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Keeping in touch – A benefit of public holidays using time use diary data

Author

Listed:
  • Joachim Merz

    (Department of Economic, Law and Behavioural Social Sciences Leuphana University Lüneburg Research Institute on Professions (Forschungsinstitut Freie Berufe, FFB))

  • Lars Osberg

    (Department of Economics, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada)

Abstract

This paper argues that public holidays facilitate the co-ordination of leisure time but do not constrain the annual amount of leisure. Public holidays therefore have benefits both in the utility of leisure on holidays and (by enabling people to maintain social contacts more easily) in increasing the utility of leisure on normal weekdays and weekends. The paper uses the variation in public holidays across German Länder based on more than 37.000 individual diary data of the actual German Time Use Survey of 2001-02 to illustrate the positive association between more public holidays and social life on normal weekdays and weekends. These benefits are additional to the other, direct benefits of public holidays.

Suggested Citation

  • Joachim Merz & Lars Osberg, 2009. "Keeping in touch – A benefit of public holidays using time use diary data," electronic International Journal of Time Use Research, Research Institute on Professions (Forschungsinstitut Freie Berufe (FFB)) and The International Association for Time Use Research (IATUR), vol. 6(1), pages 130-166, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:leu:journl:2009:vol6:issue1:p130-166
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    File URL: http://www2.leuphana.de/ffb/eijtur/pdf/volumes/eIJTUR-6-1.pdf#page=131
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Joachim Merz & Tim Rathjen, 2014. "Time And Income Poverty: An Interdependent Multidimensional Poverty Approach With German Time Use Diary Data," Review of Income and Wealth, International Association for Research in Income and Wealth, vol. 60(3), pages 450-479, September.
    2. Katerina Vrotsou & Kajsa Ellegård & Matthew Cooper, 2009. "Exploring time diaries using semi-automated activity pattern extraction," electronic International Journal of Time Use Research, Research Institute on Professions (Forschungsinstitut Freie Berufe (FFB)) and The International Association for Time Use Research (IATUR), vol. 6(1), pages 1-25, September.
    3. Joachim Merz & Tim Rathjen, 2011. "Intensity of Time and Income Interdependent Multidimensional Poverty: Well-Being and Minimum 2DGAP – German Evidence," FFB-Discussionpaper 92, Research Institute on Professions (Forschungsinstitut Freie Berufe (FFB)), LEUPHANA University Lüneburg.
    4. Joachim Merz & Henning Stolze, 2010. "Kumulation von Querschnitten - Evaluierung alternativer Konzepte für die kumulierten laufenden Wirtschaftsrechnungen 1999 bis 2003 im Vergleich zur Einkommens- und Verbrauchsstichprobe 2003," FFB-Discussionpaper 85, Research Institute on Professions (Forschungsinstitut Freie Berufe (FFB)), LEUPHANA University Lüneburg.
    5. Killian Mullan & Lyn Craig, 2009. "Harmonising extended measures of parental childcare in the time-diary surveys of four countries – Proximity versus responsibility," electronic International Journal of Time Use Research, Research Institute on Professions (Forschungsinstitut Freie Berufe (FFB)) and The International Association for Time Use Research (IATUR), vol. 6(1), pages 48-72, September.
    6. Sandra L. Hofferth, 2009. "Changes in American children’s time – 1997 to 2003," electronic International Journal of Time Use Research, Research Institute on Professions (Forschungsinstitut Freie Berufe (FFB)) and The International Association for Time Use Research (IATUR), vol. 6(1), pages 26-47, September.
    7. Hugh Millward & Jamie Spinney, 2009. "Time use and rurality – Canada 2005," electronic International Journal of Time Use Research, Research Institute on Professions (Forschungsinstitut Freie Berufe (FFB)) and The International Association for Time Use Research (IATUR), vol. 6(1), pages 109-129, September.
    8. Benedetto Gui, 2013. "Relational goods," Chapters, in: Luigino Bruni & Stefano Zamagni (ed.), Handbook on the Economics of Reciprocity and Social Enterprise, chapter 30, pages 295-305, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    9. Sajeda Amin & Luciana Suran, 2009. "Terms of marriage and time-use patterns of young wives – Evidence from rural Bangladesh," electronic International Journal of Time Use Research, Research Institute on Professions (Forschungsinstitut Freie Berufe (FFB)) and The International Association for Time Use Research (IATUR), vol. 6(1), pages 92-108, September.
    10. Timo Anttila & Tomi Oinas & Jouko Nätti, 2009. "Predictors of time famine among Finnish employees – Work, family or leisure?," electronic International Journal of Time Use Research, Research Institute on Professions (Forschungsinstitut Freie Berufe (FFB)) and The International Association for Time Use Research (IATUR), vol. 6(1), pages 73-91, September.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Public holidays; social contacts; social leisure time; time allocation; time use diaries; German Time Budget Survey 2001/02;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J22 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Time Allocation and Labor Supply
    • I31 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - General Welfare, Well-Being
    • Z31 - Other Special Topics - - Tourism Economics - - - Industry Studies
    • H40 - Public Economics - - Publicly Provided Goods - - - General

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