A 'government holiday' refers to a day off work given by the government. There are several synonyms for government holidays, including public holidays, national holidays, statutory holidays, bank holidays, and legal holidays. Public holidays are days where most businesses and schools are closed by the government to honor a particular event or tradition, while national holidays are specific to a particular country. Statutory holidays are official days off work which are recognized by law, and bank holidays refer to public holidays in which banks and financial institutions are closed. Legal holidays are days that are recognized as holidays in legal proceedings and govern the functioning of the court system. Regardless of what they're called, these holidays are usually enjoyed by everyone looking for a break from their busy lives.