Most Celebrated Holidays in the World: The Top 20 Festivals and How to Shop for Them

Leave a Comment
Muhammad Zulqarnain
October 30, 2026

Table of Contents

What is the most celebrated holiday in the world? Most lists put Christmas first, closely followed by New Year’s Day, but the full picture is far richer. Below we rank the 20 most celebrated holidays in the world, explain what makes each one special and show how you can buy gifts, decorations and outfits for them from US stores, wherever you live.

Why holidays bring the world together

Holidays mark moments that matter: faith, history, family and the turning of the year. They’re a reason to share food, music, gifts and decorations, and many of them now have fans far beyond the country where they started. For shoppers, the big celebrations also bring seasonal product launches and sales, especially at US retailers.

Top 20 most celebrated holidays in the world

We ranked these holidays by how widely they’re observed across countries, their cultural importance and their international recognition. The United Nations list of international days and timeanddate’s holiday calendar are good places to look up dates in your country.

Christmas: celebrated in nearly every country, it tops most lists of the world’s biggest holidays.
New Year’s Day: probably the most widely observed day of celebration on the planet.
Eid al-Fitr: one of the most important religious holidays, marking the end of Ramadan.
Chinese New Year: a major festival in China and across the Chinese diaspora.
Diwali: the Festival of Lights, celebrated across South Asia and by communities worldwide.
Easter: a central Christian festival observed around the world.
Thanksgiving: a family holiday in the US and Canada, now known worldwide.
Halloween: hugely popular in the US and growing on other continents.
Hanukkah: the Jewish Festival of Lights, lasting eight nights.
Ramadan: a holy month of fasting observed by Muslims worldwide.
Holi: India’s festival of colours, now celebrated globally.
Oktoberfest: a German festival now held in cities around the world.
Bastille Day: France’s national day, marked with parades and fireworks.
Lunar New Year: celebrated across East and Southeast Asia, including Korea and Vietnam.
Valentine’s Day: a day for love and gifts, embraced almost everywhere.
St Patrick’s Day: Irish in origin and celebrated around the world.
Mid-Autumn Festival: a harvest celebration across East Asia, famous for mooncakes.
Day of the Dead (Día de los Muertos): Mexico’s colourful festival honouring loved ones.
Obon: Japan’s summer festival honouring ancestors.
Passover: a major Jewish festival marked by families worldwide.

A closer look at the world’s biggest holidays

Christmas

Christmas started as a Christian festival marking the birth of Jesus, and today it’s also a cultural celebration enjoyed by people of many faiths and none. Traditions vary from country to country, from midnight church services and family feasts to Christmas markets, gift giving and decorated trees. In some countries the main celebration is on Christmas Eve, in others on Christmas Day, and some Orthodox churches celebrate in January.

New Year’s Day

New Year is marked almost everywhere that uses the Gregorian calendar, with fireworks, countdowns and parties on New Year’s Eve. Many cultures have their own customs for good luck, such as eating twelve grapes at midnight in Spain or wearing new clothes for a fresh start.

Eid al-Fitr

Eid al-Fitr marks the end of Ramadan, the month of fasting. Families gather for prayers, special meals and visits to relatives, and it’s common to wear new clothes and give gifts or money to children. Because it follows the Islamic lunar calendar, its date moves earlier each year in the Gregorian calendar.

Chinese New Year and Lunar New Year

The Lunar New Year is the most important festival in China and is also celebrated in Korea, Vietnam and by communities around the world. Red decorations, lanterns, dragon and lion dances, family reunion dinners and red envelopes with money are all part of the celebration.

Diwali

Diwali, the Festival of Lights, is celebrated by Hindus, Sikhs and Jains. Homes are lit with oil lamps and fairy lights, families share sweets and gifts, and many people buy new clothes and jewellery for the occasion.

Easter

Easter is a central Christian festival, and in many countries it’s also a spring holiday with chocolate eggs, egg hunts and family meals.

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is a family holiday in the US and Canada, built around a big shared meal. In the US, the day after Thanksgiving is Black Friday, one of the biggest shopping days of the year. See our Black Friday guide.

Halloween

Halloween is famous for costumes, trick-or-treating and pumpkin carving. It’s huge in the US and increasingly popular in other countries, where US costumes and decorations are in demand.

Hanukkah

Hanukkah, the Jewish Festival of Lights, lasts eight nights. Families light the menorah, play dreidel and eat foods fried in oil such as latkes and doughnuts.

Holi

Holi celebrates the arrival of spring and the victory of good over evil. People throw coloured powder and water, share sweets and dance in the streets.

Valentine’s Day and St Patrick’s Day

Both started as saints’ days and are now celebrated far beyond their origins: Valentine’s Day with cards, flowers and jewellery, and St Patrick’s Day with parades, music and plenty of green.

Day of the Dead, Obon and Mid-Autumn Festival

These festivals honour family and the harvest. Mexico’s Day of the Dead is known for colourful altars and marigolds, Japan’s Obon for lanterns and dances that welcome ancestors home, and the Mid-Autumn Festival for mooncakes and moon viewing.

The biggest December holidays

December is the busiest month for celebrations. Christmas, Hanukkah and New Year’s Eve all fall in it, along with Boxing Day in the UK, Canada and Australia. In 2026, Christmas Day is on Friday 25 December and Hanukkah begins at sundown on Friday 4 December. For gift ideas, see our Christmas gift ideas and Hanukkah gifts guides.

