Cultural and Religious Occasions of Significance
Included in this document of cultural occasions are explanatory comments about this document, a “Did You Know” list of cultural occasions and explanations of the significance of the occasions.
Here is a list, compiled by Ouida Crozier, of the many occasions of significance of varying cultural and religious backgrounds, and explanations in alphabetical order of the significance of each. Please read Ouida’s explanatory comments before using this information, which are below starting with “First.”
(Note: Dates are from 2014. Check your calendar for current year dates. I want to thank Ouida for updating this for so many years and wish her a happy retirement.)
DID YOU KNOW?
* indicates an observance that may require scheduling considerations.
That JANUARY 1st is New Year’s Day on the Gregorian calendar*
1st ends Kwanzaa, an African American celebration
6th is Epiphany, a Christian observance in Western and some Eastern traditions*
6th is Three Kings Day, a Latino Christian observance
7th is Orthodox Christmas for some Eastern Orthodox & Coptic Christians*
14th is Makar Sankrat, a Hindu festival
14th is New Year’s Day for some Eastern Orthodox Christians*
19th is Theophany, an observance in some Eastern Christian traditions*
20th is Martin Luther King Day, a U.S. celebration*
24th or 29th commemorates the Prophet Muhammad’s birthday in differing Muslim communities
31st begins the 3-day Lunar New Year celebration, marked by Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, and Tibetan cultures*
That FEBRUARY is African-American History Month
4th is Vasanta Panchami, a Hindu and Sikh festival
17th is President’s Day, a U.S. celebration*
28th is Maha Shivaratri, a Hindu observance
That MARCH is Women’s History Month
is Irish Heritage Month
3rd begins Great Lent for Eastern Orthodox Christian communities, a 40-day observance*
4th is Shrove Tuesday, beginning Mardi Gras in the U.S.
5th is Ash Wednesday, beginning Lent, a 40-day observance in Western Christian communities*
8th is International Women’s Day
15th, sundown, begins Purim, a Jewish celebration
16th is St. Urho’s Day, a Finnish celebration
17th is St. Patrick’s Day, an Irish celebration
17th is Holi, a Hindu and Sikh festival*
21st begins Naw Ruz, commencing the New Year for those who practice the Baha’i faith*
That APRIL is Thai Heritage Month
8th marks the Birth of Buddha
8th is Ramanavami, a Hindu celebration
13th begins the Buddhist New Year, known as Songkran in Thailand
13th begins the New Year in Laos and Sri Lanka
13th is Palm Sunday for Western Christians
13th is Palm Sunday for Eastern Christians
14th is Vaisakhi, celebrated by Sikhs and Hindus
14th, sundown, begins Passover, an 8-day Jewish observance*
17th is Maundy Thursday, a Western Christian observance
18th is Good Friday in Western Christian communities*
18th is Holy Friday in Eastern Christian communities*
20th is Easter in Western Christian communities*
20th is Easter in Eastern Christian communities*
20th, sundown, begins the Festival of Ridvan, a 12-day Baha’i celebration*
22nd, sundown, ends Passover, a Jewish observance
24th is Take our Daughters/Sons to Work Day in the U.S.
27th is Yom HaShoah, marking the Jewish holocaust
30th begins Beltane, a Celtic celebration
That MAY is Asian/Pacific Heritage Month
is American Indian Heritage Month in Minnesota
is Jewish Heritage Month
is Older Americans Month
2nd ends the Festival of Ridvan, a Baha’i observance
5th is Cinco de Mayo, a Mexican celebration
13th is Vesak, a Theravada Buddhist commemoration
17th is Syttende Mai, a Norwegian celebration of independence
19th is Malcolm X’s birthday, an African American commemoration
23rd is the Anniversary of the Declaration of the Bab, a Baha’i commemoration*
26th is Memorial Day, a U. S. commemoration*
27th marks the Ascension of Muhammad, an Islamic commemoration
29th is the Anniversary of the Ascension of Baha’u’llah, a Baha’i commemoration*
That JUNE is Gay/Lesbian/Bisexual/Transgender Pride Month
1st is Ascension Day, a Western Christian commemoration
3rd, sundown, begins Shavuot, a Jewish observance*
19th is Juneteenth, an African-American celebration
21st is the Summer Solstice
22nd is Svenskarnas Dag, a Swedish heritage celebration
23rd is St. John’s Eve, a Finnish celebration
26th is Somali Independence Day
28th, sundown, begins Ramadan, the Muslim Month of Fasting*
28th-29th is the GLBT Pride Festival in Minneapolis
That JULY 1st is Foundation of the Republic Day, a Somali commemoration
4th is the United States’ Independence Day celebration*
9th is the Anniversary of the Martyrdom of the Bab, a Baha’i commemoration*
14th is Bastille Day, a French celebration
22nd, sundown, begins Lailat ul-Qadar, a Muslim observance*
24th is Pioneer Day, a Latter Day Saints celebration
27th, sundown, begins Eid Al-Fitr, the end of Ramadan, a Muslim observance*
That AUGUST 15th is Assumption Day, A Western Christian commemoration*
26th is Women’s Equality Day in the United States
That SEPTEMBER is Deaf Awareness Month
1st is Labor Day in the United States*
11th is Enkutatash, Ethiopian and Coptic Christian New Year
15th begins Hispanic-Latino Heritage Month
16th is Mexican Independence Day
22nd begins National Deaf Awareness Week
24th, sundown, begins Rosh Hashanah, Jewish New Year*
26th continues Rosh Hashanah, a Jewish observance*
That OCTOBER is Gay & Lesbian History Month
is Disability Employment Awareness Month
is Polish Heritage Month
is German Heritage Month
is Italian American Heritage Month
3rd, sundown, begins Yom Kippur, Jewish Day of Atonement*
4th, sundown, begins Eid Al-Adha, a Muslim festival*
8th, sundown, begins Sukkot, an 8-day Jewish festival*
16th, sundown, begins Simchat Torah, a Jewish celebration
20th is the Anniversary of the Birth of the Bab, a Baha’i commemoration*
23rd begins Diwali, Hindu Festival of Lights and marking the Hindu New Year*
24th, sundown, begins Muharram and the Muslim New Year*
31st is Halloween or All Hallows’ Eve
31st is Samhain, beginning Celtic New Year
That NOVEMBER is American Indian Heritage Month
1st is All Saints or All Hallows’ Day, a Christian celebration*
1st is the Day of the Dead celebration in Mexico*
2nd is All Soul’s Day, a Christian remembrance
2nd, sundown, begins Ashura, a Muslim observance
11th is Veterans Day, a U.S. commemoration*
12th is the Anniversary of the Birth of Baha’u’llah, a Baha’i commemoration*
27th is Thanksgiving Day in the United States*
28th begins the New Year celebration for those of Hmong culture in the upper Midwest*
That DECEMBER is AIDS Awareness Month
1st is World AIDS Day
6th is St. Nicholas Day, a Christian observance*
8th is Bodhi Day, a Buddhist celebration
12th is the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, a Mexican celebration*
16th, sundown, begins Hanukkah, the 8-day Jewish Festival of Lights
21st is the Winter Solstice
24th, sundown, ends Hanukkah
25th is Christmas, a celebration in Western Christian communities*
26th begins Kwanzaa, an African-American celebration
31st is New Year’s Eve on the Gregorian calendar
Ouida’s Explanatory Comments about this Document
First, while people of Western European heritage are accustomed to fixed dates, as determined by the Gregorian calendaring system, other traditions in Eastern Europe, Asia, and Africa (to name only a few major regions) follow some type of lunar or ecclesiastical calendar, with days of observance linked to those calendars rather than to the Gregorian calendar. This means that the date of those celebrations will vary from year to year on the Gregorian calendar.
A notable example for those of us living in Minnesota with its large Somali population is of course related to the Muslim month of Ramadan. The Muslim calendar is a lunar calendar with only 354 days, and the beginning of the month of Ramadan moves forward on the Gregorian calendar (of 365 days) each year. For example, in 2004 it began at sundown with the sighting of the new moon around the Gregorian date of October 14th. In 2014, Ramadan began around the 28th of June, Gregorian.
Second, Jewish and Muslim calendars, in general, begin days of significance at sundown on the evening preceding the day of significance. (Note that many of the notations on the list referring to these occasions specify “beginning” on a certain date.)
Baha’i traditions, influenced by Muslim and ancient Zoroastrian calendars, also begin observances at sundown of the evening before the day of significance.
Thus, scheduling considerations may need to be observed not only for the day of the observance but also for the evening before it. The best rule to follow in taking this into consideration is simply to ask those involved in a decision about scheduling a meeting, interview, work, or any type of business event, whether or not there are any conflicts with possible dates, and include both day and evening times in the question. You might, for example, hold a meeting on the morning of the day that Rosh Hashannah begins, but would probably not want to schedule one for late afternoon or that evening, or for the first full day or two of Rosh Hashannah.
Third, some occasions of significance run for more than a 24 hour period. Ramadan, for example, is a month long period of fasting during daylight hours and adult Muslims in good health who are observing the fast will likely not even take water during daylight hours for this entire month. Rosh Hashannah is a 10-day period of observance; some Jews may, like some Christians at Lent, conduct religious activities during that entire period; others may attend religious activities during the first 24 or 48 hours of Rosh Hashannah, at Sabbath, and then again at Yom Kippur. Lent, observed by Christians around the world, is a 40-day period of self-denial — in purpose not unlike the 30 days of fasting observed by Muslims during Ramadan.
Fourth, this listing is not intended to be fully comprehensive. (If you want that, buy a commercial calendar or do your own research and compile your own calendar.) What we have tried to do with this listing since we began it about 20 years ago is to identify occasions of significance that would seem to have some relevance to our business practices at DHS: so this will include things that are Nice to Know as well as Federal/State Holidays and days requiring Scheduling Considerations.
I have tried to indicate the days requiring scheduling considerations on the calendar (with an asterisk); obviously, some of these overlap with federal/state holidays. It is also important to note that people of varying backgrounds may have differing opinions about which days require scheduling considerations. Where one Christian may believe that s/he must have time off from work on Ash Wednesday in order to attend religious services, another may recognize the Lenten season but not subscribe to a set of practices and beliefs that require that its start be observed at a given time or in a given way.
Fifth, some of the days requiring scheduling considerations are religious in nature and some are not — for example, the days of the Lunar (Chinese) New Year celebrated by many East Asian cultures are very important to observers of those cultural traditions, but do not have a basis in religious beliefs — rather they are extremely old and venerated cultural traditions. Supervisors and employees who use a calendar like this listing to assist in devising work schedules need to differentiate between days of significance that are tied to religious beliefs and practices and those that are not, while simultaneously maintaining respect for highly venerated cultural traditions.
