There is a view that the government and people allocate a significant amount of money to national holidays and religious festivals. While this trend could seem unreasonable because of economic strain, I agree with it, as such national and religious holidays hold great importance for a country.
From one angle, spending too much money on different special days, including festivals and national days, is a negative trend for some reasons. When allocating much money to elaborate celebrations, there are usually many fireworks displays and public events. Although such occasions can serve the public as entertainment, these events can also lead to economic strain and adverse environmental impacts. As for the monetary implications, the spending can be redirected to far more essential services, such as healthcare, education and infrastructure, especially helping people in need, contributing to better living conditions. Regarding environmental effects, large-scale celebrations often involve excessive consumption, leading to significant waste production, with single-use plastics being the most widespread type of waste today. This, in turn, leads to a significantly accumulated amount of waste over time, resulting in pollution and triggering health-related issues among people. In addition to the problem, the noise fireworks displays bring can also lead to noise pollution, a factor causing sleep deprivation. Thus, it could be disadvantageous to celebrate such events, especially on a large scale.
From another angle, I see this phenomenon as a vital practice of preserving cultural significance and identity. Put simply, national days and religious festivals are often deeply connected to a country’s culture and history. Holding cultural events plays a crucial role in reinforcing cultural identity and preserving traditions. In Uzbekistan, for example, there is a national day called Navruz, a type of holiday usually celebrated with an extended family across the country. This holiday is celebrated widely with much emphasis, and it is the period when Uzbek people wear only traditional costumes unique in style and cook many national meals, especially “sumalak” – a liquid-like meal usually eaten with bread, organise interactive activities, such as flying a kite. As a result, many people learn more about traditions and long-held cultural beliefs. Another overlooked benefit of this tendency is the tourism industry. Widely and uniquely celebrated events can easily attract other people outside the country, meaning tourists become interested in exploring countries with special and distinctive features. In this case, local and religious festivals can be an influential factor in luring visitors and becoming more well-known to wider communities in the world. The tourists can also get to know our traditions and cultural practices closely.
In conclusion, although spending on national and religious holidays might be a waste of money to some extent, I support this practice because these events can help with the preservation of a country’s culture and traditions and a potential boost in the tourism industry.