December Global Holidays
December 29-January 6, 2016 – Christmas, the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ (Pesah Tsungdao).
January 6, 2016 – Makar Sankranti, an auspicious Hindu festival, the festival of victory of good over evil.
December 28-January 2, 2016 – Chinese New Year (Tibetan calendar: Losar/Lozi calendar: Lungba).
December 20-25, 2016 – Feast of the Immaculate Conception (Roman Catholic);
December 25-January 1, 2017 – Martinmas (Germanic);
December 31-January 6, 2017 – Maha Shivaratri.
December 25, 2016 – Hanukkah (Jewish).
December 21-January 1, 2017 – Chinese New Year (Tibetan calendar: Losar/Lozi calendar: Lungba).
December 21-January 7, 2016 – Thai New Year (Songkran).
December 23-January 3, 2016 – Pongal (Tamil calendar).
Turkey
Almost all major holidays and special celebrations happen around the time of the winter solstice, which makes Christmas the perfect time to celebrate with family and friends. While we normally associate Christmas with spending time with family and friends, most Christmas traditions actually center around food. The Christmas tree, which is one of the most prominent and well-known holiday symbols, dates back to 8th century England, where it was used as a symbol of Pagan winter solstice.
It was then believed that if someone chopped down a Christmas tree during the night before the solstice, it would bring them good luck and luck during the upcoming year. Since then, the tradition became a Christmas tradition for Christians, and now everyone else is too.
Italy
In Italy the Christmas time is always a warm and festive one. From the birth of Jesus on December 25 to New Year’s Eve on December 31st, the Italian Christmas time is lively with fun, lots of foods and parties, and a warm family time. The Christmas tree is the Italian’s favorite thing to decorate their home with, and on Christmas Eve there are a lot of people and businesses that stay open until the midnight, to give their customers and families the chance to have some good things.
In Italy, Santa Claus is called “San Nicola,” and he arrives in early December to hand out gifts to all the children that have been good to him and his helper. There are tons of different types of Christmas treats that they eat during Christmas Eve, in addition to the local specialties of the Christmas season.
Russia
Kissing Under The Mistletoe
The traditions of Russia are extremely rooted in paganism and the Druids. The Romans came and introduced Christianity in part of Russia. In the Middle Ages, the church began to keep better control over the people. What this resulted in was the early introduction of Christmas. For Christians, December 25th was the date that their savior came back from the dead. However, the pagan tradition of thinking of Christmas as a time of light and love continued.
So the pagans came up with a festival in November to try and overcome the darkness of the winter solstice. They used yule, which is a Norse word that translated to “accomplishment” or “conquest.” They went all out to make the festival spectacular and celebrated the most.
India
December 1st: Makar Sankranti
January 15th: Rose Day
February 14th: National Foundation Day
March 14th: Buddha Purnima
November: Mahashivratri
December: Diwali
March: Ashwin Mausam
Australia
February 19th: Midsummers Day
March 26th: International Women’s Day
November 21st: International Vegan Day
December 23rd: Christmas Day
December 25th: Boxing Day
China
February 16th: Valentine’s Day
March 1st: Lantern Festival
July 4th: Independence Day
November 3rd: National Day
India
January 14th: Holi
February 14th: Rakshabandhan
April 13th: Saraswati Puja
May 9th: Raksha Bandhan
September 5th: Bhai Duj
July 3rd: Buddha Purnima
December 25th: Diwali
Turkey
March 30th: Ramadan
November 15th: Ramadan
U.S.
Indonesia
A major part of the religious tradition is sending off the spirits of the dead to Jannatul Mu’raj.
There are different kinds of offerings to be made and sent to the spirits. The main murtaddi (recipient of the offering) is the dead person’s mother. The other murtaddi includes food and water, and clothes. These items are usually placed in the tomb of the dead person, which is used by the living person after the death of the dead person. It is called 地祖 (pulu) or 九日 (keian) in Indonesian. The importance of the murtaddi is that it will be the only food or drink that a dead person can drink until it is finished. This brings it to a profound level of solemnity in Indonesian culture, which is probably why it is a great theme for romantic comedy.
Conclusion
Ultimately, every choice boils down to the individual’s expectation and wants. A general consensus can be made but each individual will not be able to act according to a directive.
Though, there are many people who prefer the tradition. However, when it comes to the rush before holidays, there is a division in opinion about which holiday is better. Some have to work for most of December while other do not have the same commitment to their jobs. The above question will help clear the confusion.
For all the readers who feel confused about which December holidays are celebrated in other countries, here are the answers to your questions.
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