Category Celebration All Around the World

Rizal Day

Books and cartoons are filled with heroes. But real live people are known for great deeds, too. Most countries have heroes who helped their nation in one way or another. One hero of the Philippines is Jose Rizal.

Rizal helped the people of the Philippines fight for their freedom from Spain. The Spanish thought he wanted to cause a revolution. So they shot and killed him on December 30, 1896. The U.S.A. took control of the Philippines in 1898. The Philippines finally gained complete independence from the U.S.A. in 1946.

Celebrated every 30th of December, Rizal Day is a national holiday that commemorates the life and heroism of Dr. José Rizal – a man many consider to be one of the greatest heroes of the Philippines.

In the past, most of the official ceremonies on Rizal Day were performed at Rizal Park in the city of Manila.

During this official ceremony, flags are flown at half-mast and the President of the Philippines lays a wreath on the shrine dedicated to Jose Rizal.

Recently, it is no longer the case, as ceremonial programs are now being conducted nationwide especially in places where there are monuments of Rizal and government officials attend these programs as guest of honor.

As national holiday, most workers have the day off as a fully paid work day. However, those who do have to work on Rizal Day receive twice their normal day of wages.

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Kwanzaa

How does your family celebrate its cultural heritage? If you are an African American, you may celebrate Kwanzaa. Kwanzaa celebrates a traditional African harvest festival. It is also a celebration of the rich cultural roots of African Americans.

Kwanzaa takes place from December 26 to January 1. Each evening during Kwanzaa, the family lights a candle in a special candleholder called a kinara. Each candle stands for one of the seven goals of Kwanzaa. These goals are ways that people can work together to build their communities and nourish pride and creativity among African Americans.

Near the end of the holiday, the community gathers for a feast. There is African food and music and dancing.

Five common sets of values are central to the activities of the week: ingathering, reverence, commemoration, recommitment, and celebration. The seven principles (nguzo saba) of Kwanzaa utilize Kiswahili words: unity (umoja), self-determination (kujichagulia), collective work and responsibility (ujima), cooperative economics (ujamaa), purpose (nia), creativity (kuumba), and faith (imani). Each of the seven candles signifies the principles. Like the Jewish Hannakah, candles are used to represent concepts of the holiday.

The symbol of Kwanzaa includes crops (mzao) which represents the historical roots of African-Americans in agriculture and also the reward for collective labor. The mat (mkeka) lays the foundation for self- actualization. The candle holder (kinara) reminds believers in the ancestral origins in one of 55 African countries. Corn/maize (muhindi) signifies children and the hope associated in the younger generation. Gifts (Zawadi) represent commitments of the parents for the children. The unity cup (Kkimbe cha Umoja) is used to pour libations to the ancestors. Finally, the seven candles (mishumaa saba) remind participants of the several principles and the colors in flags of African liberation movements – 3 red, 1 black, and 3 green.

Christmas

For Christians all over the world, December 25 is an important, happy day. It is Christmas, the day that celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ.

Many Christmas customs are based on the birth of Christ. People give each other presents because the Three Kings brought presents to the baby Jesus. Christians sing songs, called carols that tell stories about Christ’s birth. And they put up scenes of Jesus’s birth, with figures of the shepherds, the Three Kings, and animals around the tiny baby.

Some customs probably came from harvest festivals that took place in December around Christmastime. The Roman harvest festival may have inspired feasting and having parties. The custom of burning Yule logs came from the Northern European harvest festival known as Yule.

Other customs are newer traditions. Decorating Christmas trees probably came from Germany. Sending Christmas cards came from England.

Today, one of the most popular Christmas customs is giving gifts. In the U.S.A. and Canada, a magical person named Santa Claus brings presents. Santa wears red clothes trimmed with white fur, and he has a snow-white beard and moustache. Santa drives through the sky in a sleigh drawn by eight reindeer. He slips down the chimney, leaves gifts, and goes on his way again.

In England, the gift bringer is called Father Christmas. He looks much like Santa Claus, but he has a longer coat and a longer beard. In Germany, Costa Rica, Colombia, and parts of Mexico, children get presents from the Christ child.

In Sweden, gifts and goodies are brought by a Christmas elf. This little gnome has a sleigh that is pulled by two goats.

Both Father Christmas and Santa Claus are popular in Australia and New Zealand. But in these countries, December comes during the summer. So many people celebrate by going on a picnic or having fun at the beach.

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Hanukkah

On the stove, crisp potato pancakes sputter in a frying pan. In a corner, children spin square tops on the floor. On the table, candles twinkle in a candleholder. It’s Hanukkah, the Jewish Feast of Lights, and it lasts eight days.

Hanukkah celebrates a marvellous event that happened more than 2,000 years ago. At that time, the Jews won their struggle for religious freedom by defeating the Syrians, who tried to make them give up their religion.

Hanukkah is a cheerful time. There may be a party. People enjoy such special holiday food as potato pancakes, called latkes. Gifts and contributions are often given to the poor.

Each evening, families light some or all of the candles of the special eight-branched candleholder called a menorah. Some families sing songs, play games, and give their children gifts.

Hanukkah starts on the eve of the 25th day of the Hebrew month of Kislev, which falls in November or December. The word Hanukkah means “dedication”.

Here is a brief story of the menorah. After their great victory over the Syrians, the Jews began cleaning the great Temple of Jerusalem. They wanted to light the holy lamps. But they could find only a tiny jar of the special oil they needed for the lamps. They were amazed when the jar provided them with enough oil for eight days.

The eight days of Hanukkah are in memory of the eight days the lamps stayed lit. A special symbol of Hanukkah is the eight-branched candleholder called the menorah. On each day of Hanukkah, the candles of the menorah are lit – one on the first day, two on the second, and so on. Many menorahs have a branch to hold a ninth candle used to light the other candles.

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Feast of Saint Nicholas

Long ago, a very kind man lived in what is now the country of Turkey. This man was a bishop named Nicholas. According to stories about him, Nicholas often helped needy children.

Many years after his death, Nicholas was made a saint. He became the patron saint of children. Today, he is honoured on December 6.

This day is a holiday in some European countries. On the night before, children put out their shoes. Early the next morning, they rush to see what Saint Nicholas left for them. According to tradition, good children receive gifts, and naughty children may get sticks.

On December 6, some European cities and towns also hold parades led by a figure dressed up as Saint Nicholas. He talks to children and often hands out small gifts.

Saint Nicholas always has a helper with him. Children are quite afraid of his helper because the helper keeps track of who was good and who was naughty. In the Netherlands, Saint Nicholas’ helper is called Black Peter.

The Month of December

December is the twelfth month of the year. In ancient Roman times, December was the 10th month of the year. So the month got its name from decem, the Latin word for “ten”.

In the northern half of the world, winter begins on December 21 or 22. There, it is the shortest day of the year. At the same time, summer begins in the southern half of the world. There, it is the longest day of the year.

During December, the winter solstice tips the Northern hemisphere the furthest distance from the sun. Through most of the month, Northern hemisphere inhabitants lose about 2 minutes of sunlight per day until the winter solstice. The winter solstice ushers in the astrological mark for winter and the shortest day on the calendar. However, from that day forward, the days will slowly lengthen. They may not be warmer, but the Earth is tilting on its axis back toward the sun. 

December is a big baking month for many. In the United States, families, churches, schools, and organizations bake cookies to exchange. They are often part of the gift-giving and ugly sweater parties that occur right before or during Christmas, Kwanza, and Chanukah.

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Mm-mmmm! Smell the turkey cooking! It’s Thanksgiving Day and company’s coming! In the U.S.A. and Canada, this is a special holiday. Families and friends gather to eat and give thanks for their blessings.

Thanksgiving Day is really a harvest festival. That’s why it is celebrated in late autumn, after the crops have been gathered.

The Pilgrims of New England celebrated the first harvest thanksgiving. They were early English settlers who went to America in 1620 looking for a better life. The Pilgrims had a hard time during their first year, many of them dying during the first winter. But the next year, in 1621, they had a good harvest. So, their governor declared a three-day feast.

The Pilgrims invited American Indian friends to join them for the special feast. In time, other colonies began to celebrate a day of thanksgiving.

Today, people in the U.S.A. celebrate Thanksgiving on the fourth Thursday in November. Canadians celebrate Thanksgiving Day on the second Monday in October.

For thousands of years, people in many parts of the world have held harvest festivals. The Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival was once a celebration of the end of the rice harvest. African Americans celebrate the African harvest at the end of December.

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Remembrance Day

For more than four years, the war raged on. Then, at 11:00 a.m. on November 11, 1918, the guns stopped firing. World War I was over on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month. An armistice – an agreement to end the war – had been signed.

November 11 became Armistice Day, a day on which many nations honour those who died for their country. In France, it is still called Armistice Day. In Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, November 11 is Remembrance Day and honours all people who have died in war. The United Kingdom celebrates Remembrance Day on the Sunday closest to November 11.

In 1954, Armistice Day was changed to Veterans Day in the U.S.A. It became a time to honour all the men and women who have served in the nation’s armed forces.

Each year, at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia, U.S.A., there are special ceremonies. They begin with two minutes of silence, followed by a bugler playing “Taps”. A wreath is placed at the Tomb of the Unknowns. The tomb honours members of the U.S. armed forces who have died in war. The red poppy is the symbol of Remembrance Day.

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Seven-Five-Three

According to an old tradition in Japan, girls who are 3 or 7 years old and boys who are 5 are thought to be especially fortunate. So on November 15, families who have children of these ages take part in a festival called Seven-Five-three.

On this day, the families go to a shrine, or place of worship. There, they give thanks for the good health of the children. They also ask for future health and happiness for the children.

Outside the shrine, parents buy sweets and toys for the children. Later, the children give some of their sweets to visiting friends and relatives. In return, they are often given gifts.

In the Japanese tradition, the Gedatsu Church observes this auspicious occasion with a special prayer before the local guardian shrine, offering thanks for the children’s healthy and safe development. Each child is given a colorfully decorated bag containing the traditional chitose ame (literally meaning “a thousand years”) candy in appreciation for the child’s vitality and long life. Applications forms for participation in the festival are available at church offices.

Day-of-the-Dead

Children bite into crisp sugar skulls. People dressed as skeletons dance down the streets. Cemeteries light up with the warm glow of candles. It’s November 1, the start of the two-day Day-of-the-Dead celebration in Mexico.