December traditions around the world

Even within December, celebrations look very different from country to country. In much of Europe, Christmas markets fill town squares from late November, selling crafts, decorations and seasonal food. In the Philippines, the Christmas season is famously long, with lights and carols starting months ahead. In Australia and New Zealand, Christmas falls in summer, so many families celebrate with barbecues and beach days. In Mexico, Las Posadas re-enacts the Christmas story over several nights. And in the UK, Canada and Australia, Boxing Day on 26 December has become a big shopping day. See our Boxing Day sales guide.

Across the Gulf and many other countries with large international communities, December is also a busy time for shopping and gifting, as residents celebrate Christmas and New Year alongside friends and colleagues of many backgrounds.

How holidays shape shopping seasons

Major holidays drive the biggest sales of the year. In the US, the season from Thanksgiving to New Year includes Black Friday, Cyber Monday, December gift sales and the after-Christmas clearance. Other holidays bring their own peaks: Valentine’s Day for jewellery and beauty, Halloween for costumes and decor, and Eid and Diwali for fashion, fragrance and gifts. Knowing these patterns helps you plan. Buying gifts in the sales before a holiday saves money, and the clearance sales afterwards are a good time to stock up for next year. Our New Year sales guide covers the start of the year.

Holidays around the world: customs and shopping trends

Each holiday has its own traditions, and many inspire special products:

Christmas brings advent calendars, gift sets and decorations.
Diwali calls for lights, sweets and new clothes.
Eid is a time for new outfits, fragrances and gifts for children.
Halloween drives costume and decoration sales across the US.
Valentine’s Day means jewellery, flowers and beauty gifts.

US stores often launch limited editions for these holidays, which can be hard to find elsewhere.

Holiday gift ideas from US stores

US stores stock a huge range of products for celebrations around the world. Some popular ideas include:

For Christmas: advent calendars, toys, tech gifts and festive pyjamas. See our top USA gifts guide.
For Eid and Diwali: fragrance, jewellery, watches and new outfits from US fashion brands.
For Halloween: costumes, decorations and themed sweets.
For Valentine’s Day: jewellery, beauty sets and designer accessories.
For Lunar New Year: red clothing and accessories, homeware and gifts for the family.
For Hanukkah: menorahs, dreidels and eight nights of small gifts.

Our Christmas gift ideas and best places to buy Christmas gifts online guides have more inspiration.

How to plan holiday shopping from abroad

The key to shopping US stores for any holiday is to start early. International shipping takes time, and it’s slower around the busiest seasons, especially in December. As a general guide, allow time for the store to dispatch your order to our warehouse, 4–5 working days of processing, then international transit and customs in your country. For holidays that follow a lunar calendar, such as Eid, Diwali and Lunar New Year, check the date for the year ahead, as it changes each year. If you’re shopping for Christmas, our holiday shipping tips explain how to beat the rush.

It also helps to know which items may be restricted. Fragrances, aerosols and some decorations with batteries can need special handling, so check with us before you buy.

How to shop for the world’s biggest holidays from the USA

Step 1: Get your free US address

Step 2: Shop US stores

Buy from Amazon, eBay and other US stores using your US address. If your card is declined, our Assisted Purchase team can buy for you.

Step 3: Consolidate and ship

We give you up to 30 days free storage and combine your parcels into one box. Processing takes 4–5 working days.

Check your country’s import rules on GOV.UK or Dubai Customs.

Frequently asked questions

What is the most celebrated holiday in the world?

Christmas is generally seen as the most celebrated holiday in the world, observed in nearly every country, with New Year’s Day close behind.

What is the most popular holiday in the world?

Christmas and New Year’s Day are the most popular, because they’re marked across cultures and countries.

Which holidays are celebrated in December?

Christmas, Hanukkah, Boxing Day and New Year’s Eve are the main December holidays.

Can I buy holiday gifts from the USA if I live abroad?

Yes. Shop with your Global Shopaholics US address and we’ll ship your gifts to you.

What is the biggest holiday in the world?

Christmas is usually seen as the biggest holiday in the world, because it’s celebrated in nearly every country, with New Year close behind.

Which holidays are celebrated around the world?

Christmas, New Year, Eid al-Fitr, Lunar New Year, Diwali, Easter and Valentine’s Day are some of the most widely celebrated.

Which holidays follow a lunar calendar?

Eid al-Fitr, Ramadan, Lunar New Year, Diwali, Hanukkah and the Mid-Autumn Festival all follow lunar or lunisolar calendars, so their dates change each year.

What is the most popular holiday in the USA?

Christmas and Thanksgiving are among the most popular, with Halloween and the Fourth of July also widely celebrated.

Can I buy Halloween or Christmas decorations from the USA?

Yes. Shop US stores with your Global Shopaholics US address. Light decorations ship cheaply when you consolidate them with other orders.

What if a US store won’t accept my card?

Our Assisted Purchase team can buy items for you from US stores that don’t accept international cards.

Which countries celebrate Christmas in summer?

Countries in the southern hemisphere, such as Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and much of South America, celebrate Christmas in summer.

Which holidays are celebrated in the UAE?

Eid al-Fitr, Eid al-Adha and UAE National Day are major public holidays, and Christmas, Diwali and New Year are widely celebrated by residents too.

When is the best time to order holiday gifts from the USA?

Order a few weeks before the holiday to allow for store dispatch, 4–5 working days of processing, shipping and customs. In December, order earlier still.

Is Hanukkah celebrated in December?

Often, but not always. In 2026, Hanukkah begins at sundown on Friday 4 December and lasts eight nights.

How we checked this

We kept our original ranking, reviewed it against international holiday calendars and checked our service details on 30 October 2026. Dates of religious and lunar holidays change each year, so check your local calendar.

Related guides

Celebrate with the best of the USA. Get your free US address.