Holidays

Bandi Chhor Divas Bandi Chhor Divas, the Sikh 'Day of Liberation', commemorates Guru Hargobind's release from Gwalior and the freeing of other prisoners. Celebrated with gurdwara services, illuminat…

Bank holiday A bank holiday is a public holiday in which banks and many businesses close; the term is used in the UK, Ireland and several Commonwealth countries and has distinct legal and cultu…

Bengali calendar (Bangla calendar) Bengali calendar A solar calendar used in Bengal and officially in Bangladesh; organizes the year into twelve months and six seasons, and marks Pohela Boishakh as the New Year in mid-April.

Berber calendar (Amazigh agricultural calendar) Berber calendar A traditional Amazigh (Berber) solar calendar used across North Africa to mark agricultural seasons, festivals such as Yennayer, and communal timekeeping, historically linked to th…

Birthday — the anniversary of a person's birth Birthday A birthday marks the anniversary of a person's birth. Worldwide customs include parties, cakes, gifts, rites of passage and legal recognition; practices vary by culture and age mil…

Boxing Day: Origins, Traditions and Modern Observances Boxing Day Boxing Day, observed on 26 December in several Commonwealth countries, developed from traditions of giving to workers and the poor and today combines public‑holiday rules, sales, s…

Burns Night: Celebrating Robert Burns and the Burns Supper Burns Night Burns Night is the annual celebration of poet Robert Burns on 25 January, centred on the Burns Supper—a ritualised meal with poems, music, toasts and traditional Scottish fare obse…

Camping: outdoor overnight recreation, types, gear, history, and safety Camping Overview of camping as outdoor overnight recreation: common styles, equipment, history, activities, environmental etiquette, and basic safety guidance for beginners and experienced…

Canada Day Canada Day, observed every July 1, marks the anniversary of Confederation in 1867. It is a federal statutory holiday celebrated across the country with ceremonies, fireworks, citiz…

Candlemas: Feast of the Presentation and the Purification of Mary Candlemas Candlemas is a Christian feast held on February 2 commemorating the Presentation of Jesus and the Purification of Mary. It features candle blessings, liturgies, processions and div…

Children's Day (Japan) A national holiday on May 5 celebrating children’s health, happiness, and individuality. Known for carp streamers, samurai dolls, traditional foods and ties to older seasonal festi…

Chinese New Year (Spring Festival / Lunar New Year) Chinese New Year Annual celebration marking the new year in the traditional Chinese lunisolar calendar, covering timing, customs, zodiac signs, regional forms and modern observances worldwide.

Christmas — origins, traditions, and global observance Christmas Christmas is the annual Christian festival marking the birth of Jesus on December 25. It blends religious observance with varied cultural customs, seasonal traditions, and worldwid…

Christmas card A Christmas card is a greeting card exchanged at Christmastime, with designs and messages reflecting holiday themes, historical roots in the 19th century, and modern variations inc…

Christmas cracker A festive party favor of British origin: a brightly wrapped tube that snaps when pulled and typically contains a paper crown, a small gift and a joke used at holiday meals and cele…

Christmas decoration: types, history, symbols and modern practice Christmas decoration Overview of Christmas decorations: common types, plants, colours, historical origins, cultural variations, uses in homes and public spaces, and contemporary trends toward sustainab…

Christmas stocking A decorative sock hung at Christmas to receive small gifts. Covers its appearance, traditional origins, cultural variations, common uses for “stocking stuffers,” and modern decorat…

Christmas tree Decorated evergreen traditionally used at Christmas: types, decorations, history, cultural role, care, safety and disposal practices.

Cinco de Mayo: history, observances, and cultural significance Cinco de Mayo Cinco de Mayo commemorates the Mexican army's victory at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862; celebrated regionally in Mexico and widely in the United States as a day of Mexican an…

Columbus Day Columbus Day marks Christopher Columbus’s 1492 voyage and landing in the Americas. Observed under different names in several countries, it is increasingly reexamined because of col…

Common year starting on Friday (calendar type) Common year starting on Friday Overview of the calendar type in which January 1 is a Friday: characteristics, Doomsday, month starts, holiday placements, Friday the 13th pattern, occurrence in calendar cycles an…

Common year beginning on Monday (January 1) Common year starting on Monday Overview of a common (365-day) year whose January 1 falls on Monday: calendar pattern, month-by-month weekday mapping, holiday placements, cycle notes and comparisons with related…