The Day of the Dead (el Día de los Muertos), is a Mexican holiday where families welcome back the souls of their deceased relatives for a brief reunion that includes food, drink and celebration. A blend of Mesoamerican ritual, European religion and Spanish culture, the holiday is celebrated each year from October 31- November 2. While October 31 is Halloween, November 1 is “el Dia de los Inocentes,” or the day of the children, and All Saints Day. November 2 is All Souls Day or the Day of the Dead. According to tradition, the gates of heaven are opened at midnight on October 31 and the spirits of children can rejoin their families for 24 hours. The spirits of adults can do the same on November 2.

On this day, many Mexicans believe that the spirits of the dead return to visit their homes. Processions are held through towns. Families and friends gather in cemeteries and clean and decorate gravesites with flowers to welcome the spirits.

People picnic together and enjoy such special foods as sugar skulls and breads baked with a plastic skeleton hidden in them. It is a time when people remember the dead and celebrate life.

You can make a Day-of-the-Dead decoration out of self-hardening clay.

Roll one colour of clay into an egg shape about the size of your fist. Lay it on its side and push down gently so that it has a flat bottom. Gently mould it use a pencil to make holes for the face. Decorate the skull with different colours of clay. Let the skull dry one or two days on a wire rack. When the skull is hard, display it on a windowsill.

The Month of November

November is the eleventh month of the year. In ancient Roman times, November was the ninth month of the year. This month got its name from novem, the Latin word for “nine”. And the name was never changed.

In the northern half of the world, many places are cold in November. In parts of the north, the trees are bare, and the dead leaves on the ground have lost the beautiful colours of October. In the southern half of the world, it is getting warmer in many places.

November Month Overview – November often blows in like a hurricane. Other times it lingers like the warmth of the sun. For many, the month fills us with gratitude. It represents family holidays, too. As warm and cozy and November seems to many, others consider the 11th month of the year to be somewhat bleary.

Diwali

It is late autumn in India, the day before Diwali, or the Festival of Lights. In many homes, the children are busy making special holiday lamps. They fill little clay bowls with mustard oil. Into the oil, they put a little wick made of cotton. These lamps are a very important part of Diwali. They are lit on the fourth day of this five-day festival.

In preparation for the holiday, families hang garlands of flowers over the door and prepare sweet cakes and biscuits.

The next day – Diwali – everyone gets up early. The day is spent visiting relatives. There are lots of good things to eat and gifts to be exchanged. There may also be a visit to a street fair, where the children can go on rides and watch fireworks.

Before sunset, each family sets out its Diwali lamps. All over the countryside the little lights glow, like stars brought down from the sky.

According to Hindu beliefs, the Diwali lamps will help guide Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth and good luck. She will fly down to Earth and visit each house where the lamps are twinkling. After her visit, the family in that house will be blessed with good luck for a whole year.

For many who practise the Hindu religion, Diwali is the first day of the New Year. Diwali means “rows of lights”. Hindus in Malaysia and other parts of the world also celebrate the Festival of lights.

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United Nations Day

Can you think of a group that works for peace all over the world? One of the world’s most important peacemakers is the United Nations (UN).

The United Nations was started on October 24, 1945. It began just after World War II (1939-1945). More people died in that war than in any other war in history. Many people agreed that such a war must never happen again. So they started a group that now has more than 180 countries working for peace.

Today, the United Nations tries to solve problems around the world before they lead to war. It also helps people with farming and building, and it helps many countries improve their education and health-care programmes. To honour the United Nations and its work, many people celebrate United Nations Day on October 24. Around the world, people have peace marches, sports events, exhibits, musical performances, and special talks about UN programmes.

Some children in the U.S.A. help raise money for the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) every year on October 31. This day is Halloween, and the children collect money while trick-or-treating. UNICEF uses the money to provide food, medical care, and other services for poor children throughout the world.

Columbus Day

            Over 500 years ago, Christopher Columbus was sure he could reach the Indies – Japan and China – by sailing west across the Atlantic Ocean. Others said, no, it couldn’t be done. They thought it was too far.

Columbus thought that the Atlantic Ocean was very narrow. Others argued that the distance to Japan was four times greater than Columbus thought. But the king and queen of Spain gave Columbus the money and ships he needed. If Columbus was right, Spain would be rich.

Columbus sailed from Palos, Spain, on August 3, 1492. He had three ships, the Santa Maria, the Nina, and the Pinta. The ships moved through a seemingly endless sea. Many weeks passed. The frightened sailors demanded that Columbus turn back, but he insisted that they continue sailing.

Finally, on October 12, 1492, they saw land. Columbus thought he had reached the Indies. But instead, he had reached the “New World”. Columbus’s voyage made America known to the people of Europe. This truly changed the world. That is why Columbus is honoured.

In the U.S.A., Columbus Day is celebrated on the second Monday of October. Because Columbus sailed under the Spanish flag, people in Spain also celebrate Columbus Day. But Columbus wasn’t Spanish. He was Italian. He was born in Genoa, Italy, and so Italians also celebrate Columbus Day. People in many Central and South American countries honour Columbus on October 12 because he also “discovered” their lands.

Gandhi’s Birthday

In India, a wise and holy person is called a mahatma. The word means “great soul”. The greatest mahatma of all was Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi.

As a leader, Gandhi was against violence. He believed that how we behave is more important than what we succeed in doing. He won many followers.

Gandhi worked many years for India’s freedom from Great Britain. His dream finally came true on August 15, 1947.

Gandhi Jayanti is a national holiday celebrated across India to mark the birthday of Mahatma Gandhi, the “Father of the Nation”.

It is celebrated on October 2nd every year. It is one of three official declared National Holidays of India and is observed in all its states and territories.

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was born on October 2nd 1869 in Gujarat, then known as Porbandar, British India.

Gandhi lived his life with acceptance and practice of truth, non-violence, vegetarianism, simplicity and faith in God and was a major political and spiritual leader within India. He was a pioneer of Satyagraha, which believed in resistance to tyranny through mass civil disobedience, firmly founded upon total non-violence.

His honorific title of Mahatma, which means “high-souled” in Sanskrit, was first used in 1914 in South Africa.

The movement led India to independence and his efforts have since inspired movements for civil rights and freedom across the world. He was a source of inspiration to many political leaders all over the world, including Nelson Mandela and Martin Luther King Jr.

The day is marked by prayer services all over India, and especially at Raj Ghat, Gandhi’s memorial in New Delhi where he was cremated.

Celebrations on the day include prayer meetings and commemorative ceremonies in various cities by colleges, local government institutions and socio-political institutions.

Painting and essay competitions are held and awards are announced for projects in schools and the community, on the themes of glorifying peace, non-violence and Gandhi’s effort in Indian Freedom Struggle.

Often Gandhi’s favourite devotional song, Raghupathi Raghava Rajaram is sung in memory of him.

The impact and fame of Gandhi beyond India are reflected in the International Day of Nonviolence which is celebrated worldwide on his birthday.

India celebrates the birthday of the great leader on October 2. In his honour, many people walk from far across India to the place where his body was cremated.

National Day

With a rat-a-tat-tat of drums and a blare of bugles, rows of soldiers march smartly down the street. Overhead, a group of warplanes roars across the sky. Later, fireworks will light up the night sky. It’s National Day in Nigeria.

Nigeria is on the west coast of Africa. Until 1960, Nigeria was part of the British Commonwealth. Then, on October 1, 1960, Great Britain granted Nigeria its independence. Nigeria adopted a green and white flag. The green is for agriculture and the white for unity and peace.

October 1 is a national holiday that Nigerians celebrate with great joy.

The event in 1960 eventually led to the formation of the federal republic of Nigeria, and the journey to independence started with some constitutional developments that saw the country attaining self-rule in some quarters in 1957 and total independence on 1 October 1960.

October 1st has been designated a national holiday to commemorate the day Nigeria laid down its claim to be a free and independent nation from the United Kingdom.

Independence Day (National Day) in Nigeria is celebrated each year by patriotic citizens across all of 36 states, regardless of ethnicity and religion.

On the morning of October 1st, the incumbent President of Nigeria delivers a speech to officially commence the Independence Day celebrations and the country’s green – white – green flag will be unfurled with the singing of the national anthem in the capital city of Abuja.

The military officers will lead in a plethora of parades featuring the armed forces, student bands, and various cultural groups’ while the official celebration will kick off with a tribute to the founding fathers and heroines and freedom fighters of the great nation that is Nigeria.

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The Month of October

October is the 10th month of the year. This month got its name from octo, the Latin word for “eight”. October was once the eighth month.

When the Romans made October the 10th month, rulers tried several times to rename this month in honour of certain emperors or members of their families. But the people continued to call this month October.

In parts of the northern half of the world, the first frost usually occurs in October. Leaves change to brilliant colours. In parts of the southern half of the world, the weather is just beginning to get warm.

History of October

October always had 31 days, and it became the tenth month of the year when the months of January and February were added, pushing October towards the end of the solar year, which is around 365.24 days long.

The Julian was substituted for the Gregorian calendar because it did not reflect the length of a year on Earth accurately enough. Today’s Gregorian calendar does a much better job at keeping up with our planet’s revolutions around the Sun, but even this calendar is not perfect.

Fall and Spring Month

October is in the fall in the Northern Hemisphere, the month after the autumnal equinox. However, as seasons are opposite on either side of the equator, October is in the spring in the Southern Hemisphere. The seasonal equivalent is April in the opposite hemisphere.

The month of October starts on the same day of the week as January in common years, but during leap years, October does not start on the same day of the week as any other month. It ends on the same day of the week as February every year and January in common years only.

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Mid-Autumn Festival

At midnight, Chinese people in many countries gather in parks to sing, dance, and look at the beautiful full moon while enjoying crisp pastries filled with sweet paste. It’s the Mid-Autumn Festival, also known as the Moon Festival.

At this time of year, many people exchange moon cakes, round pastries filled with lotus seed, sesame, or another sweet paste. Many cakes have an egg yolk in them to make them look like the moon. Koreans also celebrate a Mid-Autumn Festival. During the festival, they may play sports and have picnics, or just rest and enjoy the fruits of the recent harvest.

The Mid-Autumn Festival is celebrated in many East Asian communities. In China, it’s a reunion time for families, just like Thanksgiving, while in Vietnam, it’s more like a children’s day.

The Mid-Autumn Festival is also called the Moon Festival or the Mooncake Festival. It traditionally falls on the 15th day of the eighth month in the Chinese lunar calendar, which is in September or early October in the Gregorian calendar.

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Teacher’s Day

Do you have a special day to honour your teacher? In China, people honour all teachers with a national holiday called Teacher’s Day.

On this day, people throughout China also celebrate the birthday of one of the greatest thinkers and teachers in Chinese history – Confucius.

