With November here, it means fall has finally arrived as well.
In addition to changing temperatures and leaves, the beginning of the colder months also means Americans are closer to the ninth federal holiday of the year – Thanksgiving.
This national holiday falls on the fourth Thursday of the month, meaning this year it will be celebrated on November 26.
Federal holidays, often observed with paid time off from work, were created by Congress in 1885 when it was decided that federal employees should have certain days off from work.
As time went by, Congress added historical days of significance to the list of federal holidays, bringing the total number to 10.
New Year’s Eve 2018 celebrations – in pictures
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1 /41New Year’s Eve 2018 celebrations – in pictures
New Year’s Eve 2018 celebrations – in pictures
London
Thousands of fireworks explode over the London Eye as thousands gather to ring in the new year
AP
New Year’s Eve 2018 celebrations – in pictures
London
Fireworks explode over Westminster Abbey and Elizabeth Tower near Parliament as Big Ben marks the start of 2019
Getty Images
New Year’s Eve 2018 celebrations – in pictures
France
A sound and light show under the theme ‘fraternity’ is seen on the Arc de Triomphe in Paris
AFP/Getty Images
New Year’s Eve 2018 celebrations – in pictures
Edinburgh
Performers on stilts on Princess Street during the Hogmanay New Year celebrations in Edinburgh
PA
New Year’s Eve 2018 celebrations – in pictures
Netherlands
Children watch the special children’s fireworks display near the Erasmus bridge in Rotterdam, The Netherlands
EPA
New Year’s Eve 2018 celebrations – in pictures
Malaysia
Spectators watch as fireworks explode in front of Malaysia’s Petronas Twin Towers
AP
New Year’s Eve 2018 celebrations – in pictures
Thailand
Fireworks explode over Chao Phraya River during the New Year celebrations in Bangkok
Reuters
New Year’s Eve 2018 celebrations – in pictures
China
Entertainers perform at the countdown event to celebrate the arrival of 2019 during the New Year’s Eve celebration at Beijing Olympic Park
EPA
New Year’s Eve 2018 celebrations – in pictures
Germany
The Brandenburg Gate landmark during the beginning of the New Year’s Eve celebrations in Berlin
EPA
New Year’s Eve 2018 celebrations – in pictures
India
Schoolchildren hold balloons as they pose during celebrations to welcome the New Year at their school in Ahmedabad, India
Reuters
New Year’s Eve 2018 celebrations – in pictures
United Arab Emirates
People gather to watch a musical fountain in front of the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, the tallest building in the world
EPA
New Year’s Eve 2018 celebrations – in pictures
Hong Kong
Fireworks explode over the Victoria Harbor during New Year’s Eve to celebrate the start of year 2019 in Hong Kong
AP
New Year’s Eve 2018 celebrations – in pictures
South Korea
People attend a ceremony to celebrate the new year in Seoul, South Korea
Reuters
New Year’s Eve 2018 celebrations – in pictures
Taiwan
An eightfold combo picture shows fireworks and light effects illuminating the night sky from the Taipei 101 skyscraper during New Year’s Eve celebrations in Taiwan
EPA
New Year’s Eve 2018 celebrations – in pictures
Thailand
Fireworks explode over the Chao Phraya River during New Year celebrations in Bangkok
AFP/Getty
New Year’s Eve 2018 celebrations – in pictures
Australia
Fireworks explode over the Sydney Harbour during New Year’s Eve celebrations in Sydney
AP
New Year’s Eve 2018 celebrations – in pictures
Getty
New Year’s Eve 2018 celebrations – in pictures
Japan
People release balloons during the count down event at the Prince Park Tower Tokyo hotel
Getty
New Year’s Eve 2018 celebrations – in pictures
Getty
New Year’s Eve 2018 celebrations – in pictures
Malaysia
Fireworks illuminate the night sky over the Petronas Towers landmark during New Year’s Day celebrations in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
EPA
New Year’s Eve 2018 celebrations – in pictures
Denmark
People take part in the annual new year’s dip in the harbour of Copenhagen, Denmark, with both water and air temperature of six degrees Celcius
AFP/Getty
New Year’s Eve 2018 celebrations – in pictures
Singapore
Fireworks explode over the Marina Bay ahead of the New Year Eve festivities in Singapore
Reuters
New Year’s Eve 2018 celebrations – in pictures
India
Indian girls pose for photographs as they take part in New Year’s Eve celebrations in Bhopal
EPA
New Year’s Eve 2018 celebrations – in pictures
Singapore
