Holidays Around The World � Holidays by Month

Mothers Day

Noel — Sun, 13 May 2012 04:34:43 +0000

Mothers Day: May 13

Mothers Day is celebrated in Australia, Canada, and the USA.

Motherhood is perhaps one of the most glorious things in the world. Mothers shape their children’s life in a way that no one else can do. Mother’s day has always been celebrated to cherish our dear mothers and make the day special for them. The Mother’s day concept was conceived by Anna Jarvis who felt it was essential to have a day to commemorate the glory of motherhood. It is now celebrated world wide.

Mothers Day History

Mother’s day has a recent history dating to the early 20th century. The one that is celebrated throughout the world is derived from the US one. There are other festivals like the Mothering Sunday of the UK that has an origin much earlier. This dates back to the 16th century. There are also beliefs that it originated from the ancient Greece who honored the great mother of Greek Gods Cybele. There was one in Rome dedicated to Juno.

Dating back to 1912, the founder Anna Jarvis copyrighted the name “Mother’s day” and the “2nd Sunday of May”. Jarvis is supposed to have been very particular about the position of the apostrophe. It was supposed to come after the ‘r’ in mother. This denoted that this was singular possessive. This means that it is expected of each person in the family to cherish their mother. It was not to denote a general term for all the mothers. This was the spelling that President Wilson used in making the holiday official.

Mothers Day Traditions and Activities

The day is usually celebrated by giving gifts to the mothers. Children usually like taking in charge of some of the household work such as cooking or doing the dishes. It is done to recognize the role of mothers in making their everyday life smooth. The mothers are also taken out for dinner. Recent traditions involve in getting the mothers a “Mother ring” as a token of affection.

There has been rampant commercialization of the Mother’s day. The sales of Mother’s day cards earn so much of revenue that it disgusted even the founder Jarvis. She became famous for her vociferous protest against this form of commercialization. She thought that the cards destroyed the bond and it made people lazy to write a personal letter. She even gave a statement saying that she wished she had never started the day because it was not the way she expected it to be celebrated.

There is nothing better than being at home with our mothers and spending some quality time with them. It would probably bring in more joy than any of the fancy gifts. The commercialization is to be condoned, but in the wake of modern life, there is no other go than to accept it.

Nowadays billions of dollars are generated on a single day. According to a survey, Americans usually spend 2.6 billion dollars on flowers and 1.53 billion dollars on very indulgent gifts like spa visits. There is a whopping sixty eight million dollars spent on the cards alone. The jewelers have a happy day with 7.8% of their revenue getting generated on one day.

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Lag B’ Omer

Noel — Wed, 09 May 2012 21:04:56 +0000

Lag B’Omer Date: May 10

Lag B’Omer is celebrated by Israel and the Jewish people worldwide.

The party celebrations for Lag B’ Omer open with a traditional bonfire in commemoration of the passing of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai author of the Zohar.

Lag B’Omer History

According to the Torah, Jewish people are obligated to count the days from Passover the Shavuot, known as the counting of the Omer. An Omer is a unit of measure referring to the second day of passover when an Omer of barley was brought to the temple as an offering, therefore the omer became a measure.

Many Jewish people anticipate the day of Lag B’ Omer as it is observed on the 33rd day and the mourning practices of the counting of the Omer are lifted and the party celebrations begin.The Jewish people recite blessings and state the day and week of the counting. The counting is intended to be a reminder of the link between Passover which commemorates Exodus and Shavuot which commemorates the giving of the Torah. This also reminds the Jewish people redemption from slavery was not complete until the Torah was received.

During the period of the counting weddings, party celebrations, singing and cutting hair are not permitted as this is a time of partial mourning. On the 33rd day to remember a break in the plague Lag B’ Omer was instated as a small holiday to lift the prohibitions for one day.

Lag B’Omer Traditions and Activities

The bonfire symbolizes the great light of the Rabbi and many dance and sing in circles surrounding the flames. Lighting candles is also another Lag B’ Omer tradition.

Many recognize Lag B’ Omer as an outdoor festival, and party celebrations commence with singing, family picnics, dinner dances and outings. Many wedding celebrations take place on this day and haircuts are booked in advance to coincide with Lag B’ Omer.

The party celebrations for Lag B’ Omer open with a traditional bonfire in commemoration of the passing of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai author of the Zohar.