One also needs to be aware of where religious beliefs and practices require a person to observe an event or day of significance during a fixed period of time; Catholic Christians, for example, have Holy Days of Obligation, but will typically have a number of choices for attending Mass to fulfil that obligation during a 24 hour period. Jews needing to attend a sundown service will likely not have a wide range of choices.
Obviously, the ideal situation would be that all employees could have time off to observe whatever traditions and days of significance are important to each of them. Where that is not possible, numerous factors must be weighed in making determinations about work schedules, including some of those mentioned here. This would also be an important place to remember individual differences, as noted above.
Sixth, in scheduling meetings or events that involve people from a wide variety of backgrounds, information about these days of cultural and religious significance can be important. Knowing, for example, that Yom Kippur occurs once a year should be reason enough to avoid scheduling a one-time event on that date. However, if an agency is planning a series of training sessions where each session is the same and there are enough sessions scheduled to allow anyone who would need to attend the training to find a session that suits his/her schedule, then there is no reason why a session could not be scheduled on Yom Kippur.
I hope you will find this information helpful and useful in the performance of your job duties. And if you find errors (unfortunately, I do make them), please let [Lila] know ASAP and [she] will correct them.
Originally compiled by Ouida Crozier, Coordinator for Diversity and Cultural Competency, Office for Equal Opportunity and Access, MN Department of Human Services. Revised by Lila Kelly 2015.
Explanations of the Significance of the Occasions
in alphabetic order and compiled from a variety of sources
African American/Black History Month
February is designated Black History Month in the U.S. It began as Negro History Week in 1926, established by Carter G. Woodson as a process for passing on information about how people of African ancestry had contributed to world history and to the history of the United States of America. Woodson chose the second week of February because two persons he felt had dramatically affected the lives of black Americans were born during that month: Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass. Renamed Black History Week in 1972, the observance was extended to become Black History Month in 1976. In 1983 the U.S. Congress established a national holiday in honor of civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. Both occasions promote knowledge and awareness of the contributions that people of African ancestry have made to human societies throughout history, and particularly to U.S. society.
AIDS Awareness Month and World AIDS Day
December 1st is World AIDS Day. Both were established to heighten awareness of the global epidemic of HIV and AIDS, and to provide a time to put forth information about the global epidemic as well as how one can prevent the spread or contraction of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus, which leads to Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. While HIV and AIDS were first identified in western countries, the virus has taken root in populated continents across the world and continues to spread and infect new victims.
All Saints Day/All Hallows’ Day
All Saints Day is observed by western Christians on November 1st, and by eastern Christians on the first Sunday after Pentecost. Having originated very early in the 7th century after Christ, it honors all the Christian saints. Originally, All Saints Day was celebrated in May; it was moved to November by Pope Gregory IV in the early ninth century after Christ. Exactly how this day is celebrated varies widely from one denomination to another. It has also been known as All Hallows’ Day (the day for those who are hallowed or sanctified).
All Souls Day
All Souls Day is observed by Catholic Christians on November 2nd and commemorates those who have departed this earthly life. The Office of the Dead is recited and a Mass held because it is believed that no one’s soul is perfectly cleansed when leaving the body and that prayers and intercessory actions can assist those souls in moving into heaven.
American Indian Heritage Month
Early in the twentieth century, Seneca nation member Dr. Arthur C. Parker spearheaded an effort to have one day set aside in the United States to recognize and celebrate the heritage of the indigenous peoples of the Americas. Reverend Sherman Coolidge, an Arapaho, and Red Fox James, a Blackfoot, carried on this effort during 1915. By 1920, several states were declaring a day each year to recognize native peoples. In 1990, the President designated November as National American Indian Heritage Month. Each year since then, the entire month of November has been utilized as an opportunity for Americans of all backgrounds to celebrate and educate about the heritage, history, art, and traditions of American Indian peoples.
American Indian Heritage Month (Minnesota)
American Indian Heritage Month in Minnesota is designated in recognition of the rich heritage of American Indian peoples living in Minnesota. There are seven Anishinaabe (Ojibwe) reservations and four Dakota (Sioux) communities in the state, both cultural groups having histories that go back more than a thousand years.
The Ascension of Baha’u’llah
After the death of the Bab, his disciple, Mirza Husayn-Ali — who came to be known as Baha’u’llah (the Glory of God) — continued to spread the teachings of the Bab, in spite of great peril to himself. Followers of the Bab were being tortured and put to death as infidels all over Persia. Eventually, Baha’u’llah was the only surviving leader of the Bab’s followers. He was imprisoned in 1852, but officials held back from executing him for fear it would spark nationwide riots. During this imprisonment, Baha’u’llah received a vision that he was the promised messenger of God. Released after surviving four months in prison and an attempt to kill him with poison, Baha’u’llah was banished from Tehran and chose to go into exile in Baghdad, where he was venerated as the Promised One of Shi’ih Islamic tradition. For many years, he taught and ministered in Persia and Kurdistan. In April of 1863, Baha’u’llah made a public declaration in Baghdad of his mission and proclaimed that there would be no other manifestations of God for 1,000 years. He traveled extensively — sometimes as a prisoner — in the middle east, declaring himself the Promised One and ministering to the imprisoned, the sick, and the needy. He spent the remainder of his life in service to the tenets of the Bab and wrote more than 100 texts that added to the religious doctrine of the Baha’i faith. He died on May 29, 1892 and is said to have ascended to heaven approximately eight hours after sunset.
Ascension of Christ/Ascension Day
Ascension Day — also known as Holy Thursday — occurs forty days after Easter and marks the time when Jesus the Christ ascended or was taken up into heaven. Biblical accounts differ on exactly when this occurred, and some people believe that Christ ascended to heaven shortly after his resurrection, marked today on Easter Sunday. Others believe that he continued his ministry for forty days after the resurrection and was then taken up. The ascension is also viewed in different ways — some seeing it as an act of the Son of God under his own power, others seeing it as God’s taking his son up into Heaven. The Feast of the Ascension is one of the most festive occasions in the Christian calendar and in some countries it is observed as a public holiday. Over time, celebrating the Feast of the Ascension on the fortieth day after Easter became the established custom, though some congregations conduct the actual celebration on the Sunday following Holy Thursday.
Ascension of Muhammad
Lailat al-Miraj — or Stairway to Heaven — celebrates the Night of Ascent, when 51 year old Prophet Muhammed was taken into heaven in a vision, and given divine knowledge. According to tradition, Muhammed fell asleep on a carpet in the home of his cousin. His sleep was broken by the voice of the Angel Gabriel, calling him to mount a winged horse and be carried through the sky. The horse bore Muhammed to Mt. Sinai, where the Ten Commandments were given to Moses, then to Bethlehem, where Jesus was born, and finally to heaven, where Muhammed met Adam, Noah, Enoch, Moses, Isaac, Elijah, and Jesus. Muhammed was told that he was the last prophet and that he would be the first to be raised up from his grave on Resurrection Day. To mark this occasion, homes and mosques may be decorated with lights, and the devout may stay up all night, praying and reading the Qur’an.
Ash Wednesday/Great Lent
This day marks the beginning of the Lenten season in Christian traditions. Lent is a forty-day period of penitence, self-denial, and self-examination, as well as a commemoration of the forty-day fast observed by Jesus before he began his ministry. The term Ash Wednesday comes from the custom of burning palm leaves — which heralded Jesus’ arrival in Jerusalem on Palm Sunday — and then using the ashes to make crosses on the foreheads of the penitents. Both eastern and western Christian churches observe Lent but they count the 40 days differently. The western church excludes Sundays (which is celebrated as the day of Christ’s resurrection) whereas the eastern church includes Sundays. The two branches of Christianity also start Lent on different days. Western churches begin Lent on the seventh Wednesday before Easter Day (Ash Wednesday), while Eastern churches begin Lent on the Monday of the seventh week before Easter and end it on the Friday nine days prior to Easter. Eastern churches call this period the Great Lent. Lent is an old English word meaning “to lengthen,” as it is observed in spring, when the days have begun to get longer.
Ashura
The tenth day of Muharram is known as Ashura (or Ashurah) and has many distinctive qualities. Allah is said to have created the heavens and the earth on this day, and to have given infinite blessings and bounties to many of the Prophets. Traditionally, on the ninth and tenth of Muharram, one should fast. If it is not possible to fast on both days, then every effort should be made to fast on the tenth day of Muharram, as there is great reward for this fast.
Ashura was a long-established day of fasting for Muslims when, in the seventh century A.D., a large group of dissenters who refused to submit to the current Caliph were killed on that day. Among them was the youngest grandson of the Prophet Muhammad, Husain. Husain chose this date for its cultural and religious significance in defying what he saw as an unjust rule by that Caliph. Husain and the others came to be regarded as martyrs for their faith by those who today are known as Shi’ite Muslims. The festival of Ashura now serves to remind the observant of the sacrifice of Husain and that he and those with him stood fast in the face of the challenges that the Caliph and his men represented. The killing of these people is also regarded as the seminal event where Sunni and Shi’ite Muslims split from one another.
Asian/Pacific Heritage Month
Asian/Pacific Heritage Month in the U.S. is set aside to recognize and celebrate the contributions that those of Asian and Pacific Islander heritage have made to the United States in particular and to human history in general. It began in 1977 when the Congress passed a resolution declaring the first ten days in May as Asian/Pacific Heritage Week. In 1990, President Bush designate May as Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. May was chosen to commemorate the immigration of the first Japanese to the U.S. in 1843. Today, many activities take place during May that honor Asian and Pacific Islander heritage.
Assumption Day
The Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Mary commemorates the departure of Mary, mother of Jesus the Christ, from her earthly life, and the assumption of her body into Heaven. Eastern Orthodox and Catholic Christians believe that Mary was borne up into heaven when she died. The Feast of the Assumption originated during the first century after Christ’s death, and its actual time of celebration has varied widely over the centuries. Today, it is celebrated on or beginning on August 15th; some Christian traditions carry the celebrations on for several days, because it is said that Mary’s body was taken into Heaven as much as fifteen days after her death.
Bastille Day
The Bastille was a fortress-like prison in Paris, built near the end of the 14th century. In succeeding centuries, it became a symbol of royal tyranny in France, especially as it was used during the 17th and 18th centuries for housing political dissidents. French citizens of every class and profession were arrested by secret order and imprisoned indefinitely in the Bastille without charges or trial. When the French Revolution broke out in 1789, the Bastille was taken by a mob assisted by rebellious royal troops. It was then destroyed by the public. The site today is an open square, le Place de la Bastille. July 14 is a national holiday in France, commemorating the freeing of the unfairly imprisoned and the destruction of the hated symbol of oppression. Many of French ancestry in the U.S. also mark Bastille Day as an important milestone in the fight for civil rights and for due process under the law.
