The "Holiday vs. Vacation" Story

It was an ordinary day. Getting ready to go on vacation. But, wait, quite a few of my friends on the TravelTalkOnline (TTOL) forum would say that I'm going on a holiday. So, what's the difference. Holiday and Vacation are two words that give different meanings in different English speaking countries. They are at times interchangeable too, in their usage. A kind of absence from the regular routine of work is called a holiday. The absence can be for the sake of rest or recreation. On the other hand a vacation might mean a special trip to some other place, preferably a resort for the purpose of rest and recreation. It seems that Holiday comes from the work 'holy day' which was essentially a day free from labor. Usually Sundays in the old days. So, the word 'holiday' is appropriate whether you're staying at home on a break, or if you're going to another country. Either way you're free from labor and are on recreation time. Vacation however means to literally 'vacate'. So relaxing at home on a break is not really on 'vacation' because you haven't gone anywhere. The word 'vacation' is only grammatically correct if you're going away somewhere, actually leaving or vacating. I find that members of TTOL who are from Canada or might be British, usually refer to their time when they may visit the Caribbean as being on 'Holiday.' Americans refer to the same time away as 'Vacation.' I made a post on TTOL and asked the question: You call it Holiday, I call it Vacation, but we both spend the time relaxing. So what's the difference? And, here are a few of the answers that they gave me:

(1) from Unregistered - Holiday sounds so happy and festive and fun but usually vacation sounds more desperate like 'boy I really needed that.'

(2) from Unregistered - Holiday is very British and I like the sound of it to but either way Vacation or Holiday I will take either of them right now.

(3) from Pan - I know Holiday is a British term but I always think of it as a single day whereas a vacation is a longer period. I'll take both.

(4) from Islandgem - According to the dictionary, they both mean time spent away from home for rest and recreation. I therefore declare they are the same, and merely depends on your work choice.

(5) from AnnandSteve - That's it folks, Mom has spoken! And I absolutely agree! I believe the terms are colloquialisms - Have generally heard "going on holiday" from Brits, Scots, Irish, Welsh, Canadians (eastern) and "going on vacation" from Atlantic Coasters. But it all depends on what You are comfortable with. For us, we'll go on holiday and vacation if we get enough time to do so!!!! Isn't wordsmithing fun?

(6) from John - So if a stay at home vacation is referred to as a "Staycation", would a stay at home holiday be called a "Holistay"? Too much time on my hands today!

(7) from jazzgal - referring to the last answer - No. A "Stayday."

(8) from Temery - for me the 2 terms are diff (this could be a US thing or a CA thing, not sure) Holiday = a day off of work that work has given you and everyone at your work gets it off (diff industries have diff days (for example Christmas and labor Day are Holidays) Vacation a day (or longer) you request off from work that is not already given as a "Holiday" so you can take a break (either by staying at home or going somewhere).

(9) jupiter - So.....I guess that means that starting Wednesday I'm having 21 holidays. Will definitely need a vacation when I get home.

(10) SURICK - Folks use those expressions with me all the time ... I tell them "Hold On, I'm retired and there is no such thing as holiday or vacation for me anymore. It's just part of my life.

(11) GaKaye - We're retired too, but still have vacation and holidays. Those are the days when we do something outside of our normal routine.

(12) SXMNorm - It's always a Holiday when I'm on Vacation

And so, you see what others thing about it. Anyway, I'm taking a vacation soon and maybe while I'm on vacation they will have a Holiday I can celebrate with them. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.