Holidays
September:
Labor Days honor the numerous contributions made by workers to the strength, wealth, and well-being of the United States.
Every year on September 21, the International Day of Peace (also known as World Peace Day) is observed with the goal of advancing the values of peace within and among all nations and peoples.
The American holiday known as Indigenous Peoples’ Day recognizes, celebrates, and remembers the history and customs of the indigenous American people.
October:
Diwali (Divali) is a holiday celebrated in Hinduism, Jainism, and Sikhism celebrating the victory of good over evil. The Festival of Lights (Diwali) lasts for five days but this year is recognized on the 24th of October.
A celebration of the Divine Feminine, Navaratri is most frequently linked to Durga Ma and Goddess Parvati. Nine days and nights are dedicated to this event, during which time different manifestations of the Devi are worshipped.
The purpose of National Custodial Workers’ Recognition Day is to express gratitude for the staff members who keep our nation’s workplaces and schools things running smoothly.
The Day of Atonement, or Yom Kippur, is considered the holiest day in the Jewish calendar. Jews customarily seek God and people in our life for forgiveness for our wrongdoings in the weeks leading up to and on that day.
World Teachers’ Day is observed on October 5 each year. It’s a time to honor the teachers who helped us as students and to pay tribute to the teachers who motivated us in the classroom.
German-American Day is all about honoring how the histories of the two countries have merged. This holiday honors German-speaking Americans’ accomplishments and admiration of American customs.
The Muslim holiday Mawlid, also known as Mawlid an-Nabi ash-Sharif or Eid Milad un
Nabi, commemorates the birth of the prophet Muhammad.
The main goals of World Mental Health Day are to organize support for mental health and increase awareness of global mental health challenges.
We pay tribute to the sovereignty, fortitude, and enormous contributions made by Native Americans on Indigenous Peoples’ Day. We also reaffirm our commitment to fulfilling our solemn trust obligations and treaty obligations to Tribal Nations, deepening our nation-to-nation connections.
On October 11, National Coming Out Day will promote the idea that homophobia flourishes in quiet and continue to increase awareness for members of the LGBTQ+ community.
Birth of the Guru Granth Sahib
On September 1st every year, Sikhs commemorate the installation of this scripture, and on October 20th, they celebrate the awarding of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji the title of Guru. The birth of the Guru Granth is referred to as this.
Halloween
Halloween, often known as Hallowe’en, is a holiday celebrated on October 31, the night before the Western Christian holiday of All Saints’ Day.
Filipino American History Month
Every October, in observance of the anniversary of the discovery of the first Filipino Americans in America, the United States celebrates Filipino American Heritage Month.
Italian American Heritage and Culture Month
The month of Italian-American Heritage honors the notable cultural achievements of People with Italian ancestry.
Polish American Heritage Month
Every year, in October, Polish American communities observe Polish American Heritage Month.
The goal of the commemoration month is to acknowledge the historical contributions made by lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people on a local, national, and international scale.
Hispanic/Latinx Heritage Month
From September 15 through October 15 of every year, Americans celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month by honoring the histories, cultures, and accomplishments of Americans with ancestors in Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, Central America, and South America.
November:
November 1st is All Saints Day, a Christian holiday that honors all of the church’s saints, whether they are well-known or not.
Día de los Muertos is a Mexican celebration for families to honor and remember their ancestors. This is observed from November 1st- November 2nd.
November 3rd is Japanese Culture Day! A day that is celebrated to appreciate many different Japanese arts and cultures through festivals, parades and award ceremonies.
The first Tuesday following the first Monday in November, the day on which the nation holds its four-way election for the president and vice president. On even years, voters choose two-year terms for members of the House of Representatives and six-year terms for one-third of the senators.
On November 9, there is a federal holiday known as “International Freedom Day.” It symbolizes the ascent of democracy and independence in Eastern Europe as well as the demise of communism.
Veterans Day is a day set aside to thank and celebrate ALL those who have served in the military, living or dead, but especially the current generation of veterans.
Thanksgiving is a day to show appreciation for what you have. However, it is also a day we can take to learn more about our country’s often harmful history with Native American people.
Native American Heritage Month celebrates and acknowledges all of the wonderful and important contributions Native Americans have made. It also helps spotlight the many different cultures within the Native American community.
Veterans Day, unlike Memorial Day, honors all American veterans, living or dead, but it gives special appreciation to those who are now alive and have served the country honorably in times of war or peace.
December:
Bodhi Day is celebrated on December 8th. The Buddhist holiday honors the day that Siddhartha Gautama was enlightened. People celebrate Bodhi by making decorations, praying, and sharing the message of enlightenment.
Las Posadas (December 16th-24th) is a religious festival that celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ and Mary. Many dress up and play “holy family”. The celebration ends with a midnight mass, to strengthen communities and deepen faith.