Beltane
Beltane — or Beltaine, Bealtaine, Bealtuin — takes place midway between the vernal equinox (beginning of Spring) and the summer solstice (Midsummer) and marks the arrival of summer for Celtic peoples. At Beltane, the Pleiades star cluster rises just before sunrise. Beltane, and its fall counterpart, Samhain, divide the year in half, and was considered a time of “no time” by the ancients who believed that the barrier between the worlds of Life and Death was very thin during this occasion, allowing all sorts of magic other-worldly occurrences. Beltane represents the time when the sun is released from the bondage of winter and is able to rule over the time of light and life (the summer season in the northern hemisphere). Beltane means “bright fire” and was celebrated by the lighting of hilltop fires on May Eve. That and many other traditions grew up in the British Isles around Beltane and May Day and the celebration of the renewal of life after the long winter months. It continues to be celebrated by non-Christian peoples who are heir to these traditions.
Birth of the Bab
On October 20th each year, the Birth of the Bab is observed by Baha’is around the world, one of nine holy days in the Baha’i faith on which work is suspended. The Bab was a direct descendant of the Prophet Muhammad and, by all accounts, an extraordinary child. He is often referred to as the Herald of the Baha’i faith, because it was the Bab’s mission to prepare the way for Baha’u’llah, the founder of the Baha’i faith. Like John the Baptist nearly 2,000 years earlier, the Bab called upon the people to purify themselves for the coming of the day of God. Unlike John, however, he founded an independent religion and claimed equal station with the likes of Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad. Baha’is view the Bab and Baha’u’llah both as “Manifestations of God,” even though by the Bab’s own testimony his mission was subordinate to Baha’u’llah’s. There is no prescribed way for marking the occasion of his birth, and each Baha’i community and family is free to celebrate this occasion as they choose. Celebrations typically include prayer, music, and feasting.
Birth of Baha’u’llah
On November 12th each year, the Birth of Baha’u’llah is observed by Baha’is around the world, one of nine holy days in the Baha’i faith on which work is suspended. Baha’u’llah, the Prophet and Founder of Baha’i, was born in Tehran (in present day Iran) in 1817. Baha’u’llah, meaning “the glory of God,” proclaimed himself to be God’s messenger and divine teacher who would fulfill the promises of other religions. As the bearer of revelations from God that would address humanity’s present-day needs, he declared that these revelations would unite the peoples of the world. Each Baha’i community and family is free to celebrate this occasion as they choose, but celebrations typically include prayer, music, feasting, and telling of stories of Baha’u’llah’s childhood and youth.
The Birth of Buddha
It is believed that Buddha was born on April 8th in 563 B.C. in what is today southwestern Nepal. There are many legends surrounding his birth — that he was conceived by a god and born of a woman, for example — but it is known that his mother died early in his life and that he was a son of a prince. He became a religious monk at age 29, and traveled and studied in India before attaining enlightenment. At that point, he became known as Buddha, meaning “enlightened one.” Today his birth is celebrated by millions of people around the world, for his insights and philosophy became the basis for a major world religion. The actual celebration of his birth varies from one country and one Buddhist tradition to another, but in each case Buddhists are celebrating the birth of their religion’s founder.
Bodhi Day
Born in mid-sixth century B.C., Siddhartha Gautama — later known as Gautama Buddha — was prince of the Shakya clan in what is present-day Nepal. At age 29, he left his home and possessions in search of the meaning of life. After six years of rigorous discipline and asceticism under the guidance of a number of spiritual teachers, he had not found what he sought. According to tradition, while traveling with fellow seekers, he went off by himself, broke his fast, and sat down under a Bodhi tree, vowing not to rise until he understood. He sat, day and night, through a week, and on the eighth morning came to a realization of the basic principles of what has come to be known as Buddhism. Bodhi Day — usually observed on December 8th — is the date, according to Mahayana Buddhist tradition, of Gautama Buddha’s realization of the Four Noble Truths that are the foundation of Buddhism. From this date forward, Gautama was referred to as the Enlightened One and he spent nearly half a century living amongst the common people of India and teaching his vision to people from all walks of life, thus founding a major world religion that has shaped the lives of millions of human beings for nearly 2,500 years.
Buddhist New Year
Buddhist New Year is the traditional new year celebration of Buddhists and is now fixed on the Gregorian calendar. It goes by many different names, depending on local custom, and is a public holiday in countries that are largely Buddhist. It is celebrated at about the same time (perhaps a day later or earlier) in Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia, and parts of Indonesia. Songkran, as it is known in Thailand, is celebrated during the hottest time of the year in Thailand; Songkran is also known as the Water Festival when people douse one another with water, symbolically washing away bad luck and refreshing one for the coming year. At temples, images of Buddha are bathed and monks receive special foods.
Christmas
Christmas has been celebrated since about the fourth century A.D. as the birth of the Christ child by observant Christians. It is celebrated by Roman Catholic and Protestant Christians on December 25th on the Gregorian calendar. Many Eastern Orthodox Churches observe a somewhat different ecclesiastical calendar, which results in the celebration of Christ’s birth — and the New Year — at a slightly different time of the year. Many Orthodox churches celebrate Christmas on January 7th on the Gregorian calendar. The term Christmas comes from Christ’s Mass. Christmas is also a national holiday in the United States, where many other traditions have grown up around the original religious holiday, such as Christmas trees and holiday lights, mistletoe and other decorations, the sending of holiday cards, and the giving of gifts.
Cinco de Mayo
Known as Dia de la Batalla de Puebla in Mexico, Cinco de Mayo (fifth of May) commemorates the victory of the Mexican militia over French invaders at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862. France invaded the Gulf coast of Mexico and began to march toward Mexico City. Although United States President Abraham Lincoln was sympathetic to Mexico’s cause — for which he is honored in Mexico — the U.S. was involved in its own Civil War at the time and was unable to provide any direct assistance. In the U.S., Cinco de Mayo has become a day for those of Mexican ancestry to celebrate their cultural heritage and ceremonies, and speeches, festivals, dances, and parades in recognition of this heritage and this event are common in communities with significant populations of Mexican Americans. In Mexico, it remains primarily a regional holiday celebrated in the capital city of the Mexican state of Puebla and throughout the state of Puebla, but it is also celebrated in other parts of the country.
Dia de Muertos/Day of the Dead
The Dia de Muertos — literally, “Day of the Dead” — celebration in Mexico begins on November 1st (All Saints Day) and typically runs over to All Souls Day on November 2nd. These two days are celebrated with a wide variety of customs that reflect a hybridization of the two Catholic Christian holy days and the various indigenous practices that have been incorporated from each region of Mexico over the centuries since Christianity was introduced. Common to all are colorful adornments and lively reunions at family burial plots, along with the preparation of special foods, offerings laid out for the departed on commemorative altars, and religious rites that also include fireworks. In most localities, November 1st is set aside for remembrance of deceased infants and children (angelitos) and November 2nd honors those who have died as adults. It is believed that the roots of remembering the dead for Mexicans goes back to the Aztec celebration honoring Mictecacihuatl, “Lady of the Dead.”
Deaf Awareness Month
September is Deaf Awareness Month in Minnesota. This designation provides an opportunity to become more aware of the issues facing deaf and hard of hearing Minnesotans, as well as for taking note of the many contributions that deaf Americans have made to U. S. society.
Declaration of the Bab
Born in 1819 in Shiraz, Persia, Siyyid Ali-Muhammad came to be known as the Bab, or “the Gate,” after he declared to a disciple on the eve of May 23, 1844, that he was the Promised One of Islam and his mission was to prepare the way for another Prophet of God, “Him whom God shall make manifest.” In December of 1844, he stood at the Kabbah, the holiest shrine of Islam, and declared three times in the presence of thousands of pilgrims that he was the Promised One awaited by Shi’ih Muslims. Following this, he was condemned by the Shah as an unbeliever but he continued to spread his teachings, even when imprisoned. In 1848, one of the Bab’s followers, Mirza Husayn-Ali, organized a conference at which it became clear for the first time to the followers of the Bab’s teachings that these teachings constituted a new faith, separate and apart from Islam. The faithful of Islam persecuted and tortured the followers of the Bab, executing hundreds over a two year period. When efforts were made to execute the Bab himself, he was said to have vanished only to appear later, completing the dictation of his final teachings. He was killed then and years later his body was entombed at the Shrine of the Bab on the slope of Mt. Carmel, in Israel. At his death in 1850, his teachings had already spread throughout present-day Iran and Iraq. Husayn-Ali — who came to be known as Baha’u’llah, the Glory of God — continued the Bab’s teachings after his death.
Disability Employment Awareness Month
Disability Employment Awareness Month is observed every year in the U. S. in October. It provides an opportunity to recognize the contributions that people with disabilities have made to the culture and society of the United States of America, and also allows for time to focus more specifically on working with disabled employees and on making the workplace accessible to all employees.
Diwali
Diwali is the Hindu Festival of Lights. In ancient Hindu beliefs, this celebration marked the victory of good over evil and of light over darkness, as well as the return of Rama and Sita. Today, Diwali is celebrated in many parts of the world that have been influenced by Hindu culture and tradition. It is a time for family reunion, for making sweets, for fireworks, and for the lighting of lamps and candles. It also marks the beginning of the Hindu new year. The actual date(s) on which Diwali is celebrated varies from year to year. In the Unites States, the Diwali celebration may only last for a day. In India and other places observing more traditional cultural practices, the celebration is a five-day event.
Easter
Modern-day Easter is derived from at least two ancient sources of tradition: one, Judeo-Christian and the other, pagan. For millennia, peoples throughout the world have celebrated death and resurrection themes on or after the spring equinox. Most religious historians believe that many elements of the Christian observance of Easter were derived from or integrated with earlier Western European pagan celebrations. The equinox occurs each year between March 20th and 22nd. Wiccans and other Neopagans usually hold their celebrations on the day or eve of the equinox. Christians wait until after the next full moon, which is why the date for Easter can vary so widely from year to year.
The Christian celebration of Easter is a celebration of the resurrection of Jesus the Christ on the third day following his death. The day commemorating Jesus’ death is a Friday, known to Christians as Holy Friday or Good Friday; Easter is celebrated the Sunday following Good Friday. The basic tenets of Christianity hold that Jesus was the son of God, that he was sacrificed for all who believe(d) in him, and that his resurrection guarantees eternal life in heaven to those believers, which is why this religious holiday holds such significance for observant Christians.