Some children may give their teachers cards or gifts on September 28, which is Teacher’s Day and Confucius’s Birthday. Also, some people in China hold a ceremony at dawn in Confucian temples. It includes music and special dances. People also put food offerings before the altar. This ceremony has been a Chinese tradition for more than 1,000 years.

Teachers’ Day in India is celebrated on 5th September to commemorate the birth anniversary of Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan. He was a renowned scholar, recipient of Bharat Ratna, first Vice- President and second President of independent India. He was born on 5 September, 1888. As an educationist, he was an advocate of edification and was a distinguished envoy, academician, and above all a great teacher.

As the common adage goes, the future of a country lies in the hands of its children, and teachers, as mentors, can mold students into future leaders who shape the destiny of India. They play an important role in our lives to become successful in career and business. They help us to become a good human being, a better member of society, and an ideal citizen of the country. Teacher’s Day is celebrated to acknowledge the challenges, hardships, and the special role that teachers play in our lives.

Teachers Day is one such event for which students and teachers equally look forward to. Teachers Day is important for the students as it gives them a chance to understand the efforts put in by their teachers to ensure that they get a proper education. Similarly, teachers also look forward to the Teachers’ Day celebration as their efforts get recognised and honoured by students and other agencies as well.

Teachers should be respected and honoured. In India, on the eve of Teachers’ Day, i.e. on 5 September, the National Teachers Awards are given to the meritorious teachers by the President of India. The awards are conferred as public gratitude to praiseworthy teachers working in primary schools, middle schools, and secondary schools.

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Mexican Independence Day

Grimly, Father Hidalgo, the priest of the little Mexican community of Dolores, tugged at the rope that rang the church bell. He was calling the people to church earlier than usual on this Sunday morning.

It was September 15, 1810, and Father Hidalgo was going to give a very different kind of sermon. He was going to call on the Mexican people to rise up and free themselves from Spain.

The speech Father Hidalgo gave that morning became known as Grito de Dolores, or “Cry of Dolores”. It was the beginning of years of war. Father Hidalgo, who is often called the Father of Mexican Independence, didn’t live to see an independent Mexico. He was killed in 1811, but Mexico won its independence in 1821.

September 16, the day after Father Hidalgo gave the Cry of Dolores, is celebrated along with September 15 as Mexico’s Independence Days. During the first evening of the Independence Days, the president of Mexico repeats the Cry of Dolores. Then he rings the same church bell that Father Hidalgo rang. Bells throughout Mexico ring out in honour of a free Mexico.

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Rosh Ha-Shanah and Yom Kippur

It is sunset. The rabbi blows the shofar – a trumpet made from a ram’s horn. The notes of the shofar ringing out through the synagogue tell the people that Rosh Ha-Shanah has begun.

Rosh Ha-Shanah means “beginning of the year”. It is the Jewish New Year celebration, an important religious holiday.

During the next 10 days, Jews pray and express their sorrow for any wrongs they have done during the year. Rosh Ha-Shanah falls on the first day of the Hebrew month of Tishri and lasts 1 or 2 days. It can come anywhere between September 5 and October 5. The tenth day following Rosh Ha-Shanah is called Yom Kippur, which means “Day of Atonement”. Atonement means making up for anything bad you may have done.

Yom Kippur is the most important and holiest day of the Jewish year. Like all Jewish holy days, it begins at sunset. Most people go to a service at a synagogue in the evening and again the following day.

During Yom Kippur, many Jews do not eat or drink anything. At sunset, a blast on the shofar signals the end of Yom Kippur.

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Brazilian Independence Day

Pedro’s face grew grim as he read messages that had just come from Portugal, which ruled Brazil. Pedro was the son of Portugal’s king and the leader of Brazil’s people. The messages told him that Portugal refused to listen to Brazil’s pleas to change some harsh new laws.

Pedro threw down the messages and shouted, “Independence or death!” And the fight for independence began that day – September 7, 1822. Less than two years later, Brazil was a free country. Brasilia, the capital of Brazil, has a big parade on September 7, when all Brazilians celebrate Independence Day.

On this day several activities held and on vast scale celebrations took place in the capital of Brazil that is Brazilia which include military parades, musical concerts and fireworks in the evening. People do outings, picnics and several outdoor events are performed by them. Let us tell you that Parades generally occur in the morning and fireworks in the evening. Thousands of Brazilians gather in the road on this day and celebrate together.

Feast of the Hungry Ghosts

Have you ever heard of ghost money or hungry ghosts? These things are part of the Feast of the Hungry Ghosts, a holiday celebrated by Chinese people in Singapore and other countries.

In China and many ethnic Chinese communities in Asia from Cambodia to India to Japan, Malaysia, Singapore and Vietnam all share the belief that real ghosts and spirits, hungry ones at that (!),  roam the streets during the entire seventh lunar month each year, which is designated as Ghost Month. No benign little trick-or-treaters, these roaming spirits are on the lookout for victims to claim so they can be reborn! This is the scariest and most dangerous month of the Chinese lunar year. On a special day, people offer gifts to the spirits of their ancestors.

The gifts are mostly food, clothes, and play money called “ghost money”. It is believed that if these things are burned, the spirits will get them. They will then have food to eat, clothes to wear, and money to spend.

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Homowo

Do you know any twins? Tell them there is a special day for them in Ghana. Ghana lies in western Africa on the Atlantic Ocean. During the maize harvest in August or early September, people known as the Ga enjoy a harvest festival that includes a celebration of twins. On this day, twins who dress up in white clothes get special treats.

The festival also includes dancing, singing, and parades. People wear their best clothes. All this fun continues for a week until Homowo Day. Then everyone opens up their home to friends and family and shares a wonderful harvest feast. There is fish from the sea and such traditional foods as special maize dough and yams. Like many holidays, Homowo is a time for enjoying the fruits of the harvest.

Homowo means “hooting at hunger”. The day celebrates the first good harvest that the Ga people had after a time when many people went hungry long, long ago. It also marks the beginning of the New Year for the Ga.

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The Month of September

September is the ninth month of the year. The Roman name September comes from septem, the Latin word for “seven”.

After the Romans switched September from the seventh to the ninth month, several Roman leaders tried to rename September. But they had no success.

Summer ends and autumn begins on September 22 or 23 in the northern half of the world. September is the time when many crops in the north are harvested. In the southern half of the world, winter is ending, and spring is just beginning.

The month of September was named during a time when the calendar year began with March, which is why the name does not correspond with the placement in the Julian and Gregorian calendars.

September is a time when many students return to school after the summer holiday in the Northern Hemisphere. September starts on the same day of the week as December every year. It does not end on the same day of the week as any other month in the year.

Homage to Cuauhtémoc

Dancers in feathered headdresses trimmed with beads and mirrors whirl and shake. The dancers move faster and faster until they suddenly stop. There is then a moment of silence.

The dance is part of a celebration held every year on August 21 in Mexico City to honour Cuauhtémoc, the last Aztec Indian ruler of Mexico. The Aztecs were an American Indian people who were fierce warriors and ruled a mighty empire in Mexico during the 1400’s and early 1500’s. The Spaniards conquered the empire in 1521 and destroyed it.

Many people in Mexico today are related to the Aztecs. These people and other Mexicans honour Cuauhtémoc with a festival because of his bravery in defending the Aztecs. The festival includes readings of the story of his life and his fight against the Spanish and wonderful dances by large groups. Cuauhtémoc lived from about 1495 to 1525.

Star Festival

Once upon a time, two stars – Vega and Altair – fell in love. After Vega and Altair married, they neglected their duties. This made Vega’s father – the king of the heavens – angry. He sent Altair to live far away in a place known as the Heavenly River. He said the two could see each other only once a year on the seventh day of the seventh moon.

When this day came, poor Vega could not cross the Heavenly River. A flock of magpies took pity on her. They spread their wings to make a bridge, and Vega ran across the bridge to reach Altair.

According to this tale, Vega and Altair continue to meet this way. But if it rains on this day, the magpies cannot make a bridge. Then Vega and Altair must wait another year.

The Japanese people love this story. They call the seventh day of the seventh moon the Star Festival.

People in the city of Sendai, Japan, celebrate this festival from August 6 to 8. They decorate streets and bamboo branches with colourful paper blossoms and figures. These figures are offerings to Vega and Altair and are meant to bring good luck.

Indonesian Independence Day

Independence Day is a national holiday in Indonesia commemorating the anniversary of the Indonesia’s Proclamation of Independence on 17 August 1945. It was made a national holiday by then-President Sukarno in 1953.

Ceremonies and festive events are held throughout the country to celebrate this national day, including flag hoisting, local games and neighborhood competitions, patriotic and cultural parades. Discounts are offered by participating shopping centres or businesses.

On this day, all Indonesian national televisions broadcast the National Independence Day Ceremony live from the Merdeka Palace in Jakarta. Televisions also often air Indonesian patriotic songs, nationalistic-themed films, advertisements, and talkshows.

In the city of Jakarta, Indonesia, flags fly everywhere on Independence Day, even on betjaks. A betjak is a kind of taxi for one or two passengers. It looks like a bicycle with three wheels. The driver pedals from the rear.

As the drivers pedal through the busy streets, clanging their bells as they go, the red and white flag of Indonesia flaps in the breeze in celebration of the country’s independence.

Indonesia gained its independence from the Netherlands on August 17, 1945.

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The Month of August

August is the eighth month of the year. After Julius Caesar was killed, Augustus, his great-nephew, became emperor of Rome. The Romans named August in his honour.

In parts of the Northern Hemisphere, August is summertime. It is likely to be one of the hottest months there. In the Southern Hemisphere, the arrival of August means that winter will soon be over.

August is the eighth month of the year in the Julian and Gregorian calendar and is 31 days long. It is considered the busiest time for tourism because it falls in the main school summer holiday period. It is the seasonal equivalent of February in the opposite hemisphere.

August does not start on the same day of the week as any other month in the year in common years, but ends on the same day of the week as November every year. During leap years, August starts on the same day as February and still ends on same day as November.

Simon Bolivar’s Birthday

Simon Bolivar Day is a national holiday in Venezuela and is always celebrated on July 24th. It commemorates the birthday of Simon Bolivar, a Venezuelan who played a key role in Venezuela, Ecuador, Bolivia, Peru and Colombia becoming independent from Spain.

Simon Bolivar is one of the greatest heroes of South America. He was born in Venezuela in 1783 and became a general for a South American army. Bolivar fought for the freedom of the Spanish colonies in South America.