Buddha Day

Noel — Fri, 04 May 2012 15:18:09 +0000

Buddha Day: May 5

Buddha Day is celebrated by Buddhists worldwide.

Visakha Puja or Buddha day is the most significant day in the Buddhist calendar, celebrating the three most important incidents in the life of the Buddha, his birth, the enlightenment and the death which all occurred on this day. Its a moveable day falling on the first full moon in May the fifth month except in leap year when it falls in June.

Buddha Day History

Visakha Puja is the holiest of days in all Buddhists lives. Buddhists make merits and attend sermons in temples all over Asia. The countryside people wake up early and start making food and sweets for the monks and then form a long line and walk to their temple of worship to attend in all religious activities.

Many activities are performed during Visakha Puja day, including the most important Tum Boon, going to temples for special observations, listening to Dharma preaching and giving donations. Rub Sil a practiced activity of with holding the 5 precepts which include to abstain from alcohol and all immoral acts. Tuk Bard is practiced by offering food to the monks from the alm bowl, practice of meditation, and many monks stay in the temple for a few days wearing the traditional white robes of the buddha.

Buddha Day Traditions and Activities

Vien Tien is the final activity and the most beautiful. The Buddhists attend a candle lit procession in the evening to their temple of worship holding flowers and three incense sticks. This is a silent homage to their Buddha and his disciples.

Buddha’s Birthday
Visakha Puja

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Store Bededag or Common Prayer Day

Carol — Thu, 03 May 2012 21:13:26 +0000

Common Prayers Day: May 4

Common Prayers Day is a public holiday in Denmark and Greenland.

Denmark celebrates Common Prayers Day usually on the last Friday after the celebration of Easter Sunday. The date of the celebration varies, but for 2010, it will be celebrated on April 30, 2010. The holiday is locally known as, ‘Store Bededag.’

King Christian V of Denmark instituted the celebration of Common Prayers Day to combine the festivity held by various small Christian religious affiliations in Denmark into one common holiday.

Denmark is the only country that celebrates Common Prayers Day; a practice not celebrated in other Scandinavian countries. The holiday’s other popular names are Great Day of Prayer, Great Prayer Day, All Prayers Day or General Prayer Day.

History of Denmark’s Common Prayers Day

The Common Prayers Day began in Denmark in 1686 during the reign of King Christian V. The holiday was instituted to consolidate the minor Christian religious holidays after the birth of Protestantism (Reformation). It was left unscathed during the holiday reformation in 1771 during the time of Christian VII.

The celebration of Common Prayers Day was effective in uniting the observance of minor individual Christian holidays and saints during Spring season in Denmark.

Denmark’s Common Prayers Day: Traditions, Customs and Activities

Government offices and businesses close during the holidays. Several traditions associated with the celebration of Common Prayers Day are eating of traditional Danish bread called ‘varme hveder’ and walking along the famous parks of Copenhagen such as the Langelinie.

Since most businesses, including bakeries, are closed during the holiday, it has become a tradition to buy verme hveder a night before the celebration. The tolling of church bells is common during the night signaling the celebration of the holiday as churches conduct their regular church service for the occasion.

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Reunification Day

Noel — Sun, 29 Apr 2012 23:12:32 +0000

Reunification Day Date: April 30

Reunification Day is celebrated in Vietnam.

Reunification Day or Victory Day or Liberation Day is the occasion when Saigon was captured by the Viet Cong and the North Vietnamese troops on April 30,1967. This was the end of the Vietnam War. For the people living in exile it is remembered as the ’Fall of Saigon’. It is considered as a day of reflection by the exiled Vietnamese who were displaced in overseas communities. It also marked the reunification of Vietnam under the communist government. Black April is the name given to the week of April 30.

Reunification Day History

Senior General Van Tien Dung commanded the communist forces and they began their attack on April 29 on Saigon which was under General Nguyen Van Toan with heavy bombardment. By the next day many important points in the city had been captured by the Vietnam troops and their flag rose in the presidential palace. The city was named as Ho Chi Minh City. Preceding this all the American military and civilians in Saigon were evacuated. Thousands of Vietnam civilians were also evacuated with them. This resulted in ‘Operation Frequent Wind’ where the evacuation was carried out. Under this plan ships and helicopters were used to evacuate Americans and the Vietnamese. The main evacuation point was at Tan Son Nhut. By the evening about 4000 Vietnamese and 395 Americans were evacuated. Even at the end of March a lot of Americans started to leave the city. Flights were always fully booked. All through April evacuation was done at great speed.

