebrations.
With the arrival of Christianity in Europe, pagan holidays began to change. In the 8th century, Pope Gregory III moved All Saints’ Day to November 1, and October 31 became the eve of the holiday, or All Hallows Even. Subsequently, the name was shortened to the well-known Halloween.
Halloween became popular in the 16th century. Adults and children dressed up in costumes of uncleanness went from house to house and asked for candy with the phrase, “Trick or treat,” which translates to “Trick or treat.” If a person refused to give candy, they jokingly wished them something nasty.
Easter
Easter is a feast in honor of the resurrection of Jesus Christ, celebrated by Catholics on the first full moon Sunday after the vernal equinox between March 22 and April 25. Easter in America is celebrated predominantly according to the canons of the Catholic Church, despite the abundance of religious denominations and the multi-ethnic population of this state. The Easter Bunny is the symbol of the holiday. On this day it is customary to color eggs and prepare Easter surprises for adults. Also alive is the tradition of Easter egg rolling at the residence of the President of the United States, the ticket for which is annually drawn in a lottery.
Traditionally, the feast day is celebrated by gathering at home with families around a generously set table. Americans also color eggs and give baskets of sweets to children. On Sunday, Americans go to solemn services in churches, where they also arrange theatrical performances. During this time, festive parades are held in the streets of the city.
St. Valentine’s Day
There are many legends associated with the name of St. Valentine. The most beautiful and romantic of them is the story of a Christian preacher who in 269 married legionaries of the Roman Empire to their lovers, despite the ban of Emperor Claudius II.
Valentine’s Day in the United States began to be celebrated in 1777. The tradition of giving gifts on this day grew stronger every year and for some people became quite a successful business. At the beginning of the XIX century, the Americans had a custom – to give the beloved on this day figures of marzipan. And marzipan was considered a great luxury in those days.
Valentine’s Day or Valentine’s Day, the most romantic holiday is celebrated in most countries of the world on February 14 – on this day for more than one and a half thousand years, people confess their love to each other and give romantic gifts and Valentine cards.
Christmas
Preparations for Christmas begin after Thanksgiving Day, which is celebrated at the end of November (the last Thursday of the month). The selling season begins: everyone buys Christmas trees, prepares gifts, and decorates houses and streets.
Traditionally, Christmas in America is celebrated on December 25. This is a national holiday, so many government offices, stores, cafes, and many others do not work during this period, although conditions vary from state to state.
Christmas is a religious holiday, although there are many secular traditions associated with it, such as Santa Claus, gift-giving, and so on. In any case, American culture has established many traditions of Christmas celebrations involving family, holiday meals, and entertainment.
Holiday Symbols: Meanings
Independence Day
Streets of cities on this day are decorated with all kinds of lanterns, ribbons, and other decorations in the color of the American flag. The cities hold parades with the participation of military and police officers and organize fairs, charity bazaars, concerts, and matches. And in the evening, festive fireworks are launched. The largest ones can be seen in Washington and New York. The main colors for Independence Day are traditionally blue, red, and white (the colors of the U.S. flag). Starprints and stripes will also be relevant on any goods. Decorating yards and houses is a mandatory tradition for every American. First of all, it is usually about the flags.
St. Patrick’s Day
The traditional symbols of this day are the shamrock (clover) and the fairy tale creatures leprechauns. Leprechauns are magical creatures of small stature who sew shoes for other fairy tale characters and are guardians of treasures. According to legend, if you catch such a green little man, he can give treasure or fulfill three wishes for his freedom. The symbols are also the harp, which appears on the coat of arms of Ireland, and the shillelagh, a staff made of oak wood, which is also used as a curling stick. The day is marked by general excitement, with many Americans wearing green in honor of the Emerald Isle.
Thanksgiving Day
Thanksgiving is one of America’s favorite holidays. It’s also the warmest and most family-oriented. Turkey, corn, pumpkin and pumpkin pie, and cranberry sauce are the symbols that represent the first Thanksgiving dinner. All of these symbols are now put on holiday decorations and greeting cards. Corn is also a symbol of the fall season and harvest. Sweet and sour cranberry sauce, or soursop, was on the first Thanksgiving table and is still there today.