In 1819, Bolivar became the first president of a union of South American countries. Finally, in 1824, Bolivar crushed the Spanish army. He had won independence for what are now Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Panama, Peru, and Venezuela.

Those six countries honour Simon Bolivar on his birthday, July 24.

The country of Bolivia was named after Bolivar, and a silver coin used today in Venezuela is called the Bolivar.

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Bastille Day

In Paris, France, on July 14, 1789, a ragged mob of people swept through the streets shouting for justice. The people were on their way to the Bastille, a dreadful prison.

The Bastille stood for all that was evil in France. At that time, the king and the rich lived in luxury. The poor were often starving and treated badly. Anyone who complained was thrown into a prison such as the Bastille.

But on that day in July, the people rose up in anger. They stormed the Bastille, freed the prisoners, and began to tear down the prison. This event was part of the French Revolution. The revolution led to greater freedom and a better government for the French people.

Today, French people everywhere celebrate July 14 in memory of that important day in 1789. It is Bastille Day, a national holiday in France.

The celebration of Bastille Day includes parades, games, speeches, and fireworks. In the evening, people dance in the street until dawn, just as they did on the first Bastille Day.

Bon Festival

The smell of incense fills the air. Paper lanterns light up homes and cemeteries. It’s the Japanese festival of Bon, the time of year when Buddhists believe the spirits of their ancestors come to visit them. The festival takes place from July 13 to 15.

Obon (Japanese) or just Bon is a Japanese Buddhist custom to honor the spirits of one’s ancestors. It has been celebrated in Japan for more than 500 years and traditionally includes a dance, known as Bon Odori. This custom has evolved into a family reunion holiday during which people return to ancestral family places and visit and clean their ancestors’ graves, and when the spirits of ancestors are supposed to revisit the household altars.

The festival of Obon lasts for three days; however, its starting date varies within different regions of Japan. In modern Japan, it is held on July 15 in the eastern part (Kant?), on August 15 in the western part (Kansai), and in Okinawa and the Amami Islands it is celebrated like China’s Ghost Festival on the 15th day of the 7th lunar month.

During the festival, Buddhists light paper lanterns at their homes to guide the spirits. They also leave food in their homes and cemeteries to welcome the spirits. Families go to the cemetery to clean family graves. They may also entertain guests at home or exchange gifts.

On the last evening, families float the lanterns down rivers or on the sea. They believe the lanterns carry the spirits back to the spirit world.

Independence Day

During the American Revolution, the legal separation of the thirteen colonies from Great Britain in 1776 actually occurred on July 2, when the Second Continental Congress voted to approve a resolution of independence that had been proposed in June by Richard Henry Lee of Virgina declaring the United States independent from Great Britain’s rule. After voting for independence, Congress turned its attention to the Declaration of Independence, a statement explaining this decision, which had been prepared by a Committee of Five, with Thomas Thomas Jefferson as its principal author. Congress debated and revised the wording of the Declaration, finally approving it two days later on July 4.

Independence Day is commonly associated with fireworks, parades, barbecues, carnivals, fairs, picnics, concerts, baseball games, family reunions, political speeches, and ceremonies, in addition to various other public and private events celebrating the history, government, and traditions of the United States. Independence Day is the national day of the United States.

The second day of July 1776 will be the most memorable epoch in the history of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival. It ought to be commemorated as the day of deliverance, by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations, from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward forever more.

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Canada Day

Canada has a birthday on July 1. It’s Canada Day. People across Canada celebrate this national holiday with parades, fireworks, and other festivities.

Canada was once part of Great Britain. In time, it formed its own government. This new nation remained loyal to Britain.

On July 1, 1867, the British government approved the plan to make Canada an independent country. It was called the Dominion of Canada. The new country had only 4 provinces. Now Canada has 10 provinces and 3 territories. Canada no longer calls itself a dominion, so July 1 is now Canada Day instead of its former name, Dominion Day.

The British North America Act came into effect on 1 July 1867, creating the country of Canada with its initial four provinces of Ontario, Québec, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. In June 1868, Governor General Charles Stanley Monck called for a celebration of the anniversary of Confederation on 1 July 1868. While several communities did organize celebrations on this day, the legal status of Dominion Day as a public holiday was uncertain. In May 1869, a bill to make Dominion Day a public holiday was debated in the House of Commons, but it was withdrawn after several members of Parliament voiced objections. A more successful effort, sponsored by Senator Robert Carrall of British Columbia, passed through Parliament in 1879, making Dominion Day a public holiday.

In the decades following the Second World War, several private members’ and government-sponsored bills were proposed to change the name of Dominion Day, but none succeeded. In July 1982, a private member’s bill to change the name to Canada Day was proposed by Vaudreuil MP Hal Herbert. The bill quickly passed through the House of Commons, and was ratified by the Senate in the fall.

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Highland Games

Bagpipes sound and drums thunder. Men and women in tartan kilts perform traditional Scottish dances. All around are contests of athletics and strength. It’s the Highland Games, traditional Scottish contests of athletics, dancing, and music.

Highland games have been a part of Scotland’s culture for hundreds of years and are just as popular today as they’ve ever been. And it’s no wonder when you experience the sense of community, heritage and celebration at each of Scotland’s Highland games.

Every Highland games event has a unique character and traditions, and many are held in simply stunning locations. Make new friends with the locals and other visitors as you enjoy our Scottish hospitality and watch a gripping sporting spectacle of champions, with dancing, music, and more.

Highland games are events held in spring and summer in Scotland and other countries with a large Scottish Diaspora, as a way of celebrating Scottish and Celtic culture, especially that of the Scottish Highlands Games. Certain aspects of the games are so well known as to have become emblematic of Scotland, such as the bagpipes, the kilt, and the heavy events, especially the caber toss. While centered on competitions in piping and drumming, dancing, and Scottish heavy athletics, the games also include entertainment and exhibits related to other aspects of Scottish and Gaelic cultures.

There are races, jumping contests, and more. One of the unusual events at the games is the caber-throwing contest. A caber looks a bit like a short telegraph pole. This game is a test of strength.

Highland games were first held in the rugged Highlands of northern Scotland. Today, they are held at different times in Scotland, Canada, New Zealand, and the U.S.A.

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Flag Day

On Flag Day in Sweden, June 6, the Swedes remember the day in 1523 when Gustavus I became king and Sweden became an independent country. Before then, Sweden was part of a group of countries ruled by the king and queen of Denmark. Sweden was part of this group for many years. But some people were not happy under Danish rulers. Gustavus was one of them. He joined the fight for independence from Denmark when he was only 18 years old. Sweden won its independence, and the happy Swedes elected Gustavus as their king.

Today, Swedes celebrate the day with parades. Many people fly the country’s flag outside their home. The king and queen of Sweden also give flags to schools, sports clubs, and other groups in a special ceremony.

There are other flag days in June. The U.S.A. celebrates Flag Day on June 14. Finland’s Flag Day is the Saturday closest to June 24.

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Father’s Day

People all over the world find different ways to show fathers their love and respect. Father’s Day is a special day set aside to honour fathers.

Father’s Day is a celebration that honors the role of fathers and forefathers. It is a modern holiday, though the ancient Romans did have a tradition of honouring fathers, every February, but only those who had deceased.

Around the world, Father’s Day is celebrated on different dates, though the day is celebrated in a similar manner, usually involving giving gifts to fathers and family activities.

In some countries, children make gifts for their fathers for Father’s Day. Many people send cards that express their love. People also like to take their fathers to shows or sports events they enjoy on that day. Sometimes on Father’s Day, children help out their fathers in special ways, such as by doing extra chores.

Children in Serbia, a country in Eastern Europe, tease their dads on Father’s Day. They tie him in bed and tease him until they get coins and treats.

Grandfathers are honoured on Father’s Day, too. Many people make a point to visit their grandfathers on this day.

Father’s Day is celebrated in June in the U.S.A., Canada, and the United Kingdom. People in Australia honour their fathers during September. In Serbia, people celebrate Father’s Day on the Sunday before Christmas.

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Shavuot – Day of the Commandments

Shavuot is one of the great Jewish festivals. Jewish people celebrate it as the day that God gave the Ten Commandments to Moses, the Jewish leader, on Mount Sinai.

Shavuot is the Hebrew word for “weeks”. This festival is also called Feast of Weeks because it comes seven weeks after the first day of Passover.

Long ago, Shavuot was also a harvest festival. It was the time when Jews made a journey to Jerusalem to make offerings at the Temple in thanks for their crops. After the Romans destroyed the Temple, Shavuot became a time to celebrate the gift of the Ten Commandments.

Today, the festival of Shavuot is the time when some Jews celebrate the confirmation of children. Jewish boys are confirmed when they reach the age of 13. Girls are confirmed at the age of 12. The ceremony of confirmation is called bar mitzvah for boys and bat mitzvah for girls. The name means son (or daughter) of the commandment.

The holiday of Shavuot is a two-day holiday, beginning at sundown of the 5th of Sivan and lasting until nightfall of the 7th of Sivan (May 28–30, 2020). In Israel it is a one-day holiday, ending at nightfall of the 6th of Sivan.

The word Shavuot (or Shavuos) means “weeks.” It celebrates the completion of the seven-week Omer counting period between Passover and Shavuot.

The Torah was given by G?d to the Jewish people on Mount Sinai on Shavuot more than 3,300 years ago. Every year on the holiday of Shavuot we renew our acceptance of G?d’s gift, and G?d “re-gives” the Torah.

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Dragon Boat Festival

Gongs, drums, and horns urge rowers in racing boats to go faster. The rowers in each boat follow the rhythm of their drummer. As the drums beat faster, the boats skim over the water like racing dragons in honour of a poet who died long ago.

The poet was Qu Yuan. More than 2,000 years ago, Qu Yuan fell into a river. When people saw what had happened, they put their boats into the water and raced to rescue him. But his body was never found. Ever since Qu Yuan disappeared, the Chinese have remembered the race to find him with the Dragon Boat Festival.

The big event of the festival is a colourful boat race. Each boat is painted like a dragon.

Chinese people throughout Asia and in other parts of the world enjoy the Dragon Boat Festival every summer. This celebration comes in the month of the fifth moon on the Chinese calendar – between May 28 and June 28.

Today’s celebrations symbolize the vain attempts of the friends and citizens who raced down the river to save the respected Chu Yuan. There are half a dozen sites in Hong Kong today that participate in the dragon boat races.

A dragon boat is a huge war canoe traditionally made from teak that has a dragon’s head carved into the bow and a dragon’s tail carved at the stern. The boats can range up to 100 feet in length and seat anywhere from 20 to 80 paddlers, varying in size. A sacred ritual is held before the race when the eyes are painted on, which is said to “bring the boat to life.” A drummer who sits mid-boat and keeps the time of the oar strokes on a huge drum accompanies all boats.