South Vietnamese who wanted to leave the country made many arrangements. Payments were made in large amounts to obtain passports and exit visas and prices for seagoing vessels tripled. People were forced to sell their property at a very great loss or even abandon it.

The North Vietnamese troops marched towards Saigon and many of the major cities were captured by the end of March. They captured Hue on March 25 and Da Nang on 28th. South Vietnam did not manage to get any increase in the military aid from the United States thereby losing hopes for more American support. By April 27 more than 100,000 troops were in position around the city of Saigon. As more of South Vietnam was occupied by the North Vietnamese President Thieu was facing more opposition from the Senate.

Order was slowly restored in the country though communication with the outside world was cut. General Tran Van Tra was placed in charge of the city. About 200,000 South Vietnamese officers were sent to camps where torture and disease was widespread. One of the objectives of the new government was to reduce the population of the country. Within two years of the capture of Saigon more than one million people had left the country and the government wanted to increase this by another 500,000.

Reunification Day Traditions and Activities

Though the reunification of the nation actually occurred on July 2, 1976 although April 30 is known as Reunification Day. The anniversary is marked by festivals set around the date.

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Queen’s Birthday

Noel — Sun, 29 Apr 2012 23:05:00 +0000

Queen’s Birthday Date: April 30

Queen’s Birthday is celebrated in the Netherlands.

The Netherlands Queen’s birthday fall on 30 April or on 29th April, if the 30th is a Sunday and is a national holiday in Netherlands Antilles, Netherlands and Aruba. The day is considered as a symbol of national unity. It is also aimed at bringing about a feeling of togetherness.

Queen’s Birthday History

It started on the birthday of Princess Wilhelmina i.e., on 31 August 1885. She later became the Queen. It also happened to be the last day of vacation because of which it was very popular with children. After Queen Juliana ascended the throne it has been her birthday 30 April which has been celebrated as Queen’s Day.

Many citizens would congratulate her and present her with flowers or gifts while she stood on a dais. There was also a parade which has been broadcast right from the 1950s. Though the current Queen of Netherlands, Queen Beatrix’s birthday falls on 31 January, officially she celebrates it on 30 April as a tribute to her mother. Also Queen Beatrix’s birthday falls on January 31, which is not a very great time for outdoor festivities.

But Queen Beatrix, unlike her mother decided it would be better to go to the country and meet people rather than receive them at her residence. The Queen and her family visit two or three places. They are shown different traditional dances and old crafts of their country. In recent years she has visited places like Apeldoom, Makkum, Franeker and a lot of other places. A lot of activities take place on that day like concerts, games for children and solo music performances. In some cities even the eve of the Queen’s Day is celebrated, known as Queen’s Night.

Queen’s Birthday Traditions and Activities

As the Dutch royal family is known as the ‘House of Orange’, a festival called ‘oranjegekte’ meaning ‘orange craze’ is organized where everyone wears orange clothes. There are banners, food and drink- everything orange in colour. Another event which takes place is the ‘free market’ which starts at about six in the morning. People set up stalls on the road, in parks or even the sidewalks to sell old clothes, crafts, electronics and other stuff.

Cars are banned in some streets on this day and even public transportation as the streets are full of people. Children sell their old toys and clothes while others sell beverages, food or just about anything. Usually the prices are kept very low and all the unsold items are left on the street. Also people do not have to pay taxes for the goods sold. But there are some places like Jordaan where people have a sale where prices are very low just to meet other people and have a chat with them.

You can also see a variety of street performers everywhere in the city. In recent years open air concerts and other events have been held in public places such as Dam square and Museumplein attracting 500,000 to 800,000 visitors. To experience this holiday a lot of Dutch living abroad come home.

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Japan: Showa Day

Carol — Sun, 29 Apr 2012 16:25:18 +0000

Japan’s Showa Day: April 30

Showa Day is a public holiday in Japan.

