Holidays
Events
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Midsummer, Sweden
Midsummer is one of the most important Swedish holidays. This celebration of the summer solstice includes dancing around maypoles, making flower wreaths, and vacationing in the countryside.
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Matariki
Matariki, also known as the Māori New Year, is a significant celebration in Aotearoa (New Zealand) marked by the appearance of the Pleiades star cluster. It is a time for Māori communities to come together, reflect on the past, celebrate new beginnings, and engage in cultural practices and festivities.
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Islamic New Year
The Islamic New Year marks the beginning of the Islamic lunar calendar year. It begins at the first sighting of the lunar crescent new moon in the month of Muharram.
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Ōmisoka, Japan
Ōmisoka —or ōtsugomori —is a Japanese traditional celebration on the last day of the year. It is customary for people to clean their homes, eat soba or udon noodles, and bathe at night to rid themselves of uncleanliness. Bells are struck 108 times to bring in the new year and lift people from suffering.
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New Year’s Day
New Year's Day on January 1 is celebrated by people around the world. It is a widely recognized and observed holiday in many countries and cultures. The celebration often includes…
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Shōgatsu, Japan
Shōgatsu, or Japanese New Year, is one of the most important holidays in Japan, celebrated from January 1–3 with family gatherings, traditional foods, and special customs. Activities include cleaning homes beforehand, decorating with kadomatsu (pine and bamboo arrangements), and visiting shrines to pray for good fortune in the coming year. It is a time for…
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Independence Day, Haiti
Haitian Independence Day is celebrated on January 1st to commemorate the day in 1804 when Haiti declared independence from French colonial rule, becoming the first independent Black republic in the…
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Orthodox Christmas
Orthodox Christmas, celebrated by many Eastern Orthodox Christians, follows the Julian calendar rather than the Gregorian calendar. It is a deeply spiritual holiday centered on church services, hymns, and fasting,…
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Martin Luther King Day
Martin Luther King Day is a federal holiday in the United States on the third Monday of January. It celebrates the life and accomplishments of Martin Luther King Jr. Related Post: Celebrate the Legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr. Through Song
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Burns Night
Burns Night is celebrated in Scotland to honor the life and contributions of the bard (poet) Robert Burns, born on January 25, 1759. Burns' best-known work is Auld Lang Syne.