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# holiday tree

phrase (noun phrase: a holiday tree, holiday trees)

«holiday tree» in the English dictionary: in the primary school — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## In the primary school

Source: Mova's pupils' dictionary. Licence: [Elamur Cosmic License](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/docs/LICENSE/). Reviewed: the dictionary the pupils of Mova's primary school read; its examples quote the lessons and public-domain tales. Ships with Mova.

### Meaning

1. (euphemism, official, US) a Christmas tree, called by a name that leaves out the religious word so that people of every faith feel included.
2. (literal, rare) any decorated tree put up for a holiday or festival.

### In the lessons

Used by city halls, shops, schools and companies in the USA (and sometimes Canada) to be polite and inclusive in public places; it avoids naming one religion. Many people find it fussy or silly and argue about it every winter, so it also turns up in news stories about the «war on Christmas». Register: official, public notices, news; everyday speakers mostly still say «Christmas tree».

### Examples

- The town will light the holiday tree in the square at six tonight.
- Our school put a holiday tree in the hall with paper snowflakes on it.
- The office holiday tree has lights but no star or angel.
- News: Council members argued for an hour over whether to call it a Christmas tree or a holiday tree.
- Chat: lol they called it a holiday tree, it's literally a Christmas tree
- Grandpa grumbled, «A holiday tree? In my day it was a Christmas tree and that was that.»
- Notice: Please do not hang heavy ornaments on the lobby holiday tree.
- The mall's holiday tree is twenty feet tall this year.

### Note

It is still a fir or pine with lights — the object is the same, only the name changes. Some people hear it as polite and inclusive, others as cold or politically correct, so it can start an argument. In the UK, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand most people just say «Christmas tree». Plain word it stands for: Christmas tree.