Holidays

Gift (present): meaning, types, customs and social role Gift A gift (present) is a voluntarily given item, service or money exchanged without expectation of return. This article covers types, customary occasions, cultural meanings, history a…

Girls' Day (Mädchen‑Zukunftstag) — Germany's career day for girls Girls' Day (Germany) An annual German initiative encouraging girls to explore technical, craft, IT and scientific professions through company visits, workshops and job shadowing, often organized with s…

Global Handwashing Day Annual awareness day on October 15 promoting handwashing with soap to prevent disease, improve hygiene, and encourage behavior change worldwide.

Good Friday — Christian commemoration of the crucifixion Good Friday Good Friday is the Friday before Easter when many Christians commemorate Jesus Christ's crucifixion and death with solemn liturgies, fasting, processions and reflections; its date…

Groundhog Day: tradition, history, and cultural significance Groundhog Day Groundhog Day is a North American folk observance held each February 2 that uses a groundhog’s shadow as a weather omen; it has roots in European traditions and modern cultural for…

Guy Fawkes Night (Bonfire Night) Guy Fawkes Night An annual British commemoration on 5 November marking the 1605 Gunpowder Plot; celebrated with bonfires, effigies and fireworks and observed in communities across the UK and beyond…

Hanukkah (Festival of Lights) Hanukkah Hanukkah is an eight-day Jewish festival commemorating the rededication of the Second Temple and the miracle of the oil; it is observed with the hanukiah, prayers, foods, songs and…

Hanuman Jayanti: Festival of Devotion, Strength, and Service Hanuman Jayanti Hanuman Jayanti is the Hindu celebration of the birth of Hanuman, the monkey-faced devotee of Rama. Observed across India with regional variations, it honors courage, devotion and…

Hebrew calendar (Jewish calendar) Hebrew calendar A lunisolar calendar used in Judaism to determine religious observances, festivals, life-cycle events and liturgical cycles; it combines lunar months with periodic leap months to s…

Hiking — walking for recreation, exploration, and fitness Hiking Hiking is traveling on foot in natural settings for recreation, exercise, or travel. This article explains what hiking is, common types, equipment, history, benefits, safety, and d…

Hinamatsuri (Doll's Day / Girls' Day) Hinamatsuri Hinamatsuri, observed March 3 in Japan, is a festival when families display hina dolls and celebrate the health, happiness, and future of girls with food, rituals, and decorative d…

Holi — the Hindu festival of colours and spring renewal Holi Holi is a Hindu spring festival celebrated with coloured powders, bonfires, music and regional rituals. It marks the triumph of good over evil, social renewal and community celebra…

Holiday: definition, types, origins, and cultural importance Holiday Overview of holidays: definition and etymology, common types (religious, national, secular), examples, legal and cultural roles, and differences such as public holidays versus vaca…

Holiday in Cambodia (Dead Kennedys song) Holiday in Cambodia 1980 single by American hardcore punk band Dead Kennedys. A politically charged, satirical critique of Western privilege and authoritarian violence, noted for its stark cover image…

Holy Innocents' Day (Feast of the Holy Innocents) Holy Innocents' Day A Christian feast recalling the massacre of male infants in Bethlehem attributed to King Herod; observed December 28 in many Western churches with services, readings, and varied fo…

Holy Saturday Holy Saturday is the day between Good Friday and Easter, marked by solemn waiting, remembrance of Christ in the tomb, and preparation for the Easter Vigil and the celebration of th…

Holy Week: observances, history, and significance Holy Week Holy Week is the final week of Lent commemorating the Passion, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It includes Palm Sunday, the Paschal Triduum and leads to Easter, with divers…

Home for the Holidays (1995 film) Home for the Holidays (movie) A 1995 comedy-drama directed by Jodie Foster about a fraught family Thanksgiving gathering, notable for its long dinner sequence and improvisational performances, particularly by R…

Ides of March The Ides of March (15 March) was a marked day in the Roman calendar with religious rituals and legal deadlines; it is best known as the date of Julius Caesar’s assassination in 44…

Imbolc: Gaelic Festival Honoring Brigid and the Coming of Spring Imbolc Imbolc is a Gaelic seasonal festival on or about February 1 honoring Brigid. It marks returning light, lambing and household renewal; celebrated with candles, crosses, holy wells a…

Independence Day (India) — 15 August Independence Day (India) Annual national holiday marking India’s independence from British rule on 15 August 1947; observed with flag hoisting, parades, speeches and public ceremonies across the country.

