Holy Holi

I wrote this back in March. Today is India's color festival. It is called Holi and its origins were described to me today. It is amazing religious holiday that baffles me. We saw several neighbors wiping color on each other then hugging. Some of our friends saw a huge fight break out between two families, adults and kids alike. It was described as the day many get hammered and then drive around. Someone else called it the national ballon and color fight. One other description was that it is a day for reconciliation.
For us it was memorable day of fun and adventure and another day to realize that we don't live in America. Our language teacher asked is to describe the "color holiday" in America. She was surprised to learn that like many other holidays here, they are based on religious customs that we don't share.
Like many holidays in America that started as Holy days, the contrast of the different expressions of this day reveal culture's influence on religion and religion's influence on culture.
Knowing a holidays origin brings great insight.