Do you think we've lost the true meaning of what certain holidays are supposed to be about?

I was reading the answers to a question about going back to school and many people put things like:





';I can't wait til the next vacation!';





Yea, I get it. School really sucks--more for some than others. But have we really lost the concept of what getting off of school for a certain holiday means?





Take the next holiday we have coming up: Martin Luther King Jr. Day.





I'm just assuming here, but I doubt many people take the time to think about all that MLK did and went through all for the rights just to be equal. And other holidays like Labor Day in September and Lincoln and Washington's birthday in February that we get off...(well I get those off). Even the Fourth of July is just a day during the summer for BBQ and fireworks.





I'll be honest sometimes I don't even bother thinking about all that stuff because it's nice to be out of school for that day, (and who doesn't love three days weekends?), but do you think everything they did and went through was in vain since we don't seem to appreciate it as much anymore?Do you think we've lost the true meaning of what certain holidays are supposed to be about?
you are right. Thank you. I have a little one running around (almost 1) I will take the time to explain the importance of each holiday to him from now on and to remember it myself.Do you think we've lost the true meaning of what certain holidays are supposed to be about?
I think in general most folks don't take the time to think about the meaning of holidays. For the most part we are disconnected simply because they are a footnote in history that most of us (in 2010) cannot relate to in our present day context. (Ironically the meaning in the holidays are the reason we are in the situation we are in)





Good on you for at the very least thinking about it!
it all depends on one's individual background





Yes due to materialism %26amp; lack of humanism people are losing the importance of holidays associated with person/event. its the responsibility of parents/elders/society %26amp; government to keep reminding their people and educate them. have debates,seminars,conferences,at all levels in schools,colleges,universities.institutio…
no cuz some people do appreciate it and what they did was for the good of us all. if MLK didn't do what he did then i wouldn't know all my great black friends cuz skools would still be segregated i am glad that they did everything they did cuz otherwise the world wouldn't be where it is now.
No one really thinks about what Christmas is about in religious terms or what MLK day is about. All they care about is material possessions and getting a few days off. It just shows how sad humanity has become lately.





VIVA LA RAZA!
yes i do like christmas and easter everyone thinks presents but they don't know the true meaning of these holidays!!!!!!!!!
Yeah, that's true.
I'll reflect on holidays I find to be important. Like MLK's Birthday. I'll pull out his biography and read through it and feel really grateful that I'm not considered inferior for my race anymore.





However, I won't care as much for Thanksgiving because I'm Native American and I don't see any reason to celebrate it. But I agree that most holidays are just about blowing stuff up and overeating.





America has a nasty habit of enjoying explosions and hot dogs...
We don't get MLK day off. =[





But yes, I do think it's true, especially when it comes to Christmas and Easter. They seem to just be excuses to go down to Mexico/Florida and get wasted- not about the true meaning, which is Christ's birth and Revival.*





Holidays are supposed to be about spending time with your family, and cherishing the event that made that holiday even possible.





*People who aren't Christian obviously don't count.