Eid Al-Adha
Also known as Id al-Adha, this occasion is the Islamic Feast of Sacrifice, honoring Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice one of his sons (Ishmael, according to Muslims) in obedience to God. In reward for this obedience, God is said to have interceded and replaced the son with a ram. This is a happy holiday where children are given gifts and special foods are eaten. In many African countries, the occasion is marked with great feasts. The day occurs during the twelfth month of the Islamic calendar, which is the season of the Haj or pilgrimage to Mecca. It is important to note that Islamic festivals are occasions of thanksgiving, joy, and happiness observed with devotion and to seek the pleasure of Allah. Observation begins at sundown of the day before.
Eid Al-Fitr
Also known as Id al-Fitr, this occasion marks the end of Ramadan, the holy Muslim month of fasting. In the same way that Christians fast during the Lenten season to absolve sins, Muslims keep the fast during Ramadan to atone for sins. This fast is broken with rejoicing. The Eid is celebrated with gifts, family gatherings and parties, street carnivals, new clothing, and feasting. Literally “the little feast,” Eid Al-Fitr differs from “the great feast,” Eid Al-Adha, which takes place at the end of the Hajj. Nonetheless, in many parts of the world, the feasting can last for several days and the social time is used for scheduling marriages. Observation begins at sundown of the day before.
Enkutatash (Ethiopian New Year)
Enkutatash means the “gift of jewels.” Tradition says that, when the famous Queen of Sheba returned from her expensive jaunt to visit King Solomon in Jerusalem, her chiefs welcomed her by replenishing her treasury with inku or jewels. This festival has been celebrated since these early times and, as the summer rains come to an abrupt end, dancing and singing can be heard at every village in the green countryside. Enkutatash is also the season for exchanging formal new year greetings and cards among the urban sophisticated — in lieu of the traditional bouquet of flowers.
Epiphany
Epiphany is the 12th day of Christmas and celebrated by Christians around the world, with different emphases. Western Christians mark it as a commemoration of the coming of the Magi or Wise Men, who are said to have brought gifts to the newborn Christ. Eastern Christians celebrate Epiphany as a high holy day which commemorates the baptism of Jesus and is also referred to as the Feast of Theophany, meaning “divine manifestation” or “God shining forth.” Latino Christians celebrate Epiphany as Three Kings Day, giving it a more cultural flavor.
Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe
The Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe takes place in Mexico on December 12th of each year. It commemorates the traditional accounts of the Virgin of Guadalupe’s appearance to a native man, asking that a church be built on the site where she appeared. Several miracles are associated with this appearance, which took place between December 9th and December 12th, in 1531, and for nearly five centuries she has been revered by Mexican peoples as the most important religious figure in Mexico. The novelist Carlos Fuentes is quoted as having said that “one may no longer consider himself a Christian, but you cannot be truly considered a Mexican unless you believe in the Virgin of Guadalupe.” She has symbolized Mexico since its war for independence, in the early 1800s, and is today generally recognized culturally as a symbol of all Mexicans. Her feast is celebrated in the U.S. by people of Mexican ancestry as a way of honoring their cultural and religious traditions.
Festival of Ridvan
The Festival of Ridvan is a twelve-day celebration commemorating Baha’u’llah’s stay in the Najibiyyih Garden in Baghdad and his subsequent departure from Baghdad in 1863. The name Ridvan means “paradise” or “good pleasure.” During this time, Baha’u’llah declared his mission as God’s messenger or prophet, the Promised One heralded by the Bab. The first, ninth, and twelfth days are considered holy by those of the Baha’i faith, and work should be suspended. The observance actually begins at sundown on the 20th of April, and runs through sundown on May 2.
Gay & Lesbian History Month
Gay & Lesbian History Month is observed in the U.S. in October every year. It sets aside time to recognize history of the sexual minorities community and the contributions that members of this community have made to the culture and society of the United States of America.
GLBT Pride Festival
The Stonewall riots in late June of 1969 were ultimately the birth of the modern lesbian and gay rights movement. What began as a routine early-morning raid on the Stonewall Inn in Greenwich Village on June 28, 1969, turned into a brawl between New York City police, the bar’s patrons, and bystanders. The skirmish sparked five days of rioting in which police ultimately overcame the citizens whom they were fighting. But a change had been initiated in the ongoing weave of the social fabric. Today, the period of the Stonewall riots is celebrated as a time when gay men and lesbian women came together and began to fight for their rights as human beings in a society which has oppressed them. Around the world, festivals of pride are held — typically in late June or early July — celebrating and commemorating the history of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered individuals and their many contributions to human societies around the world.
GLBT Pride Month
The month of June recognizes the contributions to human society made by individuals who are Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, or Transgendered, and celebrates this community’s heritage. June was selected as Pride Month because the Stonewall Riots, which denote the beginning of the modern L/G/B/T civil rights movement, occurred in June. In the early hours of the morning of June 28, 1969, a police raid on a bar in Greenwich Village in New York City that was patronized by gay and lesbian customers sparked five days of rioting in the Village. Although the police eventually prevailed over the rioting citizenry, the event mobilized hundreds of people in the sexual minorities community to begin fighting for their civil rights.
German Heritage Month
German Heritage Month is observed in some states in October every year. It recognizes the contributions that people of German heritage have made to the culture and society.
Good Friday/Holy Friday
Also known as Holy Friday, this day marks the culmination of the season of Lent for Christians and commemorates the crucifixion of Jesus the Christ. There are many terms in a variety of languages that have historically been used to refer to this day, and it isn’t entirely clear how it came to be called “Good” Friday. But, as it stands today, it is a holy day for Christians who commemorate the death of Jesus. Christians approach this commemoration with knowledge of/belief in the resurrection of Jesus on the Sunday following his death, and so there is an element of thankfulness for that resurrection in the marking of his death. As with other major religious observances in Christianity, Holy Friday is marked at different times by Eastern and Western Christians, because these two major groups of Christianity use different calendars.
Halloween/All Hallows’ Eve
The origins of Halloween go back more than 2,000 years to the ancient Celts, who at that time were living in the British Isles and western Europe. October 31st was the end of the year in the Celtic tradition, and was known as Samhain. Samhain was a new year’s eve festival honoring the dead, whose spirits, it was believed, roamed the earth and mingled with the living during this auspicious time. To appease these wandering spirits, the Druid priests lit bonfires, made sacrifices, cast spells, and wore masks to confuse the dead. When the Romans conquered the Celts, they brought their own traditions honoring the goddess of orchards, Pomona. In the early 9th century after Christ, Pope Gregory IV changed the Christian celebration for martyrs (all of whom were, later, saints) from May 13th to November 1st. Thus, All Saints Day — also known as All Hallows’ Day — is celebrated on November 1st by western Christians. All Souls Day, added more than a century later, is November 2nd. These two occasions help celebrants to remember those who have died, whether they are saints or not. The night before All Saints Day (October 31st) came to be known as All Hallows’ Eve (“holy evening”) — and this eventually metamorphosed into Halloween. Traditions around Halloween were brought to the U.S. with immigrants from the British Isles, with an emphasis on celebrating the harvest through bobbing for apples and eating popped corn. The tradition of the Jack o’ Lantern evolved from the original bonfires lit to keep the wandering spirits at bay, and the costumes that people wear evolved from the masks meant to confuse those spirits.
Hanukkah/Chanuka
Hanukkah, or Chanukah, as it is often spelled, is known as the Festival of Lights, the Feast of Consecration, or the Feast of the Maccabees, on the Jewish semi-lunar calendar. It commemorates the rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem after a struggle for independence from Syria in the second century before Christ. According to tradition, it was instituted by Judas Maccabeus and his brothers in 165 B.C. to celebrate the dedication of the new altar in the Temple at Jerusalem. Hanukkah later came to be linked with a miraculous cruse of oil that burned for eight days, leading to the practice of lighting special candles, one the first evening, two the second, and so on until all eight are lit on the last evening. The menorah, a branched candlestick, is used in the ceremony and is a frequent symbol for the holiday. Because Judaism uses a semi-lunar calendar, the actual dates of Hanukkah vary from year to year. Observation begins at sundown of the day before the first day of Hanukkah.
Hispanic-Latino Heritage Month
Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated in the U.S. from September 15th through October 15th every year. It encompasses a number of historical commemorations, and recognizes the contributions of people of Hispanic heritage to the culture and society of the United States of America. September 15th marks Independence Day for Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua. September 16th is Mexican Independence Day. El Dia de la Raza is celebrated on October 12th, commemorating the arrival of Christopher Columbus in the Americas.
Hispanic Heritage Month also seeks to raise awareness and increase knowledge of the many cultures that were influenced by Spain and Spanish culture during the era of Spanish colonialism. While the areas known today as Mexico, Central America, and South America typically come to mind when one thinks of cultures influenced by the Spanish, it is important to remember that cultures in the Caribbean, along with Filipino culture in the Pacific, were also heavily impacted by Spanish colonial expansion.
Hmong New Year
Hmong New Year has been traditionally celebrated at the end of the harvest season, which varies from year to year. In Asia, each community plans its celebration with other nearby communities to allow time for people to get together and exchange news about the year just passed. It is also a time of feasting and dancing, and the occasion for young men and women to meet and conduct the traditional ball-toss. These social activities are often followed by proposals of marriage and by negotiations between the families of the prospective bride and groom. In the upper Midwest, newly established Hmong communities initially selected the weekend after Thanksgiving to celebrate the New Year. Now that those communities have grown so large, other weekends have also been designated to allow for travel and opportunities to visit one another, just as was true in Asia. In the Twin Cities, Hmong New Year celebrations take place anywhere from Thanksgiving weekend to the end of December.
Holi
This is the Hindu and Sikh festival of Spring. Amongst India’s innumerable festivals, Holi ranks as the most colorful. Not only does it celebrate the arrival of spring, it also marks the death of the demoness Holika and celebrates the victory of good over evil. It is a celebration of joy and hope. Holi provides a refreshing respite from the mundane as people from all walks of life enjoy themselves. In a tight knit community, it also provides a good excuse for letting off some steam and settling old scores, without causing physical injury. During the morning, colorful powders and water are thrown at passersby, and then in the afternoon people relax in a river or bath. Holi continues to be celebrated with great vigor throughout India, and Indians all over the world eagerly await the Festival of Colors, as bonfires are lit to banish the cold dark nights of winter and usher in warmer spring. Dhuleti, the day after Holi, is the actual festival of colors, when everything in sight is covered in a riot of colors.
Independence Day/Fourth of July
Independence Day is a national holiday in the United States commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776. Declared a legal holiday in 1941, “The Fourth” is celebrated with parades, pageantry, speeches, music, and fireworks. Typically families gather for picnics and other family outings — such as boating, swimming, and other summer sports. Today it is an occasion for citizens to reflect on their patriotism and the benefits obtained from living in a democratic nation.