The dragon boat races are daylong events. All kinds of organizations from around the globe such as police, fireman, army, embassies, and even local journalists unions, travel to Hong Kong and enter teams for the races.

A gunshot sets the boats off and the beating drums and cymbals from the crowded shores fill the harbors with noise. The races last all day; on the shores of Hong Kong people celebrate with lively song and dance, rooting on their team.

It is believed that the Dragon Boat Festivals repel evil and bring luck in the summer months.

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The Month of June

June is the sixth month of the year. Some people say that June was named after Juno, the Roman goddess of marriage. Others think that the name came from the Latin word juniores, meaning “young men”. These people say that the Romans held June sacred to young men, just as they held May sacred to the majores, or “older men”.

In the northern half of the world, summer begins on June 20, 21, or 22. In the southern part of the world, this is when winter starts.

Each month is filled with a few important days or events and those days have their own place in the history of the world. Some of the events are celebrated in India whereas others are celebrated around the world with particular themes.  Many celebrations take place in June, especially marriages. So before you enter the sixth month of the year, there are a few interesting things you should know.

June consists of 30 days in total and doesn’t start on the same day of the week — as any other month — but it always ends on the same day of the week as March every year.

Apart from ‘Father’s Day’ and ‘World Environment Day’ there are various national and international events that are celebrated in the month of June. Even the longest day of the year falls in the month of June.

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Mother’s Day

How do you show your mother that you love her? Do you like to share stories with her? Do you do favors’ for her? Do you like to draw pictures for her?

All over the world, people honour mothers and grandmothers in many ways. But in the U.S.A., Canada, and Australia, a special day is set aside just to honour mothers. It is Mother’s Day, and it falls on the second Sunday in May.

On this special day, some children make cards and gifts for their mothers and grandmothers. Other countries of the world also have special days for mothers. For example, people of Malawi celebrate Mother’s Day on October 17. In Spain, mothers are honoured on December 8.

Celebrations of mothers and motherhood can be traced back to the ancient Greeks and Romans, who held festivals in honor of the mother goddesses Rhea and Cybele, but the clearest modern precedent for Mother’s Day is the early Christian festival known as “Mothering Sunday.”

Once a major tradition in the United Kingdom and parts of Europe, this celebration fell on the fourth Sunday in Lent and was originally seen as a time when the faithful would return to their “mother church”—the main church in the vicinity of their home—for a special service.

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The Festival of Sacrifice

Coloured lights line the village streets. Children play all day in their best clothes, and friends exchange gifts. It’s the Festival of Sacrifice. Muslims in Egypt and other countries are celebrating.

The Festival of Sacrifice takes place at different times. But it always happens at the end of the hajj, or annual journey to Mecca. Once in their lifetime, all Muslims are required to make this journey, called a pilgrimage, if they are able.

Mecca is the holiest city of Islam, the religion of the Muslims. It lies in western Saudi Arabia. The city is the birthplace of Muhammad, the prophet of Islam.

During the festival, animals are also sacrificed in memory of Abraham, a prophet in the Bible.

The rites of Hajj are performed over five or six days, beginning on the eighth day of this month. Hajj is one of the pillars of Islam and re-enacts events carried out by Prophet Abraham, his wife Hagar and their son Ishmael, and includes a mandatory visit to Arafat, where Prophet Mohammed is said to have delivered his last sermon.

Legend has it that God ordered Prophet Abraham to sacrifice his son. Respecting God’s command, but unable to see himself doing as bidden, Abraham blindfolds himself and does the act; or so he thinks. For when he opens his eyes, he finds his son unharmed and a lamb sacrificed instead. Eid al-Adha is celebrated to commemorate this test of faith. God does not want the flesh of the animal but obedience that is to be displayed by following His tenets.

As we enter this wonderful phase of the year where we prepare to celebrate the sacred rituals of our particular faiths, we must never forget the stories behind them and should endeavour to abide by all that is good in our faiths. As has been said, every ritual if ‘performed with imagination and care, enables people to enter a different, timeless dimension’ — most required in these anxious times.

Victoria Day

On the Monday before May 25, Canadians celebrate the birthdays of two British queens born more than 100 years apart. The first queen was Queen Victoria. She was born on May 24, 1819. British people celebrated her birthday every year. After Queen Victoria’s death, Canadians continued to celebrate her birthday to express their loyalty to the British Empire. The holiday is named in her honour.

The second queen is the current queen of the United Kingdom, Elizabeth II. She was born on April 21, 1926, but Canadians celebrate her birthday on Victoria Day.

Canada celebrates Victoria Day with picnics, parades, outdoor concerts, and fireworks. Many families use the long weekend to go camping, host backyard barbecues, or otherwise get outside. It’s also a popular weekend for sporting events, such as car racing in Clarington, Ontario; the Scotiabank Blue Nose Marathon in Halifax, Nova Scotia; and logger sports with ax throwing, log rolling, and tree climbing in Kaslo, British Columbia.

At Upper Canada Village in Morrisburg, Ontario, you can get back to the holiday’s source during a 1860s-style birthday celebration for Queen Victoria, complete with mock military maneuvers, historical speeches, and a sing along of “God Save the Queen.” The authentic 19th century village also stages athletic games from the 1800s and serves birthday cake in the queen’s honor.

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May Day/Labour Day

With flowers in their hair, children dance around a tall pole. They hold colourful ribbons that stream from the top of the pole. As they dance, they weave the ribbons in and out, covering the pole with bright colours. It’s May Day in England, and the Maypole dance celebrates springtime.

May Day was brought to England by the ancient Romans. In Rome, there was a day in a spring when men paraded through the city, carrying pine tree. There was also a festival to honour Flora, the Roman goddess of springtime.

On May Day in England, a pole was set up on a village green and decorated with flowers and ribbons. Villages then danced around the Maypole.

The first of May is also Labour Day in some countries. This holiday celebrates working people. Many countries have parades and picnics.

On 1 May 1886, the labour unions in the United States decided to go on a strike demanding that workers should not be made to work for more than 8 hours a day. Just three days after the strike began, a blast occurred in Chicago’s Haymarket Square leaving many dead. To honour those workers who died in the blast, the International Socialist Conference declared May 1 as a day designated for labourers.

In India, Labour Day is also celebrated as ‘Antarrashtriya Shramik Diwas’, ‘Uzhaipalar Dinam’ (Tamil) or ‘Kamgar Din’ and its first formal celebration was initiated by the ‘Labour Kisan Party of Hindustan’ in Chennai on May 01 1923. 

Boys’ Day/ Children’s Day

Does your family hang flags or wind socks outside your home as a decoration? On May 5, many Japanese parents fly carp-shaped kites in honour of their boys. The carp is a fish. It is a symbol of strength, courage, and determination.

May 5 is Kodomo no hi, or Boys’ Day, Tango no Sekku, in Japan. There are many traditions on this day. Some families display warrior dolls to remind their sons of stories about heroes.

Kodomo no hi is particularly well known for the unique traditions and decorations that are associated with the celebration of the holiday.

In 1948, the Japanese government made this day a double holiday. It started a new national holiday called Children’s Day to honour both boys and girls. Other countries also celebrate Children’s Day. Some of these countries are Argentina, Iceland, Thailand, and Turkey.

Also on this day, families often take baths sprinkled with iris leaves and roots. This is because the iris is thought to promote good health and ward off evil. Rice cakes wrapped in oak leaves and filled with sweet bean paste, called kashiwamochi, are also eaten.

The Month of May

May is the fifth month of the year. There are several stories about how this month was named. According to one story, May was named after Maia, the Roman goddess of spring and growth.

In older versions of the ancient Roman calendar, May was the third month of the year. It became the fifth month when January and February were added to the calendar.

There are 31 days in May and it does not start or end on the same day of the week as any other month.

In parts of the Northern Hemisphere, May is one of the most beautiful months of the year. The days are warmer and the flowers are in bloom. In the Southern Hemisphere, the days are getting colder.

The Full Moon of May is known as the Flower Moon, named after the blooming flowers in the Northern Hemisphere, where these traditional Full Moon Names originated.

In ancient times, it was common to track the changing seasons by following the lunar month rather than the solar year, which the 12 months in our modern calendar are based on.

Passover

Long ago, the Jewish people were slaves in Egypt. To help the Jews, God told a Jewish man named Moses that he was to lead his people to freedom. God then told Moses what must be done.

Each family was to mark its doorway with the blood of a lamb. The people were to stay in their houses. They were to gather their belongings together and be ready to leave Egypt.

During the night, the Angel of Death visited every Egyptian home. And in each home, the first-born child died. But the Jews were safe. The Angel of Death saw the blood on their doorways and went by, or passed over, their houses. This is how the Jewish feast called Passover got its name.

After this terrible night, the Egyptian king, or pharaoh, let the Jews go. Afraid that the pharaoh might change his mind, the Jews hurried out of Egypt. Leaving Egypt, they became free.

Today, Passover begins with the Seder, which is both a religious service and a feast. The family prays and eats traditional foods. One of these foods is matzah, unleavened bread. Traditionally, after the Seder service, everyone sings happy folk songs.

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Easter

Jesus Christ, the founder of Christianity, died on a cross on a Friday about 2,000 years ago. Christians believe that on the following Sunday, Christ arose from the dead and, in so doing, proved that He was the Son of God. The day Jesus died and was buried is known as Good Friday. The following Sunday is Easter.

Christians celebrate Easter by going to church. Some people attend special outdoor services at sunrise. The light of the rising sun reminds them of the light that comes back to the world with the newly risen Jesus.

Easter customs include wearing new clothes, which represent new life, and eating lamb, which represents Jesus, “the Lamb of God”. Eating and hunting coloured Easter eggs are also popular customs. Some children play a game with eggs. They roll the eggs down a hill. The egg that stays uncracked the longest wins.

Most Christians celebrate Easter on a Sunday between March 22 and April 25. Others celebrate it between April 3 and May 8. Whenever Easter comes, it’s the oldest, the most important, and the most joyful of all Christian holy days.

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Buddha’s Birthday

Buddha is the title people have given to the founder of Buddhism, one of the world’s largest religions. The title Buddha means “Wise One” or “Enlightened One”.

In Japan, Buddhists celebrate his birthday on April 8. On that day in Buddhist temples, children line up to approach a tiny, open shrine covered with flowers. Inside the shrine is a statue of the baby Buddha. One by one, each child takes a small ladle and pours a little sweet tea over the statue. This is the way the children show their love for Buddha.

