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　　holiday來自于holy day（神圣的日子），從詞源上來說，是和宗教有關(guān)的。該詞本身強調(diào)是不用工作的假期，在BrE中還指vacation。

　　festival指有一定公眾儀式和民俗活動的節(jié)日，但是不一定有放假，以及“人造”的節(jié)日。如果你到網(wǎng)絡(luò)上搜索，會發(fā)現(xiàn)“holidays and festivals”有時候是作為一個詞組出現(xiàn)的。

　　有的日子既是holiday也是festival，比如Christmas；而有的只是festival，比如Teachers’ Day。

　　如果非要只用一個詞來概括的話，則用holiday。

festival的詞源：

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin festivus festive

festival的詞義：

1. a: a time of celebration marked by special observances  b: feast 2

2. an often periodic celebration or program of events or entertainment having a specified focus | a daffodil festival, a Greek festival

holiday的詞義：

1: [holy day] an important Muslim holiday

2: a day on which one is exempt from work; specifically :  a day marked by a general suspension of work in commemoration of an event | will be closed for the July 4th holiday; a national holiday; plans for the holiday weekend

3: chiefly British :  vacation — often used in the phrase on holiday | going on holiday — often used in plural | spent the summer holidays in Spain

4: a period of exemption or relief | corporations enjoying a tax holiday