A holiday weekend refers to a period of time during which many people have a day off from work or school, typically due to a national or cultural holiday. This term is commonly used in North America and often refers to long weekends that occur around major holidays such as Memorial Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day. During these extended periods, many people take advantage of the time off to travel, spend time with family or friends, or engage in other leisure activities.