Reflections on holiday

the word holiday comes from the two words holy and day. in my new home it is used to mean vacation.

dictionary.com says "A day free from work that one may spend at leisure, especially a day on which custom or the law dictates a halting of general business activity to commemorate or celebrate a particular event... leisure time away from work devoted to rest or pleasure; "we get two weeks of vacation every summer"; "we took a short holiday in Puerto Rico" [syn: vacation] 2: a day on which work is suspended by law or custom; "no mail is delivered on federal holidays"; "it's a good thing that New Year's was a holiday because everyone had a hangover" v : spend or take a vacation [syn: vacation]

so here's my question: when did a "holiday" cease to be holy? a holiday (vacation) has become aobut seeing, doing, going. my friends chris and hayley (and josh and peter) recently holidayed in california. they were mesmerized by america's number one vacation activity...outlet mall shopping. seriously, i read it in consumer reports, but that was a few years back. really, as americans we get the shortest amount of vacation known to man (okay, that may be a bit of an overstatement, but you get my point) and we spend our two weeks a year at the outlet mall trying to resist cinnamonster? how is that any different then the time we spend at our local mall the rest of the year. and besides, there is no resisting the cinnamonster. at this time i'd like to send a shout out to my homies in the suffern area with the mall i've been to that rocks the most.

i'd like to focus on the part of the definition: leisure time devoted to rest and pleasure. my friend sandjea calls her day off her "sabbath". she does this because her job is working at a church, so sunday is not really a sabbath for her. although i suspect, and fear, it is not a sabbath for many of us. i like that she calls it that. if i ask her if she wants to or can do something on such and such she says, "it's my sabbath" and leaves it at that. because she approaches it like that, a holy rest, it is easy for me to respect that time. when was the last time you saw real rest or pleasure at the mall (outlet or otherwise)? is another pair of shoes, a new bag, or a pair of jeans really going to bring me rest or pleasure? well...okay...if i could fit into a pair of jeans at american eagle right now that might bring real pleasure :).

my friend drew is always putting lyrics on his blog, so here is my version of meaningful lyrics

Holiday(Madonna)

Holiday Celebrate
Holiday Celebrate

[Chorus:]
If we took a holiday
Took some time to celebrate
Just one day out of life
It would be, it would be so nice

Everybody spread the word
We're gonna have a celebration
All across the world
In every nation
It's time for the good times
Forget about the bad times, oh yeah
One day to come together
To release the pressure
We need a holiday

[chorus]

You can turn this world around
And bring back all of those happy days
Put your troubles downIt's time to celebrate
Let love shine
And we will find
A way to come together
And make things better
We need a holiday

[chorus]
Holiday Celebrate
Holiday Celebrate

[chorus]
Holiday Celebrate
Holiday Celebrate
Holiday,
Celebration
Come together in every nation