Chanukah (December 18th-26th) is a Jewish holiday that lasts for 8 nights. Each year, it occurs on different dates depending on the Jewish calendar, and every night, an additional candle is lit. The middle candle, which is used to light all the other candles, is called the Shamash. Many celebrate by eating traditional Jewish foods like Latkes.
Between December 20 and December 23, the winter solstice occurs when the earth’s axis tilts away from the sun, causing individuals in the Northern Hemisphere to experience the shortest day and longest night of the year.
This is a time for fresh beginnings, rebirth, transformation, breaking bad habits, and creativity for Pagans.
Christmas is a Christian holiday, celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ. Usually, it is celebrated on December 25th. However, some churches use the traditional ‘julian’ calendar and celebrate on January 7th. Christmas traditions include attending Church services, tree decorating, and feasting.
Boxing Day is celebrated on December 26th. While boxing day used to be a way for employers to give gifts and leftovers to their employees, it is now seen as a shopping holiday because the meaning has shifted due to its commercialization.
New Years Eve
New Year’s Eve is one of the world’s major festivities since it occurs on the last day of the year in the Gregorian calendar, December 31, prior to the New Year.
Kwanzaa (December 26th-January 1st) is a celebration of African-American culture. It is usually recognized through song, dance, storytelling, and large communal feasts which happen on the 6th day. The celebration originates from African harvest festival traditions in West and Southeast Africa.
Universal AIDS Awareness Month
The month of December, which begins off with World AIDS Day on December 1st, is a time to spread awareness and consider the effects that this disease has had on our communities and the global community.
This month serves as a reminder that the United Nations General Assembly enshrined all individuals’ fundamental human rights.
January:
Three Kings Day, often called Epiphany or Theophany, is a Christian feast day that honors the revelation of God in his Son as a human in the person of Jesus Christ.
January 7th is Orthodox Christmas, a time to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. This holiday is different from the Christmas Day that is celebrated in December because it doesn’t follow Pagan traditions like waiting for gifts from Santa Claus or decorating a tree. Instead, it is solely focused on religious practices.
The Mahayana New Year, observed this year on January 7th, is a holiday that honors Buddhist gods and a day for immense prayer. Mahayana is one of the two main traditions of Buddhism, and is largely recognized in Northeast Asia.
January 13th is Lohri, a festival celebrated primarily in Northern India by Hindus, Sikhs, and Muslims. Lohri marks the end of the winter solstice, and celebrates the fertility and joy of life. On the day of Lohri, people gather with family and friends to light bonfires, sing, and dance.
Pongal is a festival celebrated by Hindus, to thank the Sun, Mother Nature, and all the farm animals who help make a good harvest. It is celebrated for four days, and also marks the beginning of the Tamil month Thai. This year Pongal will be observed from January 15 to January 18th
The day honors Dr. King, a Baptist clergyman and well-known figure in the American civil rights movement, and his life and accomplishments.
Lunar New Year will be celebrated on January 22nd. This year is the year of the rabbit, which represents mercy, elegance, and beauty. To prepare for the new year, many people clean out their homes to open space for good luck to enter the home. Other common traditions include, feasts, parades, and decorating the home in red.
International Holocaust Remembrance Day
January 27th is the official day dedicated to to educating, honoring, and remembering the events of the Holocaust to prevent future acts of genocide. It serves as an opportunity to highlight the importance of Jewish history while honoring the millions of lives lost.
February:
It comes from a Pennsylvania Dutch superstition that says that on this day, if a groundhog comes out of its burrow and sees its shadow because of clear weather, it will go back into its den and winter will last for another six weeks; if it doesn’t see it because of cloudiness, spring will come early.
Navam Full Moon Poya is a Buddhist holiday celebrated on the first full moon of February. This year, the holiday will be observed on Sunday, February 5th, and it is widely celebrated in Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, Sri Lanka and Tabaung. The holiday recognizes the original two head followers of Buddha along with the celebration of the initial Buddhist assembly.
It began as a Christian holiday celebrating Valentine, a martyr. It has developed into a huge cultural and economic celebration of romance and love in many parts of the world through later folk customs.
The Lantern Festival takes place in China on February 15th. It celebrates the last day of Chinese New Year Celebrations. The festival started 2,000 years ago, and at that time Buddhist monks would often light lanterns in front of temples to provide wisdom and enlightenment.
The purpose of Random Acts of Kindness Day is to recognize and promote acts of
Kindness.
Presidents’ Day, also known as Washington’s Birthday, is a federal holiday observed on the third Monday in February to honor George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. The day is also seen as a celebration of all U.S. presidents’ births and lifetimes.
Occurring 46 days before Easter, Ash Wednesday signifies the beginning of Lent. Lent lasts for 40 days, and is marked by fasting, reflection, and celebration. Ash Wednesday is commonly observed by sketching ashes as a cross on one’s forehead and fasting.
