Looking for something entertaining to do? Check out some wonderful festivals around the world.

Koningsdag or King’s Day is a national holiday in the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It is celebrated on 27 April (26 April if the 27^th is a Sunday), the date marking the birth of King Willem-Alexander. Orange is the national color, and the streets become a sea of feather boas (羽毛围巾) and body paint as crowds gather in the plazas and on the boats in the rivers. Amsterdam is the center of this outdoor party, with many live music events, but nearly every town is alive with orange on this day.

Thai National Elephant Day is a national holiday in Thailand. Thai National Elephant Day has been celebrated on March 13^th of every year since 1998. Because the elephant is the national animal of Thailand, it is highly respected and treasured. During the festivals elephant are honored during a ceremony (典礼) in which they are fed with bananas, other fruit, and sugarcane.

On the last Tuesday of January the entire town of Lerwick, Shetland is in flames. At the festival, you’ll find yourself sitting, dancing, or stumbling around the largest bonfire you’ve ever seen in your life. The festival lasts only one day but takes the entire year to plan. Be prepared for an evening of singing, dancing, and fast paced activities, and don’t worry about making it to work next day — it’s a national holiday!

Holi, the Festival of Color, is a Hindu celebration full of joy and one of India’s most important holidays. On the last full moon day of the lunar month, usually late February or early March, the air is full of bright-colored powder. The festival is celebrated differently throughout the country, with bonfires and music, but the cheerful spirit is common throughout Hindu communities around the world.

   Why do people give gifts in the first place? Throughout the world, many culture _______ special holiday with gifts and food. Holiday _______ bring people together and allow us to feel a part of the family and community. The gifts and food that we share are about _______ a sense of gratitude and joy.

The gifts of a few generations ago were _______ more useful and homemade. Even the people who could _______ wonderful presents probably didn’t do as much buying and spending as we do today. Our culture has grown more _______, and gift giving has become a booming industry. Sometimes the _______ meaning behind the tradition gets lost, and the gift giving _______ a life of its own.

Not only is the pressure on spending money on the right _______, but many people also find that when gifts become the central point of a holiday, they put too much ________ on receiving, too. It’s all too ________ to have high expectations of what’s in that beautifully wrapped box — but that can set anyone up for ________.

When the materialistic aspects of the holiday overshadow (使显得较不重要) its ________, it can leave people feeling empty and ________ for something more. It’s no wonder that we often hear about people having the “holiday blues” — feeling sad or empty instead of feeling ________ and fulfilled (满足的).

Not all people think the holidays are too materialistic, of course. Most ________ the traditional aspects of the holidays, like getting together and ________ with friends and family. And some love shopping and are ________ fine with all the giving and receiving.

But if you’re feeling a little ________ about the holidays, what can you do? One way to take back the holiday ________ is to focus on traditions and service — putting real meaning into your giving.