Ridvan: April 21 – May 2

Sunday, April 29th, 2012

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The 12-day festival Ridvan (Paradise) celebrates the founding of the Baha’i faith.

Korean Children’s Day: May 5

Wednesday, April 25th, 2012

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Children’s Day is a South Korean national holiday celebrating, you guessed right, children.

Vaisakhi (Bhaisakhi): April 14

Tuesday, April 10th, 2012

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Vaisakhi (also spelled Baisakhi) is a joyful festival celebrating the founding of the Sikh community known as the Khalsa.

Passover: April 6-April 14

Thursday, March 29th, 2012

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Passover is one of the most important holidays of the Jewish year.

Nowruz (Persian New Year): March 20

Tuesday, March 13th, 2012

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Nowruz, the Persian New Year, falls on the first day of spring of the solar calendar.

Holi: March 8

Saturday, March 3rd, 2012

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Holi is the Indian festival of colors. It is the celebration of the beginning of spring and represents rejuvenation and rebirth through all of the bright colors associated with the festival.

Ayyam-i-Ha: February 26-March 1

Thursday, February 16th, 2012

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Ayyam-i-Ha is a period of hospitality, charity, and gift-giving for Baha’is.

Imbolc: February 1-2

Saturday, January 28th, 2012

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Imbolc is a pagan holiday celebrated in Ireland and Scotland.

Lunar New Year: January 23, 2012

Monday, January 16th, 2012

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The Lunar New Year is the most celebrated holiday of the year across many Asian countries.

Three Kings Day: January 6

Thursday, December 29th, 2011

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Christmas is just one marker on the festive path through the holidays that culminates in Three Kings Day (El Dia de los Reyes Magos also known as Epiphany).

Hopi Winter Solstice (Soyal): December 22

Monday, December 12th, 2011

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December is the month where the kachinas, the spirits that guard over the Hopi, come down from their world at the winter solstice or Soyal. They remain with the people for the first half of year until the summer solstice.

St. Nicholas Day: December 6

Monday, November 14th, 2011

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St. Nicholas Day is a popular celebration for many children across Europe. St. Nicholas is the predecessor to Santa Claus and has a reputation for his generosity.

Eid al-Adha: November 7

Thursday, November 3rd, 2011

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Eid al-Adha (the Festival of Sacrifice) celebrates Ibrahim’s obedience to God in nearly sacrificing his son Ishmael.

Mexico’s Dia de los Muertos: November 1st

Wednesday, October 12th, 2011

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Mexico’s Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) is a well-known holiday that, despite its motif of death, is a celebration of the lives of loved ones who have passed away.

Germany’s Oktoberfest: September 17 – October 3

Tuesday, September 13th, 2011

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Although synonymous in the minds of many with sausage and beer, this family-friendly festival attracts over six million people annually.

Enkutatash (Ethiopian New Year): September 11

Tuesday, August 30th, 2011

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Enkutatash, the Ethiopian New Year, marks the end of the rainy reason and the beginning of the spring sunshine.

Ramadan: August 1st through 29th

Sunday, July 31st, 2011

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Ramadan is the largest month of celebration for Muslims.

The Festival of the Virgin of Carmen: July 16

Tuesday, June 28th, 2011

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Nestled in the Andean highlands, quiet Peruvian villages become teeming centers of dance, music, and merrymaking.

Mongolia’s Naadam Festival: July 11-13

Tuesday, June 28th, 2011

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Dating back to the times of Genghis Kahn, Naadam features fierce five-year-old horse racers, women archers and 512 hefty wrestlers.

Scandinavian Midsummer Festival: June 21

Wednesday, June 1st, 2011

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The Midsummer festival is a celebration of the Summer Solstice—the longest day of the year (June 21).

St. Jean Baptiste Day (Canada): June 24

Wednesday, June 1st, 2011

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Akin to the national holiday of Quebec, Saint Jean Baptiste Day is a celebration of Francophone culture in Canada.

Vesak (Wesak): May 13 (date varies)

Saturday, April 30th, 2011

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Vesak (also known as Wesak) commemorates the Buddha’s birth, enlightenment and death. Casually the holiday is often referred to as the “Buddha’s birthday.”

Easter: April 8

Thursday, March 31st, 2011

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While the deep religious significance of Easter is the same worldwide, the traditions of how Easter is celebrated vary.

Chinese New Year: February 3

Monday, January 31st, 2011

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The Chinese New Year is the most celebrated holiday of the year in China. It takes place on the first day of the first new moon after the winter solstice in the lunar calendar. Socially, it is a time for being with friends and relatives and the greater significance is of flushing out the old and welcoming in the new.

Japanese New Year: January 1st through January 3rd

Friday, December 31st, 2010

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The Japanese New Year, shogatsu, spans several days from December 31st to January 3rd. It is the most important holiday of the year in Japan.

Armenian Christmas: January 6

Friday, December 31st, 2010

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Armenian Christmas, also known as Theophany, is celebrated one day before the Orthodox Christmas. Although Armenia follows the Gregorian calendar, when the Romans changed the date of Christmas to December 25 in the fourth century, Armenians held to the original January 6th date.

Hanukkah: December 1

Tuesday, November 30th, 2010

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Hanukkah, meaning “dedication” in Hebrew, celebrates the re-dedication of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem after the Jews defeated the Seleucids (Syrian-Greeks).

Diwali: November 5th

Thursday, October 21st, 2010

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Diwali, the Festival of Lights, is one of the most vibrant and exciting Hindu celebrations.

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