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Proper nouns and articles

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Latest post Sun, Jun 22 2008 8:54 AM by Mister Micawber. 1 replies.
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Anonymous  +  530826 Sun, 22 Jun 08 07:32 AM
Hi,
Is the word 'Passover' a proper noun? Are we allowed to place artcles, definite or indefinite, in front of it?
1)Passover was a festive occasion.
2)... walked toward the city on the eve of a Passover.
3)She prepared the Passover.

How about these holidays?
New Year's Day is a holiday here.
The New Year's Day we had last year was memorable.
More New Year's Days will be good for our morale.
A New Year's Day is one that is celebrated nationwide?

Can this type of placing of articles good for Christmas or Easter too?  
Anonymous
,
Mister Micawber  +  530857 Sun, 22 Jun 08 08:54 AM
.
Holiday names are proper nouns, and do not take an article unless subject to secondary recategorization (i.e. into a 'type' of that holiday), much as you have done.  These are appropriate:


Passover was a festive occasion.
We had a delightful Passover.

New Year's Day is a holiday here.
The New Year's Day we had last year was memorable.
More New Year's Days would be good for our morale.
New Year's Day is one holiday that is celebrated nationwide.

Have a merry Christmas and a happy New Year.
Christmas comes but once a year.
Have yourself a merry little Christmas

Easter comes in March or April.
An Easter without Easter eggs is like a jelly doughnut without the filling.
Mister Micawber
Joined on Wed, Aug 4 2004
Yokohama
Veteran Member 30,760
'The question is,' said Humpty Dumpty, 'which is to be master-- that's all.'
,
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