This day is also known as the Flower Festival, because it is the time of year when cherry trees begin to blossom.

Buddhists in many other parts of Asia also celebrate Buddha’s birthday. In India, people fast (by going without food) during the day and pray at home and in temples. In Korea, many people display paper lanterns in the evening. People in Thailand celebrate Buddha’s birthday in June.

There’s a bug on your shirt!

Did you look to see? If you did – April fool! The joke is on you.

Although the day, also called All Fools’ Day, has been celebrated for several centuries by different cultures, its exact origins remain a mystery.

Some historians speculate that April Fools’ Day dates back to 1582, when France switched from the Julian calendar to the Gregorian calendar, as called for by the Council of Trent in 1563. People who were slow to get the news or failed to recognize that the start of the New Year had moved to January 1 and continued to celebrate it during the last week of March through April 1 became the butt of jokes and hoaxes.

Many people play tricks and jokes on others on April 1. It’s April Fools’ Day. And on this day, people gleefully shout “April fool!” at those they have tricked.

In Scotland, a person who is fooled by being sent on some foolish errand is said to be “hunting the gowk”. Gowk means “fool”.

And in France, a person who is fooled on April Fools’ Day is called a Poisson d’Avril, which means “April fish”. Why a fish? Perhaps it is because in April fish are young and easily caught. In France, as a special treat, you can buy chocolate fish on April Fools’ Day.

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The Month of April

April is the fourth month of the year. The Romans called this month Aprilis. The name comes from a Latin word that means “to open”.

April was originally the second month of the year in early versions of the Roman calendar and consisted of 30 days. It became the fourth month consisting of only 29 days when January was designated the first month of the year around 450 BCE. The month became 30 days long again when Julius Caesar reformed the calendar.

April is the fourth month of the year in the Gregorian calendar and consists of 30 days. It is commonly associated with the season of spring in the Northern Hemisphere and fall (autumn) in the Southern hemisphere.

April starts on the same day of the week as July and ends on the same day of the week as December in common years. During leap years, April starts on the same day of the week as January.

In the northern part of the world, April usually brings more changes than any other month. The last ice and snow disappear. The grass turns green. The buds of trees, shrubs, and flowers begin to open. Birds are singing and building nests. In the southern part of the world, people enjoy mild autumn days.

April’s birth flower is the daisy and sweet pea.

The birthstone for April is the diamond which symbolizes innocence.

Greek Independence Day

On March 25, 1821, a group of Greek leaders met in a church. They took a vow -liberty or death! At the same time, another group issued a declaration of independence. Finally, in 1829, after eight long years of war, the Greeks won their freedom from Turkey and became an independent nation.

Today, people in Greece celebrate Independence Day on March 25. Many people fly the Greek flag on this day. In Athens, the capital of Greece, there is a big military parade to celebrate the day. Among the marchers are Greek soldiers called evzones. These soldiers wear a red cap with a black tassel, a coloured waistcoat over a white shirt, a white pleated skirt over white tights, and red shoes with a black pompon at the toe.

Greece had been part of the Ottoman Empire since 1453. The Greek revolt was precipitated on March 25, 1821, when Bishop Germanos of Patras raised the flag of revolution over the Monastery of Agia Lavra in the Peloponnese. The cry “Freedom or death” became the motto of the revolution. The Greeks experienced early successes on the battlefield, including the capture of Athens in June 1822, but infighting ensued. By 1827 Athens and most of the Greek isles had been recaptured by the Turks.

Just as the revolution appeared to be on the verge of failure, Great Britain, France, and Russia intervened in the conflict. The Greek struggle had elicited strong sympathy in Europe, and many leading intellectuals had promoted the Greek cause, including the English poet Lord Byron. At the naval Battle of Navarino, the combined British, French, and Russian forces destroyed an Ottoman-Egyptian fleet. The revolution ended in 1829 when the Treaty of Edirne established an independent Greek state.

Birthday of Benito Juarez

Benito Juarez was one of the greatest leaders in the history of Mexico. His concern for the poor was well known. His birthday, March 21, is celebrated as a national holiday.

Born on March 21st 1806, Benito Juárez is today remembered as a reformer dedicated to democracy, reducing the influence of the Catholic Church in Mexican politics, campaigning for equal rights for indigenous peoples and promoting the defence of national sovereignty.

Juárez had a very humble start to life. He was an indigenous Zapotec who became an orphan when he was only four years old, he worked as a shepherd, speaking Zapotec and unable to read or write. He moved to Oaxaca City when he was 13, where he learned to speak, read and write Spanish, studied law and got married.

He entered politics in 1834, serving as a city councilman in Oaxaca. Over the next two decades, he rose through the political system, until he was elected President.

He became the 26th President of Mexico, holding office from January 15th 1858 until July 18th 1872.

Benito Juárez lived during one of the most important and tumultuous periods of Mexican history, considered by many historians as the consolidation of the nation as a republic. Juárez marked a watershed in the nation’s history, being a premier figure in this time.

Juarez was a Zapotec Indian who became a lawyer and politician. In 1861, he was elected president of Mexico.

The following year, the French invaded Mexico. When they captured Mexico City, Juarez fled for his life. Travelling about in his black carriage, he led his country’s fight for freedom from French control.

In 1866, the U.S.A. forced the French to leave Mexico. Juarez, still travelling in his black carriage, returned to his office in Mexico City.

St. Joseph’s Day

In Valencia, Spain, wild figures of colourful animals and people made of paper or wood decorate the streets and squares. There are fireworks, parades, and street dances. Then, around midnight, the city lights up with a fiery blaze as all these figures are burned. It’s March 19, St. Joseph’s Day in Spain!

Saint Joseph was the husband of Mary, the mother of Jesus. Roman Catholics honour Joseph as a saint. Most people in Spain are Roman Catholic, so the day is a big celebration in that country. Roman Catholics in other countries also celebrate St. Joseph’s Day.

St. Joseph’s day always falls in Lent, so meals on his day are always associated with meatless dishes. In Italy a tradition is to serve food that contains bread crumbs as these represent saw dust since St. Joseph was a carpenter.

Since Joseph is not mentioned in any accounts of Jesus’ public life, his crucifixion, or resurrection, it is thought that Joseph died before Jesus started preaching.

St. Joseph is the patron saint of the Catholic Church, unborn children, fathers, immigrants, workers, Vietnam and the Philippines.

Despite knowing so little about Joseph, he still has two feast days in the Western church. In his capacity as the patron saint of Workers, 1st May was established as the Feast of “St. Joseph the Worker” in 1955. This is seen as an attempt to counteract the social and non religious growth of Labour Day as a worldwide holiday.

Moomba

Moomba means “get together and have fun”. And that’s just what the people of Melbourne, Australia, do at the yearly Moomba Festival.

The Moomba Festival gets its name from the language of the Aborigines, the people who were the first to live in Australia. The festival runs for 11 days. And there is something for everyone.

Among the many events are water shows and boat races on the Yarra River, which flows through the city. At Melbourne Cricket Ground, children’s teams play all kinds of sports. There are games of cricket, which is a favourite sport in Australia, as well as soccer and rugby. Children’s plays are put on at an outdoor theatre.

The busy festival ends with a big parade on Australia’s Labour Day, the second Monday in March. Bagpipe bands play lively marches and there are colourful floats. The Moomba King and Queen lead the parade. Everywhere there are clowns and more clowns. Children may also dress up and take part in the parade.

Holi

Look out! That splash of red is coming straight towards you! It’s the festival of Holi in India. The streets are filled with people squirting coloured water or smearing brightly coloured powder on each other.

Holi is the spring festival that takes place in February and March. It combines singing, dancing, and traditional merrymaking with Hindu religious ceremonies. It also reminds Hindus of a story from their mythology.

In the story, a king was angry about his son worshiping Lord Vishnu, one of the two main gods of Hinduism. The boy’s evil aunt, Holi, tried to kill the boy by taking him into a huge fire. The boy escaped unhurt, but Holi was killed in the fire.

Today, Hindus light a large bonfire on Holi as a symbol of the burning of all evil things. The bonfire also marks the end of winter and the beginning of spring.

Hindus in many parts of the world celebrate Holi, including people in Bangladesh, Mauritius, Nepal, Pakistan, and Suriname. Wherever is celebrated, people forget about their differences and have fun together.

St. Patrick’s Day

In Dublin, Ireland, people wear shamrocks. In Chicago, U.S.A., the river is dyed green. It’s St. Patrick’s Day, a time to wear a bit of green and enjoy Irish traditions.

The colour green is a reminder of the beautiful green countryside of Ireland. It is also the colour of the shamrock, the clover-like plant that is the national symbol of Ireland.

In Ireland, St. Patrick’s Day is a holy day. People attend religious services. Saint Patrick, Ireland’s patron saint brought Christianity to Ireland. In many U.S. and Canadian cities, people celebrate with parades and enjoy Irish music and foods. In New York City, more than a hundred bands and a hundred thousand marchers join in the St. Patrick’s Day parade along Fifth Avenue. The parade lasts for hours.

Religious symbols include snakes and serpents, as well as the Celtic cross. Some say that Saint Patrick added the Sun, a powerful Irish symbol, onto the Christian cross to create what is now called a Celtic cross. Other Irish-related symbols seen on St Patrick’s Day include the harp, which was used in Ireland for centuries, as well as a mythological creature known as the leprechaun and a pot of gold that the leprechaun keeps hidden.

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Doll Festivals

Does your family have special dolls that decorate the shelves or mantel? In Japan, people display special sets of dolls every year on March 3 and May 5. These are doll festival days. The one on March 3 is the Girls’ Festival, and the one on May 5 is the Boys’ Festival.

During these celebrations, families display dolls that have been handed down for generations. Through the dolls, the children learn about their country’s culture, history, and outstanding men and women.

This festival had its origin about 1,000 years ago in the Heian Period (794-1192). It is a traditional custom to display ceremonial dolls on tiers of shelves covered with scarlet carpet. These dolls are dressed in the fashion of the people of the ancient court. The Emperor and Empress are placed on the upper-most tier, followed by the ladies in waiting and ministers.

Starting weeks before the festival, families display the dolls on a tiered stand called a hinadan that is covered with red cloth.

The stand may have 5 or 7 tiers, with the the top tier reserved for the Emperor and Empress, followed by guardians, musicians, and servants.

The display also includes small meal dishes, small furniture pieces like chests and stands, and fresh peach blossoms.

There is a superstition about hina dolls. If a girl does not put away the dolls quickly after the Hina Festival, then she will not get married for a long time.

