Prologue Foods & Drinks Crafts Activities Home & Garden Holidays
Imbolc or Samhain
Imbolc is a Celtic holiday which celebrates the waning of winter and the hope for spring. It is a very ancient tradition which honors the Goddess Brigit, and is celebrated in the U.S. on February 1st.
Hanukkah
Jews begin this eight day celebration on the 25th day of Kislev of the Hebrew calendar. Traditionally, a gift is given on each night of Hanukkah. This holiday is also called the Festival of Lights. Jewish families light eight candles during this holiday which sit in a candle holder called a menorah.
Christmas
Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus on December 25th, a day that is called Christmas. This holiday has also become a secular tradition centered around the myth of Santa Claