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How to Talk About Your Favorite Holiday in English / 英語で好きな祝日について話す方法 / 英語で好きな休日について話す方法

Master the 3-sentence holiday template, study real conversations, avoid common mistakes, and unlock quiz achievements.

🌱 Beginner 🎉 Everyday English ❓ 19 questions
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Talking About Your Favorite Holiday

Talking about holidays is a great way to start a conversation. It is an easy, happy topic that works when meeting new people, in class, at work, in small talk, and in self-introductions.

好きな祝日について話すのは、英語でとても話しやすい話題です。難しい言葉は必要ありません。短くてやさしい文だけで、自分の好きなことを伝えられます。

When You'll Use This

This topic works well in five key places:

  1. When meeting new people It is an easy topic for a first conversation.
    新しい人に会うとき:初めての会話でも話しやすいテーマです。
  2. In class Teachers often ask about holidays for speaking practice.
    授業で:先生がスピーキング練習としてよく聞く話題です。
  3. At work You can talk about weekend or holiday plans during coffee breaks.
    職場で:休憩中に週末や休みの予定について話せます。
  4. In small talk It helps when you are waiting or chatting with friends.
    ちょっとした雑談で:待ち時間や友だちとの会話で使えます。
  5. In self-introductions You can add it to show what you like.
    自己紹介で:自分の好きなこととして自然に付け足せます。

Why It Matters

Talking about your favorite holiday:

  • Holidays are happy days, so the conversation feels bright.
  • You sound friendly and easy to talk to.
  • You can practice simple English without stress.
  • You can share your taste and feelings clearly.

The Core Pattern

Every good favorite-holiday answer has three parts:

  1. Name the holiday1
  2. Give a reason1
  3. Say what you do

Template

My favorite holiday is [Holiday]. I like it because [Reason]. I usually [Action] on that day.

好きな祝日の名前・理由・当日の行動の3つのパーツで組み立てます。

Real Example

My favorite holiday is New Year's Day. I like it because it is peaceful. I usually stay at home with my family on that day.

「好きな祝日は元日です。穏やかな感じがするので好きです。その日はよく家族と家で過ごします。」

Vocabulary Bank

Useful words and phrases, grouped by how you use them.

Naming the Holiday

New Year's Day元日
Golden Weekゴールデンウィーク
Obon holidayお盆休み
Christmasクリスマス
New Year's Eve大晦日
National holidays国民の祝日

Describing the Holiday

Relaxingリラックスできる
Fun楽しい
Special特別な
Peaceful穏やかな
Excitingワクワクする
Warm暖かい

Actions

Stay at home家にいる
Visit my family家族のところへ行く・帰省する
Eat special food特別な食べ物を食べる
Travel旅行する
Rest休む
Sleep in朝遅くまで寝る
Watch movies映画を見る
Go shopping買い物に行く

Useful Phrases by Function

Introducing the Topic

My favorite holiday is New Year's Day.
好きな祝日は元日です。
I really like Christmas.
クリスマスがとても好きです。
I love Golden Week.
ゴールデンウィークが大好きです。
My favorite time of year is Obon.
1年の中で一番好きな時期はお盆です。
I enjoy holidays in general.
祝日全般が好きです。

Giving a Reason

I like it because it is relaxing.
リラックスできるから好きです。
Because I can spend time with family.
家族と時間を過ごせるからです。
It is a good time to rest.
休むのに良い時期です。
Because the weather is beautiful.
天気がとても良いからです。
It feels very special to me.
私にとってとても特別に感じます。

Giving Context

I usually stay at home with my parents.
たいてい両親と一緒に家で過ごします。
I always travel to the countryside in May.
5月にはいつも田舎へ旅行します。
I meet my high school friends every year.
毎年、高校の友達に会います。
We usually gather at my grandmother's house.
私たちはよく祖母の家に集まります。

Asking the Other Person

What about you?
あなたは?
Do you like Christmas?
クリスマスは好きですか?
What is your favorite holiday?
あなたの好きな祝日は何ですか?
Do you travel on Golden Week?
ゴールデンウィークに旅行しますか?

