Do Colleges Have Winter Breaks?

With the growing modernisation and competition, being a student has been a challenge. A recent survey found that the part of our society which is most affected by depression and anxiety is the youth. The situation is becoming a matter of debate . With the known census, this is a matter which is necessary to be taken care of . Although, not to a huge extent, vacation has played a crucial role in releasing some of these anxieties. The summer and winter vacations contribute the most. Summer vacations are long and relaxing whereas winter vacations are more enjoyable and mind invigorating. Here we will see about Do Colleges Have Winter Breaks?

Do Colleges Have Winter Breaks?

Why are winter vacations necessary to be observed?

Almost all the colleges provide winter vacations in the USA. This is because they have a lot to celebrate within that particular period of time.

Winter vacations are shorter as compared to summer . It lasts for 2 to 3 weeks only. The vacation usually starts from the end of December and continues till the first week of January. Still these holidays have a huge impact as a lot of occasions are prevailing during this particular period of time. Though smaller, there are a number of reasons why colleges provide winter vacations and why they should include them. Some of them can be listed below:

  • In winter , the weather becomes intolerable with the increasing snowfall, especially in countries like the USA.
  • The days include Thanksgiving day which is celebrated for three days of harvest time. This was first celebrated in 1621 by an English colonial. From that day onwards, on this day, people celebrate the new harvest and show their true gratitude towards the almighty for the rest of the blessings they received throughout the year.
  • The most important part of winter vacation is the Christmas. The festival which is celebrated worldwide with much pomp and splendour. A great celebration is organised to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ.
  • Celebrating New Year’s Eve is one of the greatest celebrations of every country. People welcome the new year with great enthusiasm. The preparation for this special occasion is exotic and considered as one of the most essential parts of the vacation.

Winter Breaks In different Countries:

Winter vacations are not limited to only the USA but are celebrated all around the world. The timings and time periods can differ from each other due to the changes in the position of the earth. Let us discuss some of the vacations in different countries.

  • Poland

Poland observes the vacation for two weeks. The time period of the vacation in this country totally depends upon the region as well as the condition.

  • Japan

Like other countries , Japan observes the vacation from the end of December to the beginning of January. The country celebrates the new year eve during the winter vacation.

  • Philippines:  

The Philippines also begin their festive vacation from the mid December to the first week of January and celebrate the new year arrival.

  • China:

China has a unique winter vacation. The vacation does not last as long as summer nor as short as winter. China celebrates its winter vacation for about a month. This happens because chinese have a different calendar and celebrate their new year at a different time which makes the holidays longer than the other countries.

Winter vacations in most of the countries are scheduled according to the new year eve only. As a result, almost all of them begin their holidays from the end of December to the beginning of the january. 

Summer and winter breaks are a good time off for both teachers and students . Even though summers are long, winters are more exciting and full of enjoyment. A wonderful time to make memories with your loved ones and make new friends.

FAQs Related To Winter Breaks:

Q.1 What activities can one adopt during the winter breaks as a student?

Ans: One can do a lot of activities during  the winter breaks. Some of them can be listed below:

  • Ice skiing: People used to enjoy a lot while skiing on ice . A fun activity that can give you a vibrating experience
  • Discovering the history of winter: Starting from decorating the Christmas tree to everything done in winter has a special reason . One can easily explore it and can have a great knowledge about its own heritage. 
  • Snowball fights, ice candles are some more specific activities that can be done during winter break.

Q.2 What is meant by the winter solstice ?

Ans: Winter solstice is also considered as the first day of the winter. The day contains a longer duration of night and merely contains the day time. This day is simply a result of the earth’s elliptical rotation. 

Q.3 Describe a brief history about winter breaks.

Ans: During ancient times, the winter vacations were celebrated because of Christmas and Saturnalia. Saturnalia was a festival in honour of the god Saturn. This was majorly celebrated in Africa on December 17th. Also, winter solstice was also a major concern. With the passage of time, the place was fully taken by Christmas as the Romans found it very difficult to celebrate such a highly ethical festival. Thus, they shifted their pagan to Christianity and Christmas became the main focus.

Q.4 How much extra waste is produced during the winter breaks.

Ans: Winter holidays are cheerful and full of festivals. This leads to the production of a lot of trash from gift wrappers, ribbons, etc. The trash produced during the winter breaks are 25% more than the usual trash produced by the countries. A proper wastage plan is trying to get established during the winter break. Though, it’s not helping much has helped enough to reduce the trash to some extent. A recent survey revealed that about 25 million ton of extra garbage is produced during winter breaks. 

Q.5 Who started celebrating the winter solstice?

Ans: Solstice is a random day with the minimum daylight and maximum night time. Early people used to decide a lot of things due to the astronomical phenomenon. Some of the main activities are animal mating , crop harvesting and so on. During the solstice period, people used to feast all night and slaughter cattles. Back then, in Germany and in pagan Scandinavia, people also celebrated a vacation of about 12 days in mid winter . The occasion was popularly known as “Jul” or “Yule ”.