**Definition and Regional Variances**:
– The term ‘vacation’ originated from the UK as a long summer break for law courts and universities.
– In the US, ‘vacation’ replaced ‘holiday’ in common language.
– Differences in terminology between English-speaking North America, Commonwealth countries, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and the UK.
– Wealthy families moving to summer homes led to the term ‘vacation’ replacing ‘holiday’.
**Family Vacation**:
– Family vacations involve recreational activities taken together by families.
– Can be a ritual or one-time event, including cruises, theme park trips, beach vacations, and staycations.
– Budget-friendly options are popular.
– Family vacations are a time for bonding and creating lasting memories.
**Vacation Research and Anticipation Effects**:
– Research on vacation effects on health and well-being started in the 1990s.
– Positive effects on health and well-being from vacations have been observed.
– Anticipation effects can be positive or negative.
– Changes leading up to vacations can impact well-being levels.
**Vacation Mechanisms and Methodology**:
– Leisure is crucial for well-being, allowing engagement in non-obligatory activities.
– Recovery experiences like psychological detachment, relaxation, autonomy, and mastery lower stress.
– Challenges in vacation research design due to longer time periods and travel.
– Measures before, during, and after vacation are essential for studying vacation effects.
**Vacation Policies and Impact of Digital Communications**:
– Most countries have minimum annual leave requirements for employees.
– Many US corporations offer vacation policies, including unlimited vacation.
– Americans collectively did not use 662 million vacation days in 2016.
– Impact of digital communications on vacations, including remaining connected to work and workcations during the pandemic.
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A vacation (American English) or holiday (British English) is either a leave of absence from a regular job or an instance of leisure travel away from home. People often take a vacation during specific holiday observances or for specific festivals or celebrations. Vacations are often spent with friends or family. Vacations may include a specific trip or journey, usually for the purpose of recreation or tourism.
A person may take a longer break from work, such as a sabbatical, gap year, or career break.
The concept of taking a vacation is a recent invention, and has developed through the last two centuries. Historically, the idea of travel for recreation was a luxury that only wealthy people could afford (see Grand Tour). In the Puritan culture of early America, taking a break from work for reasons other than weekly observance of the Sabbath was frowned upon. However, the modern concept of vacation was led by a later religious movement encouraging spiritual retreat and recreation. The notion of breaking from work periodically took root among the middle and working class.