International Women’s Day
Originally known as International Working Women’s Day, March 8th marks the 1857 revolt of U.S. women in New York City in protest of the horrible working conditions in the textile and garment industries. Established in 1910 by the International Conference of Women as an opportunity to acknowledge the contributions women have made to society, this day of recognition has been adopted by many nations throughout the world. In Russia, it is an important holiday in remembrance of the women who participated in the 1917 protests that ultimately led to the Russian revolution, as well as an opportunity to appreciate the women in one’s own life.
Irish Heritage Month
Celebrated by proclamation in most states across the U.S., Irish Heritage Month — which includes the national Irish holiday, St. Patrick’s Day — is a time for recognizing and celebrating the many contributions that people of Irish heritage have made to the United States of America, during both the colonial and national periods of its history.
Italian American Heritage Month
Recognition of the many achievements, contributions, and successes of Americans of Italian descent as well as Italians in America.
Jewish American Heritage Month
Established in 2006 to call attention to 350 years of contributions by Jewish Americans to U.S. history and society, the month of May was chosen due to the highly successful celebration of the 350th Anniversary of American Jewish History in May 2004, which was organized by the Commission for Commemorating 350 Years of American Jewish History. A variety of activities across the country are planned each year by the Jewish American Heritage Month Coalition, formed in 2007.
Juneteenth
The nineteenth of June commemorates that date in 1865 when the message of the emancipation of all slaves in the United States finally reached the slaves in Texas. Union forces landed at Galveston with the news that the Civil War had ended and that slaves had been freed as of January 1, 1863. Recounting the memories of that day in 1865 led to festivities in celebration of it, and over time the celebration spread to succeeding generations. Juneteenth celebrations are a time for family gatherings, for prayer, for outdoor activities like fishing, games, and barbequing, and for educational and commemorative events. Many of the traditions of Juneteenth go back to the original newly-emancipated African Americans and are symbolic of experiences that were prohibited to them while held in slavery — such as dressing up or eating barbeque. The popularity of the celebration waxed and waned over the century after 1865, but following the civil rights movement in the United States of the 1950s and ’60s, African Americans initiated Juneteenth celebrations in communities across the U.S. In 1980, Juneteenth became an official state holiday in Texas, and in states all across the U.S., African Americans observe Juneteenth as a recognition and celebration of their heritage and of their many contributions to the United States of America.
Kwanzaa
Kwanzaa, or “celebration of the first fruits of the harvest” in Swahili, is an African American cultural celebration that runs from December 26th through January 1st each year. The celebration was originated in 1966 by a professor who wanted to see a special time set aside in the year for African Americans to reflect upon their heritage and to recommit themselves to working together for better lives for their families, communities, and all of humanity. Its rituals are based in principles and concepts derived from both traditional and modern African societies — such as unity, self-determination, collective work and responsibility — and the descriptive language for these concepts comes from the Swahili language of Africa.
Labor Day
Labor Day in the United States began over 100 years ago. Conceived during the 1880s by workers in many states as a recognition of their contributions to building the United States of America, the legislation sanctioning the occasion nationally was shepherded through Congress in 1894 and it became a legal holiday. Today U.S. citizens and those in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands mark Labor Day on the first Monday of September. Canada has also adopted this holiday and celebrates simultaneously
Lailat ul-Qadar
According to the Qur’an, Lailat ul-Qadar — or Shab Qadar — is the night in which the revelation of the Qur’an was initiated. It translates as “the night of manifestation of a new world.” Since the Qur’an’s revelation was begun during the month of Ramadan, this occasion is now celebrated or observed during the last ten days of Ramadan. By tradition, it has become a time for prayer and purification of the soul and the self. Observation begins at sundown.
Laotian and Sri Lankan New Years
In both Laos and Sri Lanka, many celebrations are determined by either a Buddhist or a Hindu calendar. The Laotian New Year is celebrated in April and is known as the Boon Pee Mai or Pi Mai — meaning the festival of the fifth month. This is a time of great feasting and it lasts three to seven days. Houses are cleaned on the last day of the old year and put in order. This rids the house of bad spirits. On the first day of the new year, people go to temple and wash the statues of Buddha with perfumed holy water. They pray for good health and prosperity in the new year. For the remaining days of the festival, Laotians sing, dance, and enjoy special foods. Animals in captivity are released to ensure good luck.
The Sri Lankan New Year is the most important date on the Sri Lankan cultural calendar. Traditionally, this is a harvest festival, with rice prepared from the new crop. A grand feast is held, houses are cleaned and painted, and people visit with family and friends and play games. On the night before the new year, no food is prepared and there are no fires or lights.
Lunar or Chinese New Year
Chinese or Lunar New Year is celebrated by those of Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, and Tibetan cultures. The Chinese method of reckoning the passage of time is based on a modified solar year combined into major cycles of 60 years with minor cycles of five years. The actual date of Chinese New Year — known as Tet in Vietnam — varies from year to year on the Gregorian calendar. It is determined by the occurrence of the second new moon after the winter solstice and will always occur between January 21st and February 19th (Gregorian dates). Each year is paired with an animal, in cycles of 12 years. For example, the Year of the Horse — Chinese year 4700 — began on February 12th, 2002, on the Gregorian calendar.
Maha Shivarathri
Also known as Maha Shivratri, this is a solemn festival devoted to the worship of one of the most powerful deities in the Hindu pantheon, Shiva. The purely religious festival takes place on the 14th night of the new moon during the dark half of the month of Phalguna. Devotees of Shiva fast during the day and maintain a long vigil during the night. In temples across India, bells ring, sacred texts are chanted, and traditional offerings of leaves and milk are made to Shiva.
Makar Sankrat/Makara Sankranthi
Also known as Pongal in the South of India, this Hindu celebration marks the beginning of the harvest season and the change of seasons from winter to spring. People celebrate by wearing new clothing and visiting friends and neighbors. Gifts are also exchanged. Held on the 14th or 15th of January each year, it also includes sacred rites that are performed to please the gods of harvests and goodwill. Cows are an important part of Indian life — integral to agriculture and farming — and they are worshiped and fed special treats on this day.
Malcolm X’s Birthday
Born Malcolm Little on May 19th, 1925, in Nebraska, and the son of a Baptist minister, Malcolm X was heavily influenced by his father’s position on the social and economic independence of black peoples in the United States and his support of Marcus Garvey’s “Back to Africa” movement. Reverend Little was murdered in 1931, devastating Malcolm’s family and leading to Malcolm’s eventual imprisonment. While in prison, Malcolm continued his education and developed an interest in the Nation of Islam, a black nationalist movement advocating Marcus Garvey’s position and based loosely on traditional Islamic teachings. When Malcolm was released from prison in 1952, he jettisoned his slave name, Little, adopted the surname “X,” and joined the National of Islam, subsequently rising rapidly through its ranks to a position of leadership. In 1964, however, Malcolm broke with the Nation of Islam, forming his own movement. Then, following a pilgrimage to Mecca, Malcolm adopted a religious name, El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz, rejected the militancy of the Nation of Islam, and embraced the teachings of Sunni Islam. He began to advocate a political response to racism and encouraged interracial collaborations to end racism in U.S. society. Malcolm was assassinated in 1965. His beliefs ultimately reached a broader audience with the posthumous publication of his book, The Autobiography of Malcolm X, written in collaboration with Alex Haley. Malcolm X is revered today by people of widely varying perspectives.
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
This day honors the civil rights leader the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Born in 1929, the clergyman and Nobel Prize winner was one of the principal leaders of the American civil rights movement and a prominent advocate of nonviolent protest. King’s challenges to segregation and racial discrimination in the 1950s and 1960s helped convince many white Americans to support the cause of civil rights in the United States. Following his assassination in 1968, King became a symbol of protest in the struggle for racial justice. Designated by the Congress of the United States in 1983 as a national holiday, and observed on the third Monday in January, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day falls on or near King’s birthday of January 15.
Martyrdom of the Bab
On July 9th each year, the Martyrdom of the Bab is observed by Baha’is around the world, one of nine holy days in the Baha’i faith on which work is suspended. Born in 1819 in Shiraz, Persia, Siyyid Ali-Muhammad came to be known as the Bab, or “the Gate,” after he declared to a disciple in 1844, that he was the Promised One of Islam and his mission was to prepare the way for another Prophet of God. He was condemned by the Shah as an unbeliever but he continued to spread his teachings, even when imprisoned. The faithful of Islam persecuted and tortured the followers of the Bab, executing hundreds. When efforts were made to execute the Bab himself, he was said to have vanished only to appear later, completing the dictation of his final teachings. He was killed then and years later his body was entombed at the Shrine of the Bab on the slope of Mt. Carmel, in Israel. At his death in 1850, his teachings had already spread throughout present-day Iran and Iraq. The prophesied one, Husayn-Ali — who came to be known as Baha’u’llah, the Glory of God — continued the Bab’s teachings after his death.
Maundy Thursday
The feast of Maundy Thursday is celebrated by Catholic and other Christians around the world. It commemorates the institution of Communion or the Eucharist. “Maundy” comes from the Latin word mandatum, meaning “commandment,” and is derived from the words that Jesus is said to have spoken at the Last Supper/Passover meal, when he performed the first Communion, told his followers to practice the ritual, and commanded that human beings love one another. It has likely been observed as a holy day since the fourth century after Christ.
Memorial Day
Memorial Day is a national legal holiday — observed annually on the last Monday in May in most states in the United States — in honor of the nation’s armed services personnel killed in wartime. The holiday, originally called Decoration Day, is traditionally marked by parades, memorial speeches and ceremonies, and the decoration of graves with flowers and flags, hence the original name. Memorial Day was first observed on May 30, 1868, on the order of General John Alexander Logan for the purpose of decorating the graves of the American Civil War dead. It was observed on May 30 until 1971, when most states changed to a newly established federal schedule of holiday observance that puts it on the last Monday in May. More than 41 million men and women have served in the Armed Forces of the United States and over a million have died defending it. On Memorial Day we pause to remember those who have made the ultimate sacrifice so that citizens of the United States of America can remain free.
Mexican Independence Day
Mexican Independence Day, September 16th, is the culmination of the Fiesta Patrias, a festival celebrating Mexico’s independence from Spain. Each year, at 11:00 p.m. on the night of September 15th, a re-enactment of Father Miguel Hidalgo y Costillo’s call to revolution and the freeing of the Mexican peoples from the rule of Spain takes place. Father Hidalgo’s call, known as the Grito de Dolores, was issued just before midnight on September 15th of 1810. Hidalgo was later captured and executed by Spanish troops in 1811 and Mexico did not win independence from Spain until 1821.