Showa Day is celebrated in Japan to commemorate the birth date of Emperor Showa or Hirohito, the emperor of pre and post-World war II. Showa Day is a national holiday and part of the Golden Week which includes other notable Japanese holidays such as the Constitution Day (Kenpo kinenbi) on May 3, Greenery Day (Midori no hi) on May 4, and Children’s Day (Kodomo no hi) on May 5.

Showa is a posthumous name given to Emperor Hirohito after his death in 1989. Greenery Day was used to occupy the holiday on April 29th but was later scheduled on May 4.

History of Japan’s Showa Day

Before 1985, Emperor Hirohito’s birthday is celebrated on the 29th of April; however, upon his death in 1989, April 29 was designated as the Greenery Day, a day dedicated to nature and the environment. Emperor Hirohito is a lover of nature and an enthusiast in the field of marine biology. In fact, the Imperial Palace during his time has a laboratory dedicated to sea animals particularly to saltwater animal belonging to a class of sea animals known as Hydrozoans.

However, in 2007, a bill to put back Emperor’s Day to April 29 was passed. The bill however states that public celebration should encourage the public to reflect on the emperor’s troubled administration and Japan’s challenging recovery after the end of World War II.

Japan’s Showa Day: Traditions, Customs and Activities

The imperial palace and the government of Japan encourage the public to collectively reflect on the current condition of Japan and its future. It is also a time for Japan to commemorate the lives lost during World War II and acknowledge the efforts made when Japan is under economic and social recovery during the Showa the period.

Hotel accommodation rates and spike up during the Golden Week; this means that visiting tourists should request for reservation in advance to save on accommodation fees. As part of Japanese tradition, people visit Hirohito’s tomb in Hachiōji during the holiday.

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Barbados Celebrates Its Heroes on National Heroes’ Day

Noel — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 13:45:32 +0000

National Heroes’ Day: April 28

National Heroes’ Day is a public holiday in Barbados.

According the Barbados’ Order of National Heroes Act, those people that have “given outstanding service to Barbados”, “contributed to the improvement of the economic and social conditions of Barbados”, and demonstrated “visionary and pioneering leadership, extraordinary achievement and the attainment of the highest excellence” will be honored every year on April 28, a day set aside as National Heroes’ Day.

History of National Heroes’ Day in Barbados

The country of Barbados has been shaped by the vision and achievement of numerous people, and in 1998, the parliament wanted to recognize those people. In April of that year, Prime Minister Owen Arthur announced that April 28 would be celebrated as Barbados’ National Heroes’ Day. The day would serve as a means of both taking pride in post-independence nationhood and also recognizing the contributions that Barbadians have made. Arthur also announced that Trafalgar Square in Bridgetown would be renamed to National Heroes Square.

The April 28 date was chosen in honor of the birth of Sir Grantley Herbert Adams, one of the ten national heroes remembered every year. The current list of heroes remembered each year is:

Bussa (????-1816)
Sarah Ann Gill (1795-1866)
Samuel Jackman Prescod (1806-1871)
Dr. Charles Duncan O’Neal (1879-1936)
Clement Osbourne Payne (1904-1941)
Sir Grantley Herbert Adams (1898-1987)
Rt. Hon. Errol Walton Barrow (1920-1987)
Sir Hugh Worrell Springer (1913-1994)
Sir Frank Leslie Walcott (1916-1999)
Sir Garfield St. Aubyn Sobers (1936- )

Each of the ten received the title “Right Excellent” as part of the act. The act was amended in 2009 to confer extra privileges to living heroes. For more information about each of these heroes, visit Barbados’ Government Information Service.

Barbados’ National Heroes’ Day Traditions, Customs and Activities

Schools are particularly involved every year with spreading awareness of Barbados’ national heroes to the youth. Special historical presentations, re-enactments, and games are typical fare for Barbados’ youth.

Additionally, sports are typical on the island on this day. Games like hockey, soccer, and even chess are to be found. In April and May of 2009, Barbados had its first Heroes Day Cup, a chess tournament celebrating the people and history of the game, with festivities tied directly into the National Heroes’ Day festivities.

In the heart of Bridgetown, many celebrations take place at Heroes Square. Food, music, and fireworks are to be found, with many stalls giving others the opportunity to discover more about Barbados’ culture and the people that have shaped it over the years.