Fireworks explode over the Marina Bay for the New Year celebrations in Singapore
Reuters
New Year’s Eve 2018 celebrations – in pictures
South Korea
Fireworks illuminate the sky over the Jeongdongjin beach in Gangneung
EPA
New Year’s Eve 2018 celebrations – in pictures
New Zealand
Fireworks exploding from the Sky Tower with the Auckland Harbour Bridge
Getty/ATEED
New Year’s Eve 2018 celebrations – in pictures
Tennis players Rafael Nadal poses for a selfie with Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Andy Murray and Nick Kyrgios while wearing festive new year 2019 eyewear and party hats in front of the Queensland Tennis centre in Brisbane
AFP/Getty
New Year’s Eve 2018 celebrations – in pictures
Australia
The midnight fireworks light up the Sydney Opera House
Getty
New Year’s Eve 2018 celebrations – in pictures
Spain
Revellers take selfies during a New Year’s Eve celebration in Madrid
AP
New Year’s Eve 2018 celebrations – in pictures
Singapore
Fireworks explode over the Marina Bay ahead of the New Year’s Eve festivities in Singapore
Reuters
New Year’s Eve 2018 celebrations – in pictures
AFP/Getty
New Year’s Eve 2018 celebrations – in pictures
France
People take part in a traditional sea bath to mark the New Year’s celebrations on a nudist beach in Le Cap d’Agde, southern France
AFP/Getty
New Year’s Eve 2018 celebrations – in pictures
South Korea
People walk among illuminated decorations at Cheonggye street during New Year’s Eve celebrations in Seoul, South Korea
EPA
New Year’s Eve 2018 celebrations – in pictures
New Zealand
Getty/ATEED
New Year’s Eve 2018 celebrations – in pictures
India
Indian girls, with their faces painted with slogans to welcome the new year and Indian flags, pose for photographs as they celebrate in Amritsar
EPA
New Year’s Eve 2018 celebrations – in pictures
Australia
Fireworks explode over the Sydney Harbour
AP
New Year’s Eve 2018 celebrations – in pictures
India
Indian tourists play with snow at Kongdoori tourist resort in Gulmarg north of Kashmir
EPA
New Year’s Eve 2018 celebrations – in pictures
Thailand
Artists perform at a shopping centre during the New Year festival in Bangkok
Reuters
New Year’s Eve 2018 celebrations – in pictures
Myanmar
People takes selfies during the last sunset of the year in Naypyitaw
AP
New Year’s Eve 2018 celebrations – in pictures
Australia
New Year’s Eve fireworks erupt over Sydney’s iconic Harbour Bridge and Opera House during the fireworks show
AFP/Getty
New Year’s Eve 2018 celebrations – in pictures
Spain
Several hundred residents gathered in the square to eat the traditional 12 grapes to the sound of twelve strokes at noon in the town of Vilagarcia de Arousa, northwestern Spain. The people traditionally welcome the New Year eating 12 grapes to the sound of twelve strokes of the clock at midnight in Spain. The clock of Puerta del Sol is mainly used to carry on the tradition and for first time, the Madrid’s clock will sound 12 strokes two times at 0:00 and 01:00 hours for the people in Canary Island, who celebrates the arrival of the New Year one hour later
EPA
To ensure that government employees were able to celebrate these days, the government enacted certain guidelines for observing federal holidays.
Federal holidays that fall on a Saturday are observed by federal employees on the previous Friday, whereas holidays that fall on Sunday are observed the following Monday.
On these days, non-essential federal government offices are closed and banks, post offices and schools may also be closed.
For employees in the private sector, federal holidays may or may not mean a day off – as businesses cannot legally be required to observe the holiday. Fortunately, most employers will give employees the day off for certain federal holidays such as Thanksgiving or Christmas – or pay employees extra for working on the day.
Whether you plan to book a vacation during a long weekend or are simply looking forward to the next day off from work, these are the dates of federal holidays in 2020.
2020 federal holidays:
New Year’s Day : Wednesday, January 1
Birthday of Martin Luther King Jr : Monday, January 20
President’s Day : Monday, February 17
Independence Day : Saturday, July 4
Labor Day : Monday, September 7
Columbus Day : Monday, October 12
Veterans’ Day : Wednesday, November 11
Thanksgiving : Thursday, November 26
Christmas : Friday, December 25
Other important days to note:
Valentine’s Day : Friday, February 14
St Patrick’s Day : Tuesday, March 17
Good Friday : Friday, April 10
Mother’s Day : Sunday, May 10
Father’s Day : Sunday, June 21
Halloween : Saturday, October 31