Halloween
Halloween is not only creepy but also trendy. The fashion for this holiday has long passed beyond the borders of America. Costume parties, parades, and shows – this is how Americans and other inhabitants of our planet see this day, who dress up in costumes of unclean forces and participate in the celebration of Halloween. On the evening of October 31, many people have costume parties, and a few weeks before that they decorate their homes with pumpkins with carved faces, all kinds of spiders, ghosts, and other decorations.
Easter
The main symbol of Easter is Easter-dyed eggs. It is customary to paint them on the holiday, but they can be real or chocolate or even made of wood or plastic. Baskets with dyed eggs and kulich are usually decorated with fresh flowers, various ribbons, or bows. Lilies have become an Easter symbol in the United States. They are used to decorate homes and are brought to church. Another symbol of the holiday in the United States is the rabbit, which represents fruitfulness and life itself. During the celebration of Easter in American cities there are costumed processions. They are attended by a mass of people. The evening usually gathers the whole family around a festive table.
St. Valentine’s Day
A holiday that completely lacks religious connotations. On this day it is customary to give Valentine’s cards – cards in the form of hearts, as well as flowers, candy, and other gifts to the other halves. On this day, local establishments organize themed parties where all lovers are happy to go. Those who like privacy prefer to spend time together at home or in a restaurant for a romantic dinner. The symbolism of the holiday is associated solely with love and romance: hearts, angels, cupids, and red roses are all over.
Christmas
The most favorite holiday in the United States! Long preparations, planned family nights, and a sea of presents. America is especially beautiful at Christmas. For this nation, Christmas vacation is more important than the New Year celebration itself. The main attributes of the holiday are a Christmas tree with an eight-pointed star, thousands of lights on the front of the house, and garlands. And of course, Santa Claus, his reindeer, and elves. Paraphernalia depicting these characters is sure to be in every home.
Holiday Symbols in Marketing
Holiday marketing is the process of attracting the attention of customers through various marketing channels to provide them with additional offers in the run-up to the holidays. In this way, companies increase revenue and loyalty.
The first two holidays in the United States were Christmas and Thanksgiving, with Christmas taking precedence, of course. Winter is a dreary time and amidst its grayness, bright window displays and decorations are what create a festive atmosphere and lift the spirits. This was one of the reasons why businesses started investing in building up the holiday industry in the winter.
But it was required that people were attracted to stores and shopping centers not only for Christmas and New Year’s Eve but also something else so that the succession of holidays was larger. The spread of an avalanche of holidays throughout the year was triggered by the Great Depression.
In 1939, the owner of a department store in Ohio suggested celebrating Thanksgiving early. By then, American retailers had already realized that to maximize the spending period, they needed to connect people to the magic of the holiday as early as possible. Thanksgiving traditionally served as a jumping-off point for sales and Christmas decorating of stores, drawing people in from late November. And then-U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt proclaimed to move Thanksgiving to the fourth Thursday in November, moving the start of Christmas atmosphere and sales in the country by a week.
Since Thanksgiving fell on a Thursday, this is what is believed to have started the tradition of Black Friday. Retailers quickly realized that not only the holiday atmosphere was important for generating revenue, but also other powerful attractors that would call people into the store – to store as quickly as possible at the best possible prices.
Since 1930-1940s, the same model has been applied to other holidays. In the United States, there is a tradition of celebrating religious holidays of different denominations, not only Christian ones. And then there are special days – Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Valentine’s Day – which generate revenue spikes not only in November and December.
Conclusion
Holiday symbols are an obligatory attribute of almost any celebration. Officially established holidays in any country are always an additional opportunity for everyone to feel unity with compatriots, feel proud of the country, and just have fun. Therefore, they are celebrated accompanied by music, with the organization of all kinds of performances and concerts, and, of course, with the use of symbols that represent the spirit of the holiday.
Tradition, in which the symbolism of the holiday is used in clothing or its decoration, is widespread throughout the world. But symbolism is not only a personal matter for everyone but also a reason for brands and corporations to draw attention to themselves once again. Companies compete in ingenuity and design, including all sorts of holiday symbols in their seasonal marketing campaigns, and even experiment with their logos for a while. This position of business is very much to the satisfaction of the population, so everyone wins here.
