Top 20 Holidays Celebrated By People in Different Countries

 

What holidays do people celebrate around the world? Find out below!

The holiday season is approaching. This time of year brings joyous occasions such as Christmas, New Year’s Eve, Valentine’s Day, Easter, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Halloween, Thanksgiving, etc. The holiday season also means spending quality time with family and friends.

While some countries celebrate these holidays differently from each other, they all share common traditions. In this article, we explore the top 20 holidays celebrated by people in different countries around the globe.

 

Winter Holidays

1. Christmas:

Christmas is a religious and cultural holiday celebrated by Christians around the world on December 25th. It is typically marked with a festive dinner (sometimes called a ‘Christmas feast’) and decorations such as lights, candles, wreaths, ornaments, and stockings filled with treats.

2. Hanukkah:

Hanukkah is an eight-day Jewish festival of lights celebrated in the winter. It is a time for families to gather and share gifts, exchange traditional foods, and attend religious services.

Hanukkah 2022 already began on the evening of Sunday, 18 December, and will end on the evening of Monday, 26 December.

3. Kwanzaa:

Kwanzaa is a seven-day African-American holiday that celebrates family, community, and culture. During Kwanzaa, African-Americans celebrate their heritage and recognize contributions made by African ancestors.

Kwanzaa 2022 in the United States will begin on Monday, 26 December, and ends on Sunday, 1 January 2023

 

Spring Holidays

1. Easter:

Easter is a Christian holiday celebrating Jesus Christ's resurrection from death. It is celebrated on the first Sunday after the first full moon following the spring equinox. Common traditions include decorating eggs and eating chocolate bunnies.

2. Passover:

Passover is an eight-day Jewish holiday commemorating the biblical exodus of Jews from Egypt. During this time, Jews commemorate God's deliverance and celebrate freedom with a special dinner called a seder.

3. Vesak:

Vesak is an important Buddhist holiday observed by millions of Buddhists around the world. It celebrates the birth, enlightenment, and death of Buddha. During Vesak, people often gather to meditate, exchange gifts, and light candles in memory of their teacher.

 

Summer Holidays

1. Ramadan:

Ramadan is an Islamic holy month where Muslims observe fast from sunrise until sunset for 30 days. It is a time of spiritual reflection, prayer, and community. At the end of the month, Muslims celebrate Eid al-Fitr, an event that marks the breaking of the fast.

2. Independence Day:

Every country has its own Independence Day to commemorate its nation's independence from foreign rule. On this day, people gather together to celebrate with parades, fireworks, and other festivities.

3. Songkran:

Songkran is the traditional Thai New Year celebration that takes place in April. During this time, people participate in festive activities such as water fights and processions to honor Buddha's birthday.

 

Fall Holidays

1. Diwali:

Diwali is an important Hindu festival celebrating light's victory over darkness. During Diwali, people light lamps and candles to symbolize the triumph of good over evil.

2. Halloween:

Halloween is a popular holiday in North America, Europe, and some parts of Asia. People dress up in costumes on this day to celebrate supernatural beings such as ghosts and witches.

3. Thanksgiving:

Thanksgiving is a national holiday celebrated in the United States and Canada on the second Monday of October. During this time, people gather to give thanks for the blessings that they have received throughout the year.

 

No matter where you live in the world, there is always something to celebrate! From religious holidays to cultural celebrations, each country has its unique traditions. So why not explore and learn more about the holidays celebrated around the world? You might just find a new favorite!

 

Religious Holidays

1. Yom Kippur:

Yom Kippur is an important Jewish holiday that takes place in September or October. It is a day of fasting and prayer when Jews reflect on their sins and ask for forgiveness from God.

2. Ashura:

Ashura is a sacred Muslim holiday observed by Shi'ite Muslims during the tenth day of Muharram, the first month of the Islamic calendar. During Ashura, people pray and meditate to remember the martyrdom of Hussein, a grandson of Prophet Muhammad.

3. Christmas:

Christmas is an important Christian holiday celebrated on December 25th. This holiday celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ and is marked by religious services, gift-giving, and feasting. Christmas celebrations last from Christmas Eve until January 6 (Epiphany).

On December 26, known as St. Stephen's Day, an Irish tradition that is known as the Wren Boys Procession takes place. Children go from door to door singing, holding a stick that is topped by a holly bush and a wren. 

4. Hanukkah:

Hanukkah is an eight-day Jewish festival of lights that marks the re-dedication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem. During this time, Jews lit candles each night to commemorate the miracle of the oil burning for eight nights.

5. Kwanzaa:

Kwanzaa is an African-American celebration that takes place from December 26th to January 1st. During this time, people come together to honor their African heritage and celebrate family, community, and culture with a seven-day feast.

6. New Year's Day:

New Year's Day is celebrated on January 1st and marks the start of a new year. In many cultures, people celebrate the occasion with fireworks, parades, and parties to bring in the New Year with optimism and joy.

People all around the world send out New Year's Eve invitations for awesome parties, stock up on champagne and snacks, and dance the night away with their loved ones. No matter where you go in the world, you're guaranteed to witness a countdown and firework show when the clock strikes midnight. 