Hidalgo’s instigation to self-rule galvanized the members of New Spain’s lower caste in their move towards freedom. Spanish-born residents of New Spain, known as gachopines, had legal and social privilege over Mexican-born Spaniards, known as criollos, who were fomenting rebellion before Hidalgo called for an uprising. Hidalgo’s call went out to the indigenous peoples and mestizos (those of mixed native and Spanish ancestry), who had been exploited and oppressed since the arrival of the Spaniards in old Mexico some 300 years previously.
Today, the struggle for Mexican independence from Spain is commemorated with a festival beginning on Independence Eve. Parades, music and dancing, food and drink, rodeos, bullfights, fireworks, vendors, the ringing of cathedral bells, flowers of red, white, and green, and other kinds of celebratory activities are part of the festival. Celebrations are continued on Independence Day. The three colors in the celebration are also in the Mexican flag. Green symbolizes independence; white symbolizes religion; and red symbolizes union.
Muhammad’s Birthday
Born about 570 A.D. in the Arabian city of Makkah, Muhammad was an illiterate boy who was orphaned at about 6 years of age and who ultimately became the founder of Islam. During his formative years, he traveled widely and earned a solid reputation for trustworthiness. In his late thirties, he took to meditating alone in a cave on Mount Hira. One day, he heard a voice ordering him to recite. He replied that he could not, he was illiterate, but the command was repeated again and then again, until he received the first revelation. The voice was that of the Angel Gabriel, who told Muhammad that he was to be the messenger of God. These revelations continued for the remaining twenty-two years of Muhammad’s life. At first he told only his wife and closest friends about the revelations, but they eventually urged him to proclaim them to all people. These revelations were written down and are now known as the Qur’an — meaning “recitation” — the permanent record of the words of God revealed by the Angel Gabriel to Muhammad. The word Islam means “surrender” or “submission” to the will of God. Followers of Islam are Muslim, an Arabic word meaning “one who surrenders to God.” Islam is a monotheistic religion, like Judaism and Christianity, and, in fact its antecedents are found in these two other world religions. Muslims view Adam, Noah, Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Job, Moses, David, Solomon, and Jesus as prophets of God, or Allah, which is the Arabic word for God. Muslims believe that God’s eternal message was both reaffirmed and finalized by the Prophet Muhammad.
Muharram
This day marks the first day of the first month of the Islamic year. The Islamic New Year is celebrated more temperately than in many other traditions, and Muharram teaches lessons of admonition, good counseling, knowledge of Allah, sacrifice, selflessness, patience, and seeking the pleasure of Allah. Observation begins at sundown of the day before.
National Deaf Awareness Week
Deaf Awareness Week is the last full week (Sunday through Saturday) of September, in commemoration of the first World Congress of the Deaf that was held that week in 1951. Deaf Awareness events can be held at anytime of the year, celebrating the culture, heritage, and languages unique to deaf people of the world, as well as the contributions of deaf people to human societies.
Naw-Ruz
The Iranian New Year and the Baha’i New Year are celebrated on this occasion, which itself originates from the pre-Islamic legacy of Zoroastrian Persia. Zoroastrians and Baha’is commemorate this day as the end of a long period of fasting. Naw-Ruz (or New Day) occurs on or about the time of the Spring equinox. This is one of nine days on the Baha’i calendar when work is suspended. It is both a religious holiday (for Baha’is and Zoroastrians) and a secular holiday (for Iranians, most of whom are now Muslim). It is celebrated with many symbols signifying spring and renewal and is a time for families to gather together, eating and exchanging visits with relatives.
New Year’s Day
Among ancient peoples, the first day of the year frequently corresponded to the vernal (spring) or autumnal (autumn) equinox (when the Earth crosses the celestial equator), or to the summer or winter solstice (when the sun reaches the highest or lowest point in the sky).
In the Middle Ages, the new year was celebrated by Christian peoples on or around March 25. Following the adoption of the Gregorian calendar in 1582, the day began to be observed on January 1, except in Eastern Orthodox traditions, which still follow the Julian calendar.
The Jewish New Year is the first day of the month of Tishri, the seventh month on the Jewish calendar, which falls sometime in September or early October on the Gregorian calendar. Rosh ha-Shanah is the Jewish New Year, also known as the Feast of the Trumpets and the Day of Judgement. This is one of the most important of Jewish holidays since it is the beginning of the 10 day period during which, according to tradition, all of the people of the Earth pass before God and are marked in the Book of Life or the Book of Death. The “Days of Awe” conclude with Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. The blowing of the shofar, ram’s horn, on Rosh ha-Shanah summons the faithful to penitential observance. Orthodox and Conservative Jews typically celebrate for two days, while Reform Jews typically celebrate only the first day. The Hebrew calendar marks the years from the creation of the world, according to Hebrew history, making the year beginning in September of 2002 the Jewish year 5763. The Hebrew calendar week consists of seven days, ending at the completion of Sabbath on Saturday evening. Jewish holidays begin at sunset prior to the first day and end at sunset of the last day of the holiday observance (Hanukkah runs for eight days, for example.)
In some regions of India, the Hindu New Year is observed at the end of Diwali, originally a five-day celebration also known as The Festival of Lights. At this time, old accounts are settled and new accounts begun, and places of business are renovated and homes are refurbished. Diwali is celebrated in many countries around the world, wherever Hindu culture and tradition has had an influence. The festival takes place in late fall or early winter each year.
The Chinese or Lunar New Year falls between January 10th and February 19th on the Gregorian calendar and is an important cultural festival in many Asian communities. The Chinese method of reckoning the passage of time is based on a modified solar year combined into major cycles of 60 years with minor cycles of five years. The actual date of Chinese New Year — known as Tet in Vietnam — varies from year to year and is determined by the occurrence of the second new moon after the winter solstice. Each year is paired with an animal, in cycle of 12 years. For example, the Year of the Horse — Chinese year 4700 — began on February 12th, 2002, on the Gregorian calendar.
The Muslim New Year falls on the first day of the month of Muharram. The Islamic calendar begins on the day and in the year that the Prophet Muhammad fled from Mecca to Medina. In this calendar, there are twelve lunar months of 29 or 30 days each, creating a calendar year of 354 days. Since this year is shorter than the solar year, the months move backwards through the seasons of the year, completing a cycle every thirty-two and a half solar years. The New Year celebrated in March of 2002 corresponds to the Islamic year of 1423. Muslim holidays also typically begin at sunset prior to the day of observance.
The Baha’i New Year is celebrated at the vernal equinox, or the first day of Spring on the Gregorian calendar.
The Hmong New Year celebration traditionally occurred around the end of the harvest season. In Asia, each community would plan its celebration with other communities to allow time for members to get together and exchange news about the year just passed. It was also a time of feasting and dancing, and the occasion for young men and women to meet and conduct the traditional ball-toss. These social activities were followed often by proposals of marriage and negotiations between the families of the prospective bride and groom. In the upper Midwest, newly established Hmong communities initially selected the weekend after Thanksgiving to celebrate the New Year. Now that the communities have grown so large, other weekends through December have been designated to allow for travel and opportunities to visit one another, just as was true in Asia.
Older Americans Month
Older Americans Month was established in the U.S. in 1963 as Senior Citizens Month, when a much smaller percentage of Americans had reached their 65th birthday and as many as one-third of older Americans lived in poverty, with few programs in place to help meet their needs. In 1980, the name was changed to its current name, and May has become a time to acknowledge the contributions of older Americans to the United States as well as to focus on issues that older Americans face.
Palm Sunday
This occasion commemorates the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem, when the streets over which he rode were strewn with palm fronds, welcoming him as a king. He was later killed, entombed, and then, according to tradition and belief, rose from the dead, and Palm Sunday now marks the beginning of Holy Week for Christians around the world who use the time to remember and celebrate Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection. Eastern Orthodox Christians celebrate this occasion at a different time on the Gregorian calendar than do Western Christians because Orthodox holidays are calculated from the Julian calendar while Western holidays are calculated from the Gregorian calendar.
Passover
Passover, also known as Pesach, is a seven- or eight-day observance marking the liberation of the Israelites from bondage in Egypt. It is said that an angel of God came to Moses and told him to have all the Israelites paint their door lintels with lamb’s blood so that the angel of death would pass over the Jewish households when God sent the angel of death to force the Pharaoh of Egypt to let the Jews go out from bondage in Egypt by taking the firstborns of Egypt. Passover begins with a ritual dinner known as a Seder and runs an entire week. Jesus is said to have participated in the Passover supper/Seder with his disciples on the evening before his crucifixion, thus there is a link between the Jewish observance of Passover and the Christian observance of Maundy Thursday and Holy/Good Friday. Observation begins at sundown.
Pioneer Day
“This is the right place. Drive on.” Brigham Young, second leader of the Mormons, is said to have uttered these words on July 24, 1847, as his band of pioneers entered the Salt Lake Valley, in present-day Utah. Today, July 24 is a state holiday in Utah — Pioneer Day — and a day that Mormons around the world mark the arrival of the first Mormons in the Salt Lake Valley. Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints , commonly known as Mormons, had left New York — the founding place of the Church — many years earlier, and moved across the United States, seeking freedom from religious persecution. Today, Salt Lake City is the center of the world-wide Church, much as Rome is at the center of the Roman Catholic Church.
Polish Heritage Month
Polish Heritage Month is observed in October every year. A National Celebration of Polish History, Culture and Pride that recognizes the contributions that people of Polish heritage have made to the culture and society of the United States of America.
President’s Day
President’s Day is a national holiday in the United States recognizing the births of George Washington (2/22/1732), the first U.S. president, and of Abraham Lincoln (2/12/1809), who is considered one of the greatest of all U.S. presidents and is the President who issued the Emancipation Proclamation, freeing all people held in slavery in the U.S.
Purim
Also known as the Feast of Lots, this is a festive Jewish holiday celebrating the miraculous rescue of the Jews in ancient Persia by Queen Esther from a plot to kill them. Esther, a Jew, was a favorite of the King of Persia, who did not know she was Jewish and who had elevated her to queenly status. When it was learned that the Persian King’s advisor had devised a plot to exterminate all the Jews living in Persia, Esther petitioned the King on behalf of the Jewish people and the King’s advisor, Haman, was killed instead. This is a two-day celebration, and takes its name from the “lots” (the antecedent of today’s “lotteries”) used to determine the date on which the Jewish people were to have been killed. Observation begins at sundown of the day before.
Ramadan
Ramadan is the ninth month, the traditional month of fasting, on the Islamic lunar calendar. During Ramadan, Muslims will abstain from eating, drinking (even water, if able), and other sensual pleasures every day from sunrise to sunset. This is a time of spiritual and physical purification commemorating the revelation of the Qur’an to Muhammad. The actual date on which Ramadan is celebrated varies from year to year, and also from country to country. Traditionally, a Muslim leader will declare the start of Ramadan at sundown, after the new moon has been sighted. The end of Ramadan — at the next new moon — is marked by a time of feasting and renewal known as Id al-Fitr, or Eid Al-Fitr.
