holiday season

American  

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

noun

holiday seasons plural

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.

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• holiday seasons
  plural

Etymology

Origin of holiday season

First recorded in 1840–45

Example Sentences

Airlines typically make losses over the winter then look to make profits during the peak summer holiday season.

From BBC • May 21, 2026

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

Mattel’s shares plummeted in February after the company announced weak holiday season sales, with Barbie products taking a big hit.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 1, 2026

Macy’s wrapped up the holiday season on a strong note, posting an unexpected rise in same-store sales in the fourth quarter as its Bloomingdale’s brand propels its turnaround.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 19, 2026

Joylette, Kathy, and Connie would never again be able to experience the joy of the holiday season without also reliving the ache that came from their father’s death.

From "Hidden Figures" by Margot Lee Shetterly