holiday season

American  

[hol-i-dey see-zuhn] / ˈhɒl ɪˌdeɪ ˈsi zən /

noun

1. a period of days or weeks in which two or more annual observances occur, especially in the United States, where it most often refers to the approximately 5–6 weeks from Thanksgiving in November to New Year’s Day in January.

   The kids will be singing Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa songs for the holiday season.

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Usage

What is the holiday season? The holiday season is the period that starts on Thanksgiving and continues until New Year’s Day. It includes the holidays of Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa, and New Year’s Eve.The holiday season is sometimes called the holidays. These terms are typically used to refer collectively to all of the holidays that occur during this time, regardless of whether the person using the term celebrates them or not. In contrast, the terms Christmas season and Christmastime specifically refer to the period leading up to Christmas.People often wish each other a happy holiday season by saying happy holidays.Example: I start feeling all warm and fuzzy as soon as the holiday season begins.

Etymology

Origin of holiday season

First recorded in 1840–45

Example Sentences

That came on the heels of a relatively strong holiday season for retailers in general, with many recording revenue and comparable sales increases in their fiscal fourth quarters.

From Barron's • Apr. 2, 2026

Some entries in Center Theatre Group’s upcoming season are scheduled intuitively, like the Mischief Comedy team’s “Christmas Carol Goes Wrong,” running in the thick of the holiday season.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 29, 2026

Five Below said that the most recent holiday season was its best since it became a public company in 2012.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 18, 2026

This past holiday season, Burberry’s full assortment was back in Bloomingdale’s, and the brand took over the retailer’s flagship location on 59th Street in New York.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 27, 2026

As the holiday season neared, my dad seemed finally to shake his blues.

From "Bad Boy" by Walter Dean Myers