Common year beginning on Tuesday (calendar properties and examples) Common year starting on Tuesday Overview of a common year that starts on Tuesday: calendar structure, weekday patterns, holidays placement, examples in Gregorian and Julian calendars, and notable characteristics…

Corpus Christi — Feast of the Body of Christ Corpus Christi Corpus Christi is a Christian feast celebrating the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist. Observed after Trinity Sunday, it is marked by Mass, processions, adoration and region…

Darwin Day: Commemorating Charles Darwin and the Science of Evolution Darwin Day Darwin Day is observed each February 12 to honor Charles Darwin and promote public understanding of evolution, science education and critical inquiry through lectures, museum progr…

Dashain (Vijaya Dashami): Nepal's major Hindu festival Dashain Dashain is Nepal's longest and most significant Hindu festival, lasting 15 days in September–October. It celebrates the victory of good over evil and includes family gatherings, bl…

Day of Ashura: meaning, history, and observance Day of Ashura Ashura is observed on the 10th of Muharram in the Islamic calendar. It marks mourning for Husayn ibn Ali among Shia and a day of fasting and remembrance for many Sunni Muslims; rit…

Day of the Dead (Día de Muertos): Mexican celebration of memory and life Day of the Dead Día de Muertos is a Mexican multi-day tradition that honors deceased relatives with ofrendas, food, marigolds, calavera imagery and community remembrance; recognized by UNESCO in 2…

Death anniversary An annual observance marking the date of a person’s death; practiced worldwide with rituals, offerings, gatherings and memorial readings tied to cultural and religious traditions.

December December is the twelfth and final month of the Gregorian year, with 31 days. It marks the winter season in the Northern Hemisphere, hosts major cultural holidays, and dates back to…

December 11 — calendar date, history, and observances December 11 December 11 is the 345th day of the year (346th in leap years). This article explains its calendar position, seasonal context, notable historical events, and modern observances lik…

December 12 Profile of December 12: its place in the calendar, typical seasonal context, common observances such as Our Lady of Guadalupe and Kenya's Jamhuri Day, and general historical signif…

December 13 December 13 is the 347th day of the year (348th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar; known for Saint Lucy's Day and a range of cultural and historical observances.

December 14 December 14 is a date in the Gregorian calendar, typically the 348th day of the year (349th in leap years), noted for a mix of historical events, seasonal significance and modern o…

December 15 December 15 is the 349th day of the year (350th in leap years). It is known for the ratification of the U.S. Bill of Rights and falls within the northern winter season and the Gemi…

December 16 — calendar day, history and observances December 16 December 16 is the 350th day of the year (351st in leap years). It is linked with events such as the Boston Tea Party, the start of the Battle of the Bulge and the 1971 surrender i…

December 17 Calendar date near year-end: position in the Gregorian year, notable events such as the Wright brothers' first flight, Bhutan National Day, observances, and seasonal context.

December 18 Overview of December 18: its place in the calendar, common observances (including International Migrants Day and Qatar National Day), notable births, and cultural significance.

December 19 December 19 is the 353rd day of the year (354th in leap years). It occurs just before the winter solstice and has been the date of notable historical events, cultural releases and…

December 2 December 2 is the 336th day of the year (337th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar; it marks national days, historical milestones and United Nations observances.

December 20 December 20 is the 354th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (355th in leap years), with eleven days left. It is near the winter solstice and hosts a mix of civic observances…

December 21 December 21 is a calendar date often associated with the December solstice in the Northern Hemisphere; it is the 355th day of the year (356th in leap years).

December 22 December 22 is the 356th day of the year (357th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. It often sits near the winter solstice and is associated with seasonal festivals, observan…

December 23 December 23 is the 357th day of the year (358th in leap years). It falls two days before Christmas and is marked by local traditions, travel peaks and cultural observances like Fes…

December 24: Christmas Eve and its cultural, historical, and calendar significance December 24 December 24 is widely observed as Christmas Eve and a day of cultural, religious, and seasonal practices. It is the 358th day of the year (359th in leap years) in the Gregorian cal…

December 25 December 25 is a calendar date best known as the day many observe Christmas; it falls late in the year on the Gregorian calendar and is a public holiday in numerous countries.

December 26 December 26 is the day after Christmas. It is observed as St. Stephen's Day and as Boxing Day in many countries, marks the start of Kwanzaa, and is the 360th day of the year (361st…

December 27 December 27 is the 361st day of the year in common years (362nd in leap years). It falls within the Christmas season and late December holidays, four days before the new year.