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The Month of March

March is the third month of the year. On the Roman calendar, the year began with March. Romans named the month after Mars, their god of war, because they prepared to go off to war in springtime.

March has not always been the third month in a year. In early versions of the ancient Roman calendar, the year began with March or Martius. Because the month coincides with the time of the March equinox and the beginning of spring in the Northern Hemisphere, where the calendar originated, March was considered to be a month of new beginnings.

The months of January and February did not feature in earlier versions of the Roman calendar. They were added to the end of the year around 700 BCE and became the first months of the year around 450 BCE, pushing March to its currently held third position.

In the northern half of the world, people often say that “March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb”. This means that the weather in early March is often stormy, but by the end, it is mild. In the southern part of the world, March is the beginning of autumn.

Lent

Crowds of people leave the church. A cross of black ashes marks each person’s forehead. It’s Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent.

Lent is a Christian religious season. It begins with Ash Wednesday, which falls sometime in February or March. Lent ends about 40 days later on Easter Sunday. The 40 days of Lent remind people of the 40 days Jesus fasted in the wilderness.

Today, many Christians fast by giving up such luxuries as sweets during Lent. They also think about the things they have done wrong in their lives.

In many countries, special foods are eaten during Lent. In Ireland, people have a Lenten dish called champ. It is made of hot mashed potatoes with green onions and served with a lump of butter in the middle.

Ash Wednesday is observed in Roman Catholic churches and in some Protestant churches. In Catholic churches, ashes from burned palm leaves are blessed and used to mark a cross on each person’s forehead. The ashes remind people that they came from dust and will one day return to dust.

Early Christians felt the importance of Easter called for special preparations. The first mention of a 40-day period of fasting in preparation for Easter is found in the Canons of Nicaea (AD 325). It is thought that the tradition may have grown from the early church practice of baptismal candidates undergoing a 40-day period of fasting in preparation for their baptism at Easter. Eventually, the season evolved into a period of spiritual devotion for the whole church. During the initial centuries, the Lenten fast was very strict but relaxed over time.

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Carnival

The world’s turned topsy-turvy! It’s snowing bits of paper. Clowns are dancing with witches. It’s the Mardi Gras (from the French “fat Tuesday”) carnival! And people in places as far apart as Venice in Italy and Rio de Janeiro in Brazil are dressing in costumes and masks and dancing and parading in the streets.

Mardi Gras marks the last day of festivities before Lent – 40 days of fasting and prayer for Christians. Lent starts in February or March.

People also celebrate the days before Lent in other ways. In Britain, people celebrate Pancake Day on the Tuesday before Lent by eating pancakes. The custom began long ago, when people could not eat meat, butter, eggs, and other rich foods during Lent. So, they made pancakes to use up their eggs and butter. In Olney, England, some women have a pancake race. They line up in the market square carrying a pancake in a frying pan. They must flip the pancake three times as they race to the other end of the square.

In Bulgaria, children celebrate Cheese Week before Lent. During the week, the children play a special game. With their hands behind their backs, they try to eat pieces of cheese, eggs, or sweets hanging by a string from the ceiling.

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Anniversary of the EDSA Revolution

Do you know what a revolution is? It’s a big change in government. Many countries have had revolutions. Some countries celebrate the anniversary of revolutions. In the Philippines, people celebrate the anniversary of the EDSA Revolution on February 25.

On this day in 1986, many Filipinos (Philippine citizens) and leaders of the Roman Catholic Church gathered to demand a change in government. They felt that the government had cheated the people for years. They wanted a new president.

Some soldiers also wanted a different president. They helped the Filipinos and the Catholic leaders block a main street in Manila called Epifanio de los Santos Avenue (EDSA). The people’s protest helped show President Ferdinand Marcos that the people did not want him. So he left the country. This protest became known as the EDSA Revolution.

Every year on the anniversary of the revolution, the leaders of the Roman Catholic Church walk together to the street where the revolution took place. There, they hold a religious ceremony called a Mass to pray for the people of the Philippines and to celebrate the day.

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Valentine’s Day

How do you tell your friends and family that you love them? Do you ever send them a valentine?

Many people around the world send valentines on February 14. That’s Valentine’s Day. On this day, children in the United States, United Kingdom, and Canada often exchange valentine cards with friends. In Italy, people hold a Valentine’s Day feast. Wherever Valentine’s Day is celebrated, the day gives people a chance to show their love or affection for others.

While Valentine’s Day is celebrated in most countries, different cultures have developed their own traditions for this festival. In some parts of the world Valentine’s Day is observed as a day for expressing love between family members and friends, rather than that of romantic couples. Some traditions include leaving lollies and gifts for children and others include acts of appreciation between friends.

Valentine’s Day is most commonly associated with romantic love, with millions of Valentine’s Day cards being exchanged each year. Gifts of flowers or a single red rose are sent with romantic messages to loved ones and couples spend special time together. 

Many couples choose to celebrate Valentine’s Day with dinner, a picnic or special home-cooked meal. Many restaurants offer Valentine’s Day dinner promotions and food is often presented with symbols of love like hearts and flowers. Another popular Valentine’s Day activity is to indulge in a luxury hotel stay in a beautiful location, allowing a couple to get away from it all and enjoy some quality time together. Marriage proposals are also popular on Valentine’s Day, and it is often chosen as the perfect day to express their love and commitment. Some marriage proposals are delivered very creatively, such as after climbing to the top of a mountain, or posting a message on a billboard. Whatever the method, marriage proposals made on Valentine’s Day are generally romantic and memorable.

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Waitangi Day

Hundreds of years ago, people called Maori sailed their long canoes to what is now New Zealand. The Maori came from islands in the Pacific.

In the 1700’s, Europeans came to New Zealand. They brought guns, which increased warfare among the Maori. They also brought diseases that killed thousands of Maori.

The British settlers and the Maori finally got together at a place named Waitangi to resolve their problems. On February 6, 1840, they signed the Treaty of Waitangi. This agreement made New Zealand a British colony. New Zealand now is an independent nation. It celebrates February 6 as Waitangi Day, its birthday and most important national holiday.

Every year on 6 February – Waitangi Day – people of all communities and backgrounds gather at Waitangi to commemorate the first signing of New Zealand’s founding document: Te Tiriti o Waitangi, The Treaty of Waitangi, on 6 February 1840. Waitangi Day is recognised as New Zealand’s national day and is the most important marker in the country’s history.

Ongoing recognition of the Treaty of Waitangi as the nation’s founding document will continue to keep this celebration alive, as the Treaty continues to live as part of New Zealand’s past, present and future.

On the 6 February the Treaty Grounds closes its buildings for the day and the grounds become the location for the Waitangi Day Festival.

The free festival at the Treaty Grounds starts at 5am with a Dawn Service in Te Whare R?nanga (Carved Meeting House). All-day entertainment creates a fun, festival atmosphere, with performance stages on the Upper Treaty Grounds, at the Waka Shelter and on the sports field opposite the Treaty Grounds.

More than 150 market stalls offer an amazing array of art and crafts, clothing and a wide variety of food options. Children’s activities include bouncy castles, kids racing cars and sports games.

Chinese New Year

Firecrackers pop and crackle! Cymbals crash! Drums roll! A giant dragon comes zigzagging down the street decorated with hundreds of sparkling sequins.

Chinese people are celebrating the start of the New Year. Friends and family get together for meals. Adults give children little red envelopes with lucky money. And a colourful parade marks the end of several days of festivities.

Chinese New Year, also known as Lunar New Year or Spring Festival, is China’s most important festival. It is also the most important celebration for families and a week of an official public holiday.

The Chinese New Year begins on the date of the first new moon between January 21 and February 19. This is because the ancient Chinese calendar is based on the moon. Chinese people around the world observe the holiday. Vietnamese and Koreans also celebrate the New Year at this time.

In many Chinese cities, from New Year’s Day, traditional performances can be seen: dragon dances, lion dances, and imperial performances like an emperor’s wedding. A great variety of traditional Chinese products are on offer, and rarely seen Chinese snacks. City parks and temple fairs are the places to go for this.

Every street, building, and house where Spring Festival is celebrated is decorated with red. Red is the main color for the festival, as red is believed to be an auspicious Color.

Red Chinese lanterns hang in streets; red couplets are pasted on doors; banks and official buildings are decorated with red New Year pictures depicting images of prosperity.

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Martin Luther King, Jr., Day

Martin Luther King, Jr., was a Baptist minister. He led people to work against the bad treatment that African Americans in the U.S.A. got in the mid-1900’s. Until then, African Americans in many states were not allowed to go to the same schools as white people or buy houses in white neighbourhoods. Black people had to use different drinking fountains and sit in different areas of restaurants and cinemas, too. Many were treated violently.

King wanted to change this unfair treatment. He preached that people must learn to live together and that people should not like or dislike others because of the colour of their skin. He preached that violence is bad.

People threw stones at King and put him in jail for his words and actions. In 1968, a hidden rifleman shot and killed King.

Today, many people around the world have followed King’s ideas. In the U.S.A., people honour King by celebrating Martin Luther King, Jr., Day on the third Monday in January.

The Month of February

February is the second month of the year and the shortest. Usually, this month has only 28 days. But every fourth year – called leap year – an extra day is added. This keeps the calendar in time with the seasons. If you were born on February 29, you have a real birthday only once every four years.

The Roman calendar was designed to reflect the length of the lunar months. A calendar year lasted 355 days, which is the approximate duration of 12 lunar months. A straightforward method of dividing this time span into 12 calendar months would have been to have some months with 29 days and some with 30 days. However, since even numbers were considered unlucky in ancient Rome, we ended up with a calendar that has seven months with 29 days and four months with 31 days instead. This left February, the last month of the year, with the remaining 28 days.

With its even number of days, the Romans considered February an unlucky month, and it was reserved for rituals honoring the dead.

The word February comes from the Latin word februare, which means “to purify” or “to make clean”.

February is usually cold and stormy in the northern half of the world and warm and sunny in the south.

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Republic Day in India

Rose petals fall from the sky. Huge elephants wearing clanging bells and shining beads lumber down the street along with big, armoured tanks. What a parade! It’s Republic Day, a national holiday in India.

Republic Day, January 26, marks the date in 1950 when India had its own constitution, or set of basic laws. People in India celebrate this as a big step in their independence from Great Britain.

On Republic Day, celebrations occur all over India. The biggest celebration takes place in New Delhi, the capital city. There, a great parade travels down the Raj Path, or Government Road.

