What is your preferred language for taking a 'holiday'?

GospelHeart

GospelHeart

Puritan Board Freshman
Given the problems in the past of "holy-days" enforced by the state church -- do you avoid the term "holiday"?
Or give that language has evolved, do you think the word is now 'neutral'?

What is your preferred language for taking a 'holiday' -- e.g. 'vacation' ; 'leave' ; 'beak' ; 'time off' etc.?
 
I wouldn't make a big deal out of it.

If your boss wants to give you a holiday and you attempt to correct him....well...you should be working overtime.
 
If I'm discussing what to do around the July 4 holiday or even the end of December, I speak as to be understood and say holiday, as we have example of in Scripture. Even Knox used the term Christmas in a civil use (speaking of his travel plans when to be somewhere), though I would tend to avoid it. See this older post.
 
I've been told that "vacation" means you leave your place of residence to go take a break elsewhere (hence, you have "vacated"), whereas "holiday" is the more general term referring to a break, which does not necessarily imply you have vacated for your break but may be relaxing in your home area.
 
I don't often personally associate "holiday" with "holy day", excepting Christmas, which again isn't a personal association apart from my understanding of how some others view it, rather than myself. I guess "walkabout" is a different matter, since it has scant to do with a church calendar. I'd vote that "holiday" is sufficiently unholy by peculiarity, neutrality, and common use.
 
"Holiday" does not mean "holy day," at least not anymore. They are two different things in current culture and usage. The idea that we need an alternative to "holiday" because of its word origin strikes me as overly fastidious.

That being said, I'm an American so I call my time off "vacation" whether I go anywhere or not.
 
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