Ramanavami
This occasion marks the birth of Rama on the ninth (navami) day of the month of Chaitra. The day begins with a prayer to the Sun in early morning and a special prayer is performed at midday, said to be the time of Lord Rama’s birth. In northern India, colorful processions mark the occasion and celebrate the reign of Rama, known for its prosperity and righteousness. The celebration also occurs at what is considered the beginning of summer, when the sun has begun its move into the northern hemisphere. Rama has come to be associated with the Sun and he is said to be descended from the Sun.
Rosh Hashanah
Rosh ha-Shanah, meaning literally “head of the year,” is the Jewish New Year and is also known as the Day of Judgement. The Jewish New Year is the first day of the month of Tishri, the seventh month on the Jewish calendar, which falls some time in September or early October on the Gregorian calendar. Observed as a day of rest during which no work can be performed, this is one of the most important of Jewish holidays since it is the beginning of the ten day period during which, according to tradition, all of the people of the Earth pass before God and are marked in the Book of Life or the Book of Death. These ten “Days of Awe” conclude with Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. The blowing of the shofar, ram’s horn, on Rosh ha-Shanah alerts the listener to the coming judgement and summons the faithful to make amends with each other and with God. A widely observed custom is eating apples with honey as an expression of hope for a sweet new year, free from past transgressions. Orthodox and Conservative Jews typically celebrate for two days, while Reform Jews typically celebrate only the first day. Observation begins at sundown of the day before.
Samhain/Celtic New Year
Samhain is still observed — typically on October 31st or November 1st — by those who subscribe to pagan/neo-pagan beliefs and practices. Originating more than 2,000 years ago with the Celts, this festival marked the end of the Celtic year and the beginning of winter. Samhain divided the year into two seasons: light, just ending, and dark, just beginning. At this time, borders between the human world and the spiritual world were believed to have grown thin and the spirits of the dead were believed to wander about and mingle amongst human beings. To ward off these spirits, the Druid priests built bonfires and cast spells and wore masks to confuse the spirits. This was also a time for gathering in the harvest, leading the livestock out of pasture and to their winter shelters, storing up wood and peat, and coming together to preserve meat and vegetables for winter sustenance. Symbolically, the hearth fires were extinguished in people’s homes and they waited for the Druid priests to come and re-light the fires for the new year. Many of these early traditions are still seen in today’s celebration of Halloween.
Shavuot
Shavuot is a Jewish holiday commemorating the giving of the Torah — the first five books of Jewish holy teachings and law, including the Ten Commandments — to Moses on Mt. Sinai during the period following the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt. Shavuot is the Hebrew word for “weeks.” According to tradition, it took 49 days for the Hebrews to travel from Egypt to the foot of Mt. Sinai and this occasion symbolizes the completion of that seven-week journey. Shavuot is also linked to an ancient agricultural festival marking the end of the spring barley harvest and the beginning of the summer wheat harvest, a time during which crop offerings were brought to the temple in Jerusalem. Special customs during this holiday include reading and studying the Book of Ruth and other parts of the Torah, and serving dairy dishes which symbolize the sweetness of the Torah and the “land of milk and honey” of biblical mention. Shavuot takes place seven weeks after Passover. Observation begins at sundown of the day prior to the first day of Shavuot.
Shrove Tuesday/Mardi Gras
Shrove Tuesday is designated for Christians to confess their sins and obtain forgiveness (being shriven) before entering the religious season of Lent. It has also come to be known as Mardi Gras (“fat Tuesday” in French), and by some is viewed as the last opportunity for indulgence before the temperance of the Lenten season. Although Mardi Gras refers to a specific day, the term often encompasses a much longer period of celebrations leading up to Mardi Gras Day. Carnival season is marked by spectacular parades featuring floats, pageants, elaborate costumes, masked balls, and dancing in the streets. Some scholars have noted similarities between modern Mardi Gras or Carnival celebrations and Lupercalia, a fertility festival held each February in ancient Rome. However, modern Carnival traditions developed in Europe during the Middle Ages (5th century to the 15th century) as part of the ritual calendar of the Roman Catholic Church. The date of Shrove Tuesday/Mardi Gras varies from year to year, always falling between February 3rd and March 9th.
Simchat Torah
Each week in synagogue, a passage from the Torah — the first five books of Jewish holy teachings and law — is chanted or read. This way, during a Gregorian calendar year, the entire Torah can be covered. Each year, the last portion of the Torah is reached around a holy day called Simchat Torah, meaning “Rejoicing in the Law.” Simchat Torah occurs a few weeks after Rosh ha-Shanah, the Jewish New Year, and at the conclusion of the Festival of Sukkot, or Festival of Booths. At this time, the final portion of the Torah is read/chanted followed immediately by the first paragraph of Genesis — the first book of the Torah — thus demonstrating that the Torah is a never-ending circle. Observation begins at sundown of the day before.
Somali National Week
In Minnesota, Somali National Week takes place the last week of June, and commemorates the anniversary of the independence of the three former Somali colonies — French Djibouti, British Somaliland, and Italian Somalia — and the creation of the independent state of Somalia from the British and Italian colonies, on July 1, 1960, thus ending nearly a century of colonial occupation. Somali National Week begins with Somali Independence Day, which is celebrated on June 26th, and ends with Foundation of the Republic Day on July 1st.
Spring or Vernal Equinox
This marks the first day of spring in the Northern hemisphere and has long been welcomed and celebrated by many peoples around the world who reside in the Northern hemisphere. It is the time when the sun crosses the celestial equator heading north, and the day and the night are approximately the same length. Many ancient traditions were established in recognition of longer days and milder weather and themes of fertility, abundance, and renewal have frequently been interwoven with these traditions.
St. John’s Eve/Midsummer’s Eve
The night before the summer solstice has long been celebrated by European peoples. In Christian calendars, it is known as the Feast of John the Baptist. Finnish speakers refer to the evening as Juhannus. It is a time of quiet communion with nature, for gathering with friends to eat herring and potatoes and drink schnapps and beer. The burning of the midsummer bonfire is linked traditionally with beliefs concerning fertility, cleansing, and the banishing of evil spirits. Homes are decorated with flowers and birch branches, also. St. John was known as the “Oak King” in Europe and his connections to the wilderness have been emphasized through rustic shrines and association with this time of year when everything in the northern hemisphere is growing and thriving. Juhannus is also Flag Day in Finland.
St. Nicholas Day
The story of St. Nicholas begins in fourth century Turkey with Nicholas of Bari, also known as Nicholas of Myra, “Kriss Kringle,” “Santa Claus,” and “Saint Nick.” Nicholas was the Bishop of Myra, and a fierce defender of Christianity who was imprisoned during Emperor Diocletian’s persecution of Christians, then later released by Emperor Constantine. It is said that Nicholas attended the first Council of Nicaea in 325, so was part of that important historical event. He was buried in his church in Myra, and by the sixth century a shrine there had become well known. In 1087, his remains were allegedly stolen and moved to Bari in Italy, which allowed more people to visit his shrine. Today his remains are said to repose in the 11th century basilica church of San Nicola in Bari. Nicholas had a reputation for generosity and kindness, and many legends around these qualities arose over the centuries. During the Middle Ages in Europe, he became patron saint in Russia and Greece, the patron saint of charitable fraternities and guilds, children, sailors, merchants, and cities such as Fribourg and Moscow. Thousands of churches in Europe were dedicated to St. Nicholas over the centuries and his supposed miracles were a favorite subject of artists and liturgical plays. His traditional feast day was widely celebrated until after the Reformation, at which time the Protestant churches stopped venerating saints. Nicholas, so popular and widely regarded, was transformed into Father Christmas in England, Pere Noel in France, and Sinter Claes or Sinterklaas in Holland. Dutch colonists took their traditional Sinterklaas with them to New Amsterdam (present day New York City), where he and his traditions of giving gifts were adopted by the English-speaking majority as Santa Claus. About the same time, Nordic folk tales of a magician who punished naughty children and rewarded good children with gifts were incorporated into the evolving American Christmas tradition. Of course the tradition of giving gifts at special times of the year is found in almost every existing human culture in the world today. It also echoes the story of the Magi or Wise Men who are said to have visited the Christ Child and brought gifts of frankincense, gold, and myrrh. Many families with ties to these European traditions still celebrate St. Nicholas Day with the giving of small gifts such as fruit, nuts, and sweets, and for children it can be a powerful reminder that Christmas — a time of significant gift-giving for many — is just around the corner.
St. Patrick’s Day
Although of British birth, Patrick became the patron saint of Ireland. Through his work as a priest in fifth-century Ireland, he is said to have ultimately been responsible for the conversion of Ireland to Christianity. Tradition holds that he died on March 17th, and this is his religious day. St. Patrick’s Day falls during the Christian season of Lent. Traditionally on this day, Irish families would attend church in the morning and celebrate in the afternoon. Lenten prohibitions against the consumption of meat were waived and people would dance, drink, and feast on the traditional meal of Irish bacon and cabbage. The holiday today honors all those of Irish heritage and has become associated with festivities in honor of that heritage. The shamrock is worn to commemorate its use by Patrick as a symbol of the Christian trinity (Father God, Son Jesus Christ, Holy Spirit) and the color green has become widely associated with the Irish and with this festive celebration.
St. Urho’s Day
According to some, St. Urho is a legendary patron saint of Finnish Vineyard workers. When the wild grapes were threatened by a plague of grasshoppers, St. Urho is said to have raised his staff and bellowed words to the effect of “Grasshopper, Grasshopper, go away!” Thus is he credited for miraculously ridding Finland of grasshoppers and thereby saving the grapes. According to others, the legend of St. Urho began in Northern Minnesota in the 1950s, and there are differing opinions as to whether it began with the fables created by Sulo Havumaki of Bemidji, or the tongue-in-cheek tales told by Richard Mattson of Virginia. Either way, the legend has grown among Finnish-Americans to the point where St. Urho is known across the United States, in Canada, and even in Finland. Each March 16th — the day before St. Patrick’s Day — St. Urho’s Day is celebrated by many Finns with high spirits and a lot of fun!
Sukkot
The Festival of Sukkot begins on the fifth day after Yom Kippur and lasts for 7 days. It marks a transition from great solemnity to great rejoicing. The word Sukkot means “booths,” and refers to the temporary dwellings that are erected for this celebration. The holiday commemorates the forty-year period during which the Jews are said to have wandered in the wilderness, living in temporary shelters. But, it is also a harvest festival and so the booths are decorated with dried squash and corn. Observant Jews may literally dwell in these shelters during this time, if weather permits; otherwise, people are expected to take meals there and spend other quality time in them. Observation begins at sundown of the day prior to the first day of Sukkot.