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Afghanistan Victory Day

Noel — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 06:00:04 +0000

Victory Day Date: April 28

Victory Day is celebrated in Afghanistan.
It is the day all Afghans remember as the day of liberation from the oppressive regime that had so far ruled them, which fell due to the withdrawal of the Soviet Union’s army that had so far supported it. It was on this day in the year 1992 that the regime of Najibullah came to an end. More about the importance and what it means to the people of Afghanistan, can be understood only if we look at the history before that fateful day.

Victory Day History

The Marxist People’s Democratic Party of Afghanistan (PDPA) came into power after the Saur revolution which put an end to monarchy in Afghanistan only to create a new problem. The reforms that this government bought on were on lines of communism which was not well received by the people. Since cancellation of farmer debts and abolition of land usury would have helped the farmers but the more powerful landlords and tribe leaders resented them. Also these changes affected the traditions of Islam. This caused dissent among the people and a resistance was formed against the government known as the Mujahedeen resistance.

The Cold War between the United States and Soviet Union was also in full swing at that time. Since the policies of the Afghanistan government was in tune with communism the Soviet Union supported them. The United States and various other countries supported the Mujahedeen resistance causing a raging civil war inside the country. This was a serious blow to the government and they requested military help from the Soviet Union which responded in favor and on December 7, 1979 it invaded Afghanistan. The invasion was complete on December 28, 1979 with the assassination of President Hafizullah Amin. The resistance grew both in support and in strength with heavy inflow from foreign aids.

Finally the Soviets were driven out with heavy causalities on their side due to the guerrilla warfare the Mujahedeen followed. The troops withdrew from the afghan territory in phases and left the country in 1989. Even then the civil war remained in a stalemate. The puppet regime that the Russians had set up was largely ineffective and weakened the PDPA’s divisions. But the party maintained its hold on power until April, 1992 when the Mujahedeen were able to depose it and set up a new governing body.

The results of the civil war affected the citizens the most. It was this war that resulted in the formation of groups like Al-Qaeda which have become terrorist groups. The Afghan casualties of this war exceed a million and it left the country in ruins. The people were very relieved as and when the war had come to an end. This war had resulted in the liberation from a communist government only to leave the country in ruins. Hence April 28 marks the culmination of numerous sacrifices and a period of history that saw the violent victimization of millions of Afghans, the destruction of the country’s economic foundation and the displacement of more than a third of the country’s population, the Afghanistan Victory day.

Victory Day Traditions and Activities.

Victory Day is also known as:

Sawr Revolution Day
Liberation Day

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Slovenia’s Resistance Day

Carol — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 16:31:25 +0000

Day of Uprising: April 27

Day of Uprisingis a public holiday in Slovenia.

The Day of Uprising or Resistance Day (Slovenia, dan upora proti okupatorju) is a holiday in Slovenia to commemorate the establishment of Slovenia’s Liberation Front to fight the occupying forces of nearby European countries such as the Germany, Italy, and Hungary.

The holiday is celebrated on the 27th of April every year. It is formerly known as Liberation Front Day and a considered a work-free day.

History of Slovenia’s Day of Uprising

Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia, saw the birth of Liberation Front of the Slovenian People or the Anti-Imperialist Front on April 26, 1941 that was created to free the Slovenians from foreign occupation. This massive movement is driven by the some of the most notable Slovenians writers and literary critics during the protest such as Ferdo Kozakand and Josip Vidmar; the Communist Party of Slovenia, the dissident or breakaway group of Slovene Sokols, and some Christian Socialists.

A quick civil war broke out in Spring of 1942 between the Liberation Front of the Slovenian People and the Slovene Home Guard which are anti-communist militia in the province of Ljubljana sponsored by the Axis powers. The former took over some portions of territories in Slovenia and contributed, to a large extend, the fall of Nazi Germany, and partly, the fascist Italy.

The Liberation Front of the Slovenian People was renamed Socialist Alliance of the Working People of Slovenia at the wake of the Second World War.

Slovenia’s Day of Uprising: Traditions, Customs and Activities

During the holiday, events such as public speeches from surviving Slovenian guerillas and political groups gather at the Monument of Freedom, created by Jakob Savinek (1922-1961) to commemorate this momentous event which liberated the country from foreign rule during World War II.

Speeches signify stories about how Slovenes were united during the occupation and how the establishment of liberation army helped Slovenia gain its independence from the three occupying European powers.

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