Independence Day (Israel) Israel's national day marking the 1948 declaration of statehood, observed on 5 Iyar (Hebrew calendar) with public ceremonies, memorial rites, cultural events and national symbols.

Independence Day (United States) Overview, history, traditions, civic status, regional examples, and contemporary perspectives on the United States Independence Day (Fourth of July).

Independence Day of Bangladesh National holiday observed on March 26 commemorating Bangladesh's 1971 declaration of independence and the start of the Liberation War; observed with ceremonies, parades, cultural e…

Independence Day of Pakistan Observed on 14 August, Pakistan's Independence Day (Youm‑e‑Azadi) marks the country's emergence in 1947 following the end of British rule; it is celebrated with flag‑raising, cerem…

Independence Day of Ukraine Annual national holiday on August 24 marking Ukraine's 1991 Declaration of Independence, observed with official ceremonies, public festivities, and acts of remembrance across the c…

International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia Annual observance on May 17 to raise awareness of discrimination and violence against lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer people and to promote equality and respect.

International Women's Day Annual observance on March 8 recognizing women's achievements, highlighting inequalities, and promoting gender equality through events, campaigns, and varied national customs.

Jack-o'-lantern A carved lantern tradition using pumpkins or root vegetables, with origins in Irish folklore and wide modern cultural use during autumn and Halloween.

January — the first month of the year January January is the first month in the Julian and Gregorian calendars, with 31 days. It marks the start of the civil year in most countries and is associated with winter in the Northern…

January 1 — First day of the year in the Gregorian calendar January 1 January 1 is the civil start of the year in the Gregorian calendar. It is widely observed as New Year's Day with public holidays, cultural celebrations, and traditional rituals aro…

January 10 January 10 is the tenth day of the Gregorian year. This article outlines its calendar position, typical seasonal context, some notable historical events and births, and common obse…

January 12 January 12 is the 12th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. It marks various cultural observances, historical anniversaries, and sits near the middle of January's winter peri…

January 13 January 13 is the 13th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. It falls in mid-winter in the Northern Hemisphere and has religious, cultural and calendrical observances in vario…

January 14 — calendar date, observances, and cultural significance January 14 January 14 is the 14th day of the Gregorian year. It marks several cultural festivals and a liturgical New Year for communities that still use the Julian calendar.

January 15 January 15 is the 15th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. It is associated with historical events, cultural observances and calendar trivia including leap-year effects.

January 16 January 16 is the 16th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. This article explains its calendar position, seasonal context, notable observances and historically significant ev…

January 18 January 18 is the 18th day of the Gregorian year. It has seasonal, cultural, and historical significance, and is associated with Capricorn, garnet, and several notable events and b…

January 19 January 19 is the 19th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. It marks the end of the third week, has 346 days left (347 in leap years), and is associated with seasonal, cultur…

January 2 — calendar day, observances, and historical notes January 2 Second day of the year in the Gregorian calendar; common observances, historical background, and cultural significance across regions.

January 20 January 20 is the 20th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. It marks several seasonal and civic observances, most notably U.S. Presidential Inauguration Day in modern practic…

January 21 January 21 is the 21st day of the Gregorian year. It marks winter in the Northern Hemisphere and hosts historical events, observances such as Saint Agnes' feast and National Huggin…

January 23 — calendar date, history, and notable observances January 23 January 23 is the 23rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. This article explains its calendar position, typical seasonal context, historical events, observances and a few no…

January 24 January 24 is the 24th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. It has several historical milestones, notable births and deaths, and is observed by a few international and religi…

January 26 — calendar position, observances, and significance January 26 January 26 is the 26th day of the Gregorian year. It marks national observances such as India’s Republic Day and Australia Day; 339 days remain (340 in leap years).

January 27 January 27 is the 27th day of the Gregorian calendar year; notable for International Holocaust Remembrance Day and the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau.

January 28 The 28th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar, known for varied historical events, observances such as Data Privacy Day, and notable births and deaths including artist Jackson…

January 29 — day of the year in the Gregorian calendar January 29 January 29 is the 29th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. It falls in late January (Aquarius), with 336 days left (337 in leap years) and hosts various regional observances…