7. St. Patrick's Day:

It is celebrated on March 17th and is the anniversary of the death of St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland. For over 1,000 years, the Irish have observed St. Patrick's Day as a religious holiday. Traditionally Irish would go to church in the morning and then celebrate in the afternoon with a meal of Irish bacon and cabbage. The first St. Patrick's Day parade, ironically, took place in 1601 in Florida. 

 

Popular Holidays

This list of popular holidays from around the world will introduce you to beautiful traditions and celebrations that take place all over the globe.  A look at the calendar reveals that the cold months are a popular time for many holidays around the world.

 

Celebrating Common Theme Holidays

Different countries may celebrate holidays that share a common theme: Japan's Vernal Equinox Day and India's Holi festival, both celebrate spring;

Day of the Dead and All Souls' Day, which are celebrated in different South American and Spanish-speaking countries, both honor the dead. 

Valentine's Day is the most romantic celebration around the world that takes place on February 14th. The celebration is named after St. Valentine, a Catholic priest from the 3 rd century. Valentine's Day around the world is a popular celebration in many countries. During the celebration, children exchange cards and candies, and adults exchange gifts with their sweethearts or go out together for a special meal.No matter where you go in the world, you're guaranteed to witness a countdown and firework show when the clock strikes midnight.

 

Exchanging Gifts

Exchanging gifts is a universal custom during the holidays, and people all over the world participate in this practice. In China, families exchange red packets filled with money to symbolize luck and prosperity for the new year. Italians traditionally exchange panettone, a sweet bread made with dried fruit. And in Venezuela, it's customary to exchange regalos de Aguinaldo, which are small presents given to family and friends.

It is a way to show appreciation, love, and gratitude towards others, and it is often done during special events such as birthdays, holidays, weddings, and graduations. Gifts can be something small and thoughtful, or they can be more extravagant depending on the occasion and the relationship between the giver and the recipient. Some people prefer to give practical gifts that will be useful to the recipient, while others enjoy giving more sentimental items that have a special meaning. Regardless of the type of gift, the act of giving and receiving gifts is often a meaningful and enjoyable experience that helps to strengthen relationships and create lasting memories.

 

Gregorian Calendar

The Dawning: A celebration of the Light of the Traveler, and a time to spread cheer and give gifts to help keep The Darkness at bay during the long days of the winter months. Celebrated in the Destiny franchise of video games. Movable date Edit The following festivals have no fixed date in the Gregorian calendar and may be aligned with moon cycles or other calendars.

 

Hebrew calendar

The Festival of lights, this festival is celebrated for eight days by the Jewish people worldwide. This holy week is considered the most beloved Jewish holiday. This eight-day Jewish celebration marks the recovery of Jerusalem and the re-dedication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem. As per the Hebrew calendar, the celebration begins on the 25th day of Kislev, which occurs any time between late November to December. It is marked by lighting one candle on a 9-branch menorah every day for eight nights. Instead of turkey meals, the Jewish people serve their traditional Hanukkah meals.

 

Islamic calendar

The most celebrated dates in the Islamic calendar. Mid-Sha'ban also Bara'at Night, is a Muslim holiday observed by Muslim communities on the night between 14 and 15 Sha'ban (the same night as Shab-e-Barat) Day of Arafah is an Islamic holiday that falls on the 9th day of Dhu al-Hijjah of the lunar Islamic Calendar. It is the holiest day in the Islamic calendar (the holiest night being The Night of Power), the second day of the Hajj pilgrimage, and the day after is the first day of the major Islamic holiday of Eid al-Adha. 

 

Official Holiday

Official holidays are days that are recognized by governments and institutions as a time to celebrate or commemorate a specific event or person. These holidays are often marked by public or religious ceremonies, parades, and other special activities. Some official holidays are celebrated on the same date every year, such as New Year's Day or Independence Day, while others may vary, such as Easter or Thanksgiving.

Many countries have a set of official holidays that are recognized nationally, and these holidays are often accompanied by legal holidays, which are days when schools and businesses are closed so that people can have time off to celebrate with their families and friends. Official holidays are an important part of many cultures, and they provide an opportunity for people to come together and celebrate the values and traditions that are important to their society.

 

Playing Games

Three nights of January is the country's largest festival and is one of the most popular holidays in Japan. At midnight, people eat noodles, and by dawn, the emperor prays for the nation. People celebrate with special meals; children are given gifts of money; and families spend the day together, playing games, such as kite flying, playing with tops, and “fukuwarai,” where a blindfolded person tries to create a paper face. Other traditions include Haiku poems, TV shows created for the New Year, and performances of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony.

 

Global Shopaholics and Holidays

There are several ways in which Global Shopaholics can be useful to you during the holiday season. One of the main benefits is that it can help you to shop online from retailers who may not ship to your country or region. By using GS service, you can have your purchases shipped to a virtual address in another country, and then have the parcel forwarded to your final destination. 

This can save you time and money, as you won't have to worry about customs fees or try to find someone to send you the gift directly. Additionally, GS can help you to save on shipping costs by consolidating multiple purchases into a single package. This can be particularly useful if you send gifts to multiple people in different locations, as it can help you save on international shipping fees. Overall, GS can be a convenient and cost-effective way to shop and send gifts during the holiday season.

 

The information above outlines the most widely celebrated holidays around the world. Whether you’re looking to plan your next holiday get-together or learn more about the customs of other cultures, this list is a great starting point. So go ahead—explore and celebrate!

 

Happy Holidays! 🎉🎊🎇