Lent is the solemn Christian religious observance in the calendar year honoring Jesus Christ’s 40-day fasting in the desert and suffering Satan’s temptation.
First proposed by college students at Kent University in 1969, Black History Month takes place during the entire month of February and is used to honor the achievements and often neglected history of Black people. This month-long celebration was officially established as a national holiday by congress in 1986.
National Cancer Prevention Month
National Cancer Prevention Month, which is observed every February, bring another chance to raise awareness and encourage people to act to lead healthier lives.
March:
Baba Marta is a Bulgarian holiday that is celebrated on March 1st. Traditionally, people exchange martenitsas, which are red and white interwoven strings given to friends and family symbolizing health, happiness, and gratitude.
Observed annually on March 8, International Women’s Day serves as a focal point for the women’s rights movement and raises awareness of topics including gender equality, reproductive rights, and violence and abuse against women.
Holi is a Hindu holiday celebrated on March 8th. The festival celebrates the god Radha Krishna and signifies the victory of good over evil. Common traditions include lighting bonfires, throwing vibrantly colored powders, and dancing to traditional folk music.
In order to have darkness fall later in the clock, daylight saving time is the practice of moving clocks forward during the warmer months.
The Aztec New Year is celebrated on March 12 and is primarily celebrated in Mexico and parts of El Salvador. This holiday follows the Aztec calendar and signifies the start of a new year, which is celebrated by lighting ocote candles and performing ceremonial song and dance.
The yearly celebration of the number π is known as Pi Day.
Las Fallas is celebrated from March 15 – 19 in Valencia, Spain, and commemorates Saint Joseph. During Fallas, large paper maché statues get put up around the city and at the end of the festival it is tradition to burn them all.
St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated on March 17th and commemorates the death of St. Patrick. Today, the holiday is mostly celebrated to honor Irish culture and heritage through parades and festivities.
Global Recycling Day on March 18, annually, promotes recycling and challenges us to reconsider how we view our garbage.
Every year on March 21, International Down Syndrome Day to increase overall awareness of this syndrome.
Ramadan is a Muslim holiday celebrated this year from March 22nd to April 21st. During the month, people honor the holiday by abstaining from food and drink from dawn to dusk, along with praying and spending time with loved ones.
Women’s history month honors the unique accomplishments women have made throughout American history in a range of disciplines as well as the contributions women have made to the country.
Each March it is important to highlight the many ways in which people with and without disabilities come together to form strong, diverse communities.
April:
April Fools is an annual custom where you prank and hoax people around you.
Passover honors the Biblical tale of Exodus, in which God delivered the Jews from Egyptian slavery.
Eid-al-Fitr is seen as a time for celebration, with Muslims uniting with friends and family to express thankfulness to God after a month of introspection.
World Autism Awareness Day is an internationally recognized day on April 2nd that encourages United Nations Member States to do action to promote awareness about autistic people around the world.
In the Christian church, Holy Week is marked with extra solemnity as a time of devotion to the Passion of Jesus Christ. It is the week between Palm Sunday and Easter.
Christian believers observe Good Friday as a day of remembrance for Jesus’ crucifixion and death at Calvary.
Easter is a significant Christian holiday in which believers commemorate Jesus Christ’s resurrection.
The Hindu holiday of Rama Navami commemorates the birth of Rama, the seventh manifestation of the god Vishnu.
The Orthodox Church remembers the death of Christ on the Cross on Great and Holy Friday.
Each year, the Day of Silence raises awareness of the negative impacts of bullying and harassment of students who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, or questioning.
The annual celebration of Earth Day recognizes the accomplishments of the environmental movement and promotes the importance of preserving the planet’s natural resources for coming generations.
April is National Parkinson’s Awareness Month, which urges us to take part in one or more local events that fund ongoing research that will eventually lead to a cure.
May:
Muslims all around the world observe the holy holiday because it signifies the conclusion of the month-long Ramadan fast, which is observed from sunrise to sunset.
Teachers’ Day is an unique day to show teachers how much we value them. It may also involve celebrations to recognize their exceptional achievements to a particular field of study or to the education setting in the community.
The annual Cinco de Mayo festival, which takes place on May 5, honors the date of Mexico’s triumph against the Second French Empire at the Battle of Puebla in 1862.
Mother’s Day is a holiday commemorating moms, whether they are biological or adopted, as well as maternity, maternal ties, and the impact women have on society.
Buddha Day honors Siddhartha Gautama, often known as the Buddha, by remembering his birth, enlightenment, and passing.
This day serves as a reminder to advance scientific collaboration and take advantage of its potential to promote world peace and sustainable development.
American military soldiers who have passed away while serving in the armed forces are remembered on Memorial Day, a statutory holiday.