Summer Solstice
The summer solstice marks the longest day of the year in the northern hemisphere, that time in the solar year when the sun is at its greatest height relative to the Earth. It is the tilt to the Earth’s rotational axis that gives us our seasons. On this one day in June, the Earth’s axis is tilted most directly toward the sun; on another day in December, approximately six months later, the Earth’s axis is tilted most directly away from the sun. Although there is some variation from year to year, the summer solstice usually occurs on June 21st and the winter solstice on December 21st. The word “solstice” is Latin in origin and means that the sun stood still. Just before and during the winter and summer solstices, the sun appears to rise and set at the same place on the horizon — thus appearing to “stand still” in its travels across the sky. For thousands of years, people all over the world have marked the changing of seasons. The summer solstice is associated with themes of renewal, feminine energy, fertility and procreation, cleansing, and healing. Many cultures and religions have celebrated and continue to celebrate the summer solstice from ancient to modern times.
Svenskarnas Dag
Svenskarnas Dag, or Swedish Heritage Day celebration takes place each year on the last Sunday of June at Minnehaha Park in Minneapolis, MN. The day includes many activities such as: a morning church service, the raising of the May Pole, various singing and dancing performances by local and visiting Scandinavian groups, and the crowning of the Midsummer Queen. Authentic Swedish foods and handicrafts are also available for purchase. This celebration began in 1934 as a way of recognizing and preserving the heritage of Minnesotans of Swedish ancestry.
Syttende Mai
Syttende Mai is Norwegian for “the seventeenth of May.” On May 17, 1814, the Norwegian constitution was signed, giving Norway independence from a 500 year union with Denmark. In Norway, this date is marked as both Independence Day and Constitution Day. The celebration in the United States was established with the large influx of Norwegian settlers during the latter half of the nineteenth century. Today it is a colorful, family-oriented celebration of Norwegian heritage for Norwegian Americans. Syttende Mai celebrations include the wearing of authentic Norse clothing, folk dancing, exhibits of Norwegian crafts, the serving of Norwegian foods, and performances of traditional music. In some areas where there are large Norwegian American communities, a parade is conducted and “royalty” may be chosen to reign over the festivities.
Thai Heritage Month
Thai Heritage Month is organized around Thai New Year — known as Songkran — and the traditional Water Festival. The festival’s characteristic tradition of throwing water at others is linked to the new year and its underlying significance is one of cleansing and purification — the purging of all ills, misfortune, and evil, and the starting of the new year afresh with what is good and pure. The month of April has become a time for those of Thai heritage to celebrate their heritage and for others to recognize the achievements and contributions of Thai peoples to human history.
Thanksgiving Day
Thanksgiving is a national holiday in the United States, one set aside for giving thanks for good harvest and commemorating assistance given to early colonial settlers by Native Americans. It falls on the fourth Thursday of November each year, according to the Gregorian calendar. Originally, it was observed over a period of three days of prayer and feasting. It became a national holiday in 1863 when President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed it a day of national thanksgiving.
Three Kings Day
Three Kings Day is the end of the Christmas season in many countries in the Americas that have been influenced by Catholicism and Hispanic traditions; it may be a bigger celebration than Christmas itself. Families observing these two traditions decorate their homes with lights and poinsettia flowers, Christmas trees, and nativity scenes. Special foods and beverages are prepared as well, and seasonal music accompanies the festivities. The tradition of the three kings is linked to the visit of the three wise men whose story is told in the Christian Bible. Before going to bed on the evening before Three Kings Day, children place water and grass under their beds for the Wise Men’s camels, and leave out milk and sweet treats for the Kings; in the mornings when they awake, they find presents from the Kings in place of the offerings for the camels. In some countries, children place their shoes outside, waiting for the Kings to pass by and leave gifts. Many communities celebrate the day with parades featuring floats with both religious and secular themes. This celebration coincides with the Christian celebration of the Epiphany, which commemorates the visits of the Wise Men who brought gifts for the Christ child in Western traditions and the Baptism of Christ in Eastern Orthodox communities.
Vaisakhi/Baisakhi
Vaisakhi — also known as Baisakhi — is a spring harvest festival in northern India. The festival includes dancing and singing and adornment with gaily colored clothing and traditional jewelry. Festivals are head on the banks of rivers, which have sacred import for their life-giving properties, and people may take ritual baths and decorate their homes with floral patterns, as well. In other parts of India, Baisakhi may also be celebrated in the fall, coincident with the fall harvest and other end-of-year/new-year celebrations. Vaisakhi has special significance for Sikhs, for, on this day in 1699, the tenth Guru Gobind Singh organized a special order known as the Khalsa (Five Beloved Ones); another year on this day Guru Arjan Das was martyred; and on this day in 1875, Swami Dayanand Saraswati founded a reform sect of Hinduism known as the Arya Samaj. It is also said that it was on this day that Gautama Buddha attained enlightenment.
Vasanta Panchami
Vasanta Panchami is a Northern Indian festival marking the first day of spring. Everyone wears yellow clothing, the color for spirituality and representing the ripening of spring crops. Food is colored yellow using saffron, and people gather and sing songs connected to spring. Early in the morning, people bathe and worship Mother Ganga, the deity of the sacred Ganges river, the sun, and the earth. The day is also associated with Sarawati, Goddess of Learning, and Lakshmi, Goddess of Wealth. This festival is also known as Basant Panchami and Magh Sukla Panchami.
Vesak
Vesak — also known as Wesak, Buddha Purinama and Visakha Puja — this day is considered one of the holiest days in Buddhism. Vesak celebrates at once the birth, Enlightenment, and death of the Buddha. Commemorations take place all over the world and can be large community events — with food, animals, and music — or they can be small remembrances filled with meditation. In either case, the activities will begin before dawn, when devotees throng the temples for early morning meditations. It is also a time for charity, and Buddhists distribute cash donations and goods, and may provide free meals to those who are hungry and in need. Candlelight processions typically bring the day to a close.
Veterans Day
In 1926, the Congress of the United States of America established November 11th to give nationwide recognition of the November 11, 1918, cessation of hostilities in what is now known as World War I; it was called “Armistice Day.” It was a legal holiday set aside to honor veterans and promote world peace. In 1954, following the even larger conflict now known as World War II, and the United States’ involvement in the Korean conflict, Congress changed the designation to Veterans Day. In 1968, in an effort to create 3-day weekends, Congress declared that Veterans Day would be celebrated on the Monday nearest November 11th; this was not well received, so in 1975, a law was passed (to take effect in 1978) which changed Veterans Day back to November 11th. Regardless of the date on which Veterans Day is commemorated, it has become a time to honor all the veterans who have served their country during all the wars in which the United States of America has been engaged over the centuries of its existence.
Western New Year
Western New Year celebrations take place the last day of the Gregorian calendar year, which is December 31st, into the first day of the next year, January 1st. The Gregorian calendar, based on a solar cycle, was adopted by Pope Gregory the 13th in 1582. This calendar replaced the Julian calendar, which had been in use in much of the western world since Julius Caesar introduced it in about 46 B.C. The Gregorian calendar has 365 1/4 days, divided into twelve unequal months. The practice of adding one day to the month of February every fourth year (Leap Year) allows the calendar to stay balanced.
Winter Solstice
The winter solstice marks the shortest day of the year in the northern hemisphere, that time in the solar year when the sun is at its lowest point in the sky relative to the northern hemisphere. It is the tilt to the Earth’s rotational axis that gives us our seasons. On this one day in December, the Earth’s axis is tilted most directly away from the sun; on another day approximately six months later — in June — the Earth’s axis is tilted most directly toward the sun. Although there is some variation from year to year, the winter solstice usually occurs on December 21st and the summer solstice on June 21st. The word “solstice” is Latin in origin and means that the sun stood still. Just before and during the winter and summer solstices, the sun appears to rise and set at the same place on the horizon — thus appearing to “stand still” in its travels across the sky. For thousands of years, people all over the world have marked the changing of seasons. The winter solstice is associated with themes of death, darkness, and the end of the year, as well as with renewal, rebirth, the lighting of fires and candles for cleansing, healing, and the battling the forces of darkness. Many cultures and religions have celebrated and continue to celebrate the winter solstice from ancient to modern times.
Women’s Equality Day
August 26 of each year is designated in the United States as Women’s Equality Day. Instituted by Representative Bella Abzug in 1971, the date commemorates the passage of the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, in 1920, which gave the majority of U.S. women full voting rights.
Women’s History Month
In the U.S., the formal study and celebration of women’s history and contributions to society began in 1978 in Sonoma County, California, with the establishment of Women’s History Week. In 1981, a Congressional resolution declared the week of March 8th — which is International Women’s Day — to be national Women’s History Week. In 1987, Congress expanded the national celebrations to include the entire month of March. Today, Women’s History Month in the United States provides a time for people to focus on the history and contributions of women to human society in general and to the society of the U.S. in particular.
Yom HaShoah
Yom HaShoah is both a national and world-wide day of remembrance for the victims of the Holocaust, a state-sponsored, systematic persecution and annihilation of European Jewry by Nazi Germany and its collaborators between 1933 and 1945. During this period of time, at least six million European Jews were killed, primarily in the gas chambers of Nazi detention camps and through medical experimentation, starvation, disease, and hard labor in the camps. Gypsies, people with disabilities, and Poles were also targeted for destruction or decimation for racial, ethnic, or national reasons. Millions more, including homosexuals, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Soviet prisoners of war, and political dissidents also suffered grievous oppression and death under Nazi tyranny. Yom HaShoah seeks to keep the memory of these terrible atrocities alive in succeeding generations and to honor the stories of those who died. It also reminds us that individuals who take action have the power to make a difference in the fight against oppression and hatred everywhere. Observation begins at sundown of the day before.
Yom Kippur
In Judaism, the Day of Atonement is the holiest day of the year, falling on the tenth day of the seventh month (Tishri), which is usually in late September or early October on the Gregorian calendar. Yom Kippur is a day of fasting and prayer for forgiveness of sins against God that have been committed during the past year, and concludes a ten day period begun with Rosh ha-Shanah. According to tradition, during these ten “Days of Awe,” all of the people of the Earth pass before God and are marked in the Book of Life or the Book of Death. The observant gather in synagogues on the Eve of Yom Kippur, beginning the 25 hour fast, then return the next morning for further confession, prayer, and repentance. No work can be performed on Yom Kippur and the fast continues until sundown. Most of the day is spent in the synagogue in prayer. Observation of Yom Kippur begins at sundown on the Eve of Yom Kippur.
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