Many parades begin with rose petals being dropped from helicopters. Then bands begin to play and Indian soldiers called jawans march in perfect order. The parading elephants carry musicians wearing brightly coloured turbans. As the parade ends, thousands of green, white, and orange-yellow balloons – the colours of India’s flag – float into the air. For the next two days, folk dancers entertain crowds throughout New Delhi.

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Australia Day

Clink-clank-clink. Barefoot prisoners in chains trudge along the road. All around them are guards with guns.

These people aren’t really prisoners and guards. They’re part of a celebration that is held every year in Sydney, Australia’s oldest and largest city. The marchers are showing people what life was like in Australia more than 200 years ago.

On January 26, 1788, a fleet of ships anchored in a harbour off the coast of Australia at what is now Sydney. These ships brought 730 prisoners from Britain. The prisoners, or convicts, were the first Europeans to settle in Australia. Since then, millions of Europeans have chosen Australia as their homeland. Wherever they’re from, they all take part in celebrating Australia Day every year on the Monday closest to January 26.

On this national holiday, Australians enjoy folk dances and happy music from the many nations of people who now live in Australia. Dancers and musicians perform in the oldest part of Sydney, called the Rocks. This hilly area is near the harbour where the first Europeans landed.

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Ramadan

Do people of your religion eat and drink less during certain times of the year? This custom is called fasting. Muslims, people who follow the Islamic religion, fast for a month every year.

Both the long fast and the month are called Ramadan. This is the ninth month of the Islamic year. Because the Islamic calendar is based on the moon, the dates of Ramadan change. During the early 2000’s, Ramadan occurs in autumn in the northern part of the world, but each year it moves a little earlier in the year.

During Ramadan, Muslims fast every day from dawn to sunset. They fast to have their sins forgiven. Those who cannot fast for some reason must either make up the days they miss or feed the hungry. Pregnant women, young children, the elderly, and people who are ill do not have to fast.

In the daytime, Muslims work less and spend more time praying and reading their holy book, called the Quran.

Muslims celebrate the end of Ramadan with a great festival called the Festival of the Breaking of the Fast. It is one of the two great Muslim festivals. The other is the Festival of Sacrifice.

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The Month of January

In most of the world, January is the first month of the year. It is named after the ancient Roman god Janus.

Janus was the god of beginnings and the god of gates and doorways. He is shown with two faces. One face looks to the future. The other face looks back at the past.

In the northern part of the world, January is cold and snowy. It is near the beginning of winter. People go skating and sledging. But in the southern part of the world, January is warm. It is near the beginning of summer – a time for swimming and picnics.

New Year’s Day is just the first of many special days and observances in January. There are plenty of other days that can provide you with ideas for learning and fun to share with your child or students. For example, it’s International Creativity Month, so together you can explore and enjoy indoor activities that celebrate everything from letter writing and puzzles to dragons and kazoos. January is a prime time to learn about important people in history, such as Benjamin Franklin, Amelia Earhart, and Martin Luther King Jr.

Some observances focus on achieving a healthier lifestyle. You may find related activities planned by community centers, schools, or health care organizations related to these specific topics. On other days, you can celebrate with comfort foods, such as chocolate and bagels. Have fun celebrating the Chinese New Year, which is a long holiday filled with daily cultural traditions including feasts of symbolic foods and exchanging monetary gifts in auspicious red envelopes.

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New Year’s Day

Shhhh! We’re counting the seconds to midnight. The New Year is almost here. As the clock begins to strike 12, noise fills the air in many parts of the world. Church bells ring out and people toot horns. Everyone shouts, “Happy New Year!”

Why is there so much noise? It’s one way people show how happy they are. It’s also an old custom. Long ago, people believed that loud noises scared away evil spirits.

Many people also celebrate New Year’s Day with special customs. Some visit friends and relatives. Some make New Year’s resolutions. They promise themselves to do better in the New Year than they did in the old year.

Children in Belgium write their parents New Year’s messages on decorated paper and read them on New Year’s Day. In Russia, children may visit the Kremlin in the heart of Moscow. There, they see a huge fir tree called the New Year Tree. The tree is decorated with many coloured lights.

In Scotland, the evening of December 31 is called Hogmanay. People wait up on Hogmanay until midnight for the “first footer” to arrive. The “first footer” is the first person to cross over the doorstep on the first day of the New Year. According to Scottish tradition, the first footer carries a piece of coal to bring wealth, and a sprig of mistletoe to protect the family from the old year’s spirits.

In Ecuador, people make a straw man dressed in their old clothes. They give the man a list of their family’s faults, and then burn him and the list at midnight to get rid of all their faults.

In many parts of the world, people eat special foods to bring good luck in the coming year. In Japan, people eat a kind of pink fish called red snapper. Pink is a lucky colour in Japan. In southern India, they boil new rice to bring good luck.

In Portugal, people choose 12 grapes from a bunch. They eat them one by one as the clock strikes midnight.

In countries in Europe, roast pig is often served on New Year’s Day. In Hungary, the pig has a four-leaf clover in its mouth for good luck.

In Romania, people stuff their pockets with corn. They walk from house to house “sowing” the corn by tossing it at friends to bring them good luck.

How do you welcome the New Year? Try some of these ideas or make up some of your own!

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Feast of Epiphany

In the Christian tradition, it is said that three wise men followed a guiding star to a stable in Bethlehem to see baby Jesus. There, they gave the child gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

With this story in mind, children in Puerto Rico fill their shoes with grass or straw just before bedtime on January 5. The grass or straw is for the animals ridden by the Three Wise Men, sometimes called the Three Kings. The next morning, known as the Feast of Epiphany or Three Kings’ Day, the children find sweets and toys in their shoes – gifts from the Three Kings.

Epiphany is also when some Churches remember when Jesus was Baptised, when he was about 30, and started to teach people about God. Epiphany means ‘revelation’ and both the visit of the Wise Men and his Baptism are important times when Jesus was ‘revealed’ to be very important.

Some Churches celebrate use Epiphany to celebrate and remember both the visit of the Wise Men and Jesus’s Baptism!

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How do you know what day a holiday falls on? You look at a calendar, of course! But long ago, the only “calendars” people had were the moon, the sun, the stars, and the changing seasons. Even today we still use calendars that follow the changes of the moon and the seasons.

People made the first calendars by dividing a year into 12 “moons,” or months. But they had a problem. A year is the time it takes the earth to travel once around the sun. This comes to about 365 days. A moon-month is the time from one new moon to the next – about 29 1/2 days. There are 12 months in a year. So 12 moon-months come to about 354 days. And this is 11 days less than a year!

Sometimes people added days or months to keep the calendar in step with the seasons. Over the years, some people developed a calendar that matched the seasons. They based this calendar on the solar year, or the time it takes for the earth to circle the sun. It has 365 days.

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Holidays and Calendars

Some holidays follow calendars based on the moon. These days are called “floating holidays” because they float around on our standard calendar. They are not celebrated on the same day each year. Many of these floating holidays are religious. They follow a religious calendar.

The Chinese calendar

The Chinese calendar follows the moon. But it also groups years into sets of 12. Each year is named after an animal. The first of the twelve years is the Year of the Rat. This is followed by the years of the ox, tiger, hare, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, rooster, dog, and pig.

The Hebrew Calendar

The Hebrew, or Jewish, calendar is also based on the moon. The Jews use it to fix the dates of their religious years. There are 12 months in the Hebrew calendar. An extra month, added seven times every 19 years, keeps the calendar more or less in time with the seasons. Also, days are added or taken away to make sure certain holy days fall on proper days of the week. As a result, a Jewish year can be as short as 353 days or as long as 385 days.

The Christian Calendar

Christian calendars use the moon to set some holy days, too. Easter, for example, can fall any time from March 22 to April 25. The exact date depends on the moon.

The Muslim Calendar

Muslims follow the religion of Islam. They also use a calendar based on the moon. It has 12 months of 30 or 29 days. Eleven times in every 30 years, an extra day is added to the calendar. This keeps the calendar in time with the moon, but not with the seasons.

The Islamic year is only 354 or 355 days long. It does not follow the calendar year that includes the months of January to December. That calendar year has 365 days. The Islamic year is about 11 days shorter than that. So each year, an Islamic holiday is about 11 days earlier than the year before. But in 32 1/2 years, it’s back to where it started.

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People celebrate for many reasons. Some people celebrate special family days. Other people get together as a group, a community, or even as a whole nation to celebrate a special event. Many celebrations are religious. People also celebrate certain times of the year.

Some celebrations take place on days when you don’t have to go to school and adults don’t have to go to work. These days are often marked with visits from friends and relatives and with special treats. Sometimes, people have picnics. And sometimes, people go to a church, a temple, or another house of worship.

Some of our festivals and celebrations mark the passing of the year and its changing seasons. These are usually very old customs. Long, long ago, before people had heating and electric lights, winter in many places was a hard time of dark days and bad weather. No wonder people celebrated the coming of summer with feasting and dancing! A good harvest at the end of the summer meant that there would be plenty to eat all winter. Everyone gave thanks for good crops.

Birthdays are favourite celebrations for many people. It’s fun to have a birthday cake with candles on it – one candle for every year of your life. Some people get birthday presents. Some people have a birthday party and invite all their friends.

Many people celebrate the birthday of their country. People also often celebrate the birthdays of religious leaders, presidents, kings and queens, national heroes, or other people they want to remember and honour.

Some holidays honour special groups of people. For example, certain days remind us of those who died fighting for their country. On other days, we honour people we love and respect, such as our parents and our teachers. A few holidays celebrate working people.

Some Christians celebrate “name days”. In some countries, children are named after Christian saints. Each saint has a special day, and children named after a saint celebrate on that saint’s day.

The word holiday comes from the words holy day – a day on which people pray or give thanks. Some holy days are celebrated by people all around the world. These important days may be remembered by going to a place of worship, by gathering together to pray, or by dressing up and having a good time. Some of the celebrations include feasting or a time of fasting. Fasting means that people stop eating, eat less than usual, or stop eating certain things.

Some celebrations are holidays, but not all of them. Today, we use the word holiday for any day of celebration, relaxation, or other change from an ordinary day.

On holidays, you may see parades with marching bands. At night, there may be dazzling fireworks.

Holidays are filled with traditions. People often prepare wonderful foods especially for holidays. People sometimes wear traditional clothes or brighten their homes and neighbourhoods with holiday lights and decorations. People also sing traditional songs and play holiday games. What are some of your favourite traditions?

We sometimes celebrate days that seem to be just for fun. On some of these days, we play jokes on people. On others, we get together with friends and neighbours to enjoy music, dancing, and singing.

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