Example Conversations

At a Café with a Friend

Sarah asks about your favorite holiday as the weather cools.

SarahThe weather is getting cold! Do you like winter?
YouYes, I do. My favorite holiday is Christmas.
SarahOh, Christmas is nice! Why do you like it?
YouI like it because it feels special. Everything is beautiful.
SarahThat is true. What do you usually do on that day?
YouI usually eat special food and watch movies at home. What about you?
SarahI usually visit my family! Do you make Christmas cake?
YouNo, I don't make it. I just buy a big cake!

At the Office with a Colleague

Mr. Smith asks about your holiday plans on a break.

Mr. SmithNext week is a holiday, right? Are you excited?
YouYes, very excited! My favorite holiday is Golden Week.
Mr. SmithOh, the long holiday! Why is it your favorite?
YouI like it because I can rest and travel. The weather is very nice too.
Mr. SmithYes, May is beautiful. Where do you usually go?
YouI usually travel to Kyoto with my family. We love the temples.
Mr. SmithKyoto sounds wonderful. Is it crowded?
YouYes, it is always very crowded, but we still enjoy it.

Meeting a New Person While Traveling

David asks about your favorite holiday out of cultural curiosity.

DavidHello! I am learning about Japanese culture. What is your favorite holiday?
YouHello! My favorite holiday is New Year's Day.
DavidNew Year's Day! That's interesting. Why do you like it?
YouI like it because I can spend time with my family. It is very peaceful.
DavidNice. What do you do on that day? Do you go out?
YouNo, we usually stay at home. We eat traditional Japanese food called Osechi.
DavidWow, Osechi! Is it delicious?
YouYes, it is very delicious and colorful. You should try it!

Naturalness Tips

Add a reason or activity

Too shortI like New Year. (The conversation stops here.)
NaturalI like New Year because I can relax with my family and eat delicious food.

Use simple linking words

Too formalMy favorite holiday is Obon. Additionally, I visit my hometown.
NaturalMy favorite holiday is Obon, and I visit my hometown because I get to see my grandparents.

Always ask a question back

Conversation killerI like Christmas. (Then silence.)
NaturalI like Christmas because of the lights and food. What about you?

Avoid choppy lists and heavy dictionary words

❌ Choppy: "New Year. Family. Food. Osechi." → ✅ "I like New Year because I can spend time with my family and eat Osechi."
❌ Too textbook: "I favor the New Year holiday due to its familial significance." → ✅ "I like New Year because it's a special time with my family."

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Cramming everything into one long sentence

Avoid: My favorite holiday is New Year's Day and I like it because it's peaceful and I usually stay home with my family and we eat special food and watch TV together and sometimes visit relatives too.
Better: My favorite holiday is New Year's Day. I visit my grandmother in Nagano. We eat a lot of good food.

Confusing "holiday" with "vacation"

Avoid: My favorite vacation is Christmas.
Better: My favorite holiday is Christmas.

Not giving a reason for liking the holiday

Avoid: My favorite holiday is Golden Week.
Better: My favorite holiday is Golden Week because I can rest and travel.

Forgetting to ask the other person back

Avoid: (Ending the answer with no question)
Better: My favorite holiday is Christmas. What about you?

Using overly formal language

Avoid: The holiday which I prefer the most is New Year's Day.
Better: My favorite holiday is New Year's Day.

Build Your Own Answer

My favorite holiday is ___. I like it because ___. I usually ___ on that day.

Worked Examples

Yuki — self-introduction:
"My favorite holiday is the Obon holiday. I like it because I can see my hometown friends. I usually go to a summer festival on that day."

Ken — casual small talk:
"My favorite holiday is Golden Week. I like it because I can sleep in. I usually stay at home and play video games on that day."

Try swapping the holiday, reason, and action words from the Vocabulary Bank to make an answer that is true for you.

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