There are many reasons to commemorate this time of year, including many events which usually occur between November – February as a demonstration of the fact that humans love to invent excuses for celebration and solemnity. During this season of impending holiday greetings, I invite people to commemorate whichever of the following holidays or other events are most special for them. Or please add one of your own. Enjoy!
Evolution Day
Samhain (Celtic New Year’s Day)
World Vegan Day
All Saints Day/All Souls Day/All Hallows’ Day (Christian)
Culture Day (Japan)
Armistice/Remembrance Day
National Independence Day (Poland)
Universal Children’s Day
International Migrant’s Day
World Television Day
Diwali (UK – Hindu Festival of Lights)
World Soil Day
Al-Hijira (Islamic New Year)
Thanksgiving Day (USA)
Hanukkah (Jewish Festival of Lights)
World Diabetes Day
Bodhi Day (Buddhist)
White Ribbon Day (Australia)
Armed Forces Day (Bangladesh)
Day of the Dead (Latin America – syncrectic Christian)
National Day (Bosnia and Herzegovina, Albania, Mauritania, Central African Republic, Romania, Laos, United Arab Emirates, Burkina Faso, Bahrain, Kazakhstan, Bhutan, Niger, Sudan)
Independence Day (Suriname, Barbados, Finland, Haiti, Burma)
Proclamation of Independence Day (Timor-Leste)
St Andrew’s Day (Scotland)
The King’s Birthday Anniversary (Thailand)
Jamhuri Day (Kenya)
Guy Fawkes Night (UK)
National Youth Day (Albania, India)
World AIDS Day
The International Day for the Abolition of Slavery
Kwansolhaneidmas (Facebook)
Marie Curie’s birthday
International Day of People with Disability
Karen New Year Celebration (Burma)
World Fisheries Day
Human Rights Day
Las Posadas (Mexico – Christian)
Black Awareness Day/Black Consciousness Day (Brazil)
Makar Sankranti (Hindu)
World Pneumonia Day
Feast Day – Our Lady of Guadalupe (Catholic Christian)
Day of Reconciliation (South Africa)
Pongal (Tamil)
Calan Gaeaf (Welsh)
Koliada (Slavik)
Lupercalia (Ancient Roman)
Christmas and Boxing Day (Eastern/Western Christian)
Christmas and Boxing Day (secular holidays)
Christmas and Boxing Day (Coptic Orthodox Christian)
Indigenous Christmas (Australia)
Kwanzaa (African American)
Yule (Wicca-northern hemisphere, Pagan)
Litha (Wicca-southern hemisphere)
Humanlight (Humanist, secular, atheist)
Chalica (Unitarian Universalist)
Montol Festival (Cornwall)
Yalda (Persian Winter Solstice)
Rosa Parks Day (USA)
Darwin Day
National Day of the Horse (USA)
Anti-Bullying Week (UK)
Luci d’Artista (Italy)
Id el Maulud (Muslim)
World Kindness Day
National Blood Donor Month (USA)
Zamenhof Day (Esperantist)
Festivus (Seinfeld secular)
Newtonmas/Isaac Newton’s birthday (secular/scientific)
Quaid-e-Azam’s Day (Pakistan)
Lohri (Hindu)
Martin Luther King Jr Day (USA)
International Human Solidarity Day
National Sorry Day (Australia)
Intersex Day of Remembrance
Hogmanay (Scotland)
Laba Festival (China)
Solstice, or Midwinter (various cultures)
St Stephen’s Day /the Feast of Stephen (Catholic Christian)
International Day of Zero Tolerance to Female Genital Mutilation
Wren Day (Ireland)
Puyuma New Year Ritual (Thailand)
Movember (Australia)
Transgender Day of Remembrance
New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day (secular holidays)
Berchtoldsta (Switzerland, Liechtenstein and the Alsace )
Gantan Sai or Shogatu (Japan – Shinto)
Mahayana (Buddhist)
World Cancer Day
New Year (Russian Orthodox)
International Polar Bear Day
Bikarami Sankrant (South India – Hindu)
Liberation Day (Cuba)
Feast of St Basil (Orthodox Christian)
Heart Research Day (Australia)
Imbolc/Brigid’s Day (Gaelic)
Lantern Festival (China – variable date)
Armenian Christmas (Armenia)
Nativity of Christ (Orthodox Christian)
Spring Festival (Chinese New Year)
World Radio Day
Seasonal school holidays (varied nations)
World Religion Day (Baha’i)
Blessings of the Animals Day (Hispanic Christian)
Australia Day/Invasion Day
Birth of Guru Gobind Singh (Sikh)
Tet (Vietnamese Lunar New Year)
Tu Bishvat (Jewish New Year of the Trees)
World Wildlife Conservation Day
International Holocaust Remembrance Day
Ramadan (Islamic) – variable date
Losar (Tibetan New Year) – variable date
Hmong New Year Festival – variable date
Saturnalia (pagan)
International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women
Sesame Street Day
Republic Day (India)
Midsumma (LGBTI festival, Melbourne, Australia)
International Day for Tolerance
World Choral Day
Antarctica Day
National Science Fiction Day/Isaac Asimov’s birthday (USA)
Valentine’s Day (Christian/religious/commercial)
Groundhog Day (North American)
Hogswatchday (Discworld)
Life Day (Kashyyyk – Wookiee)
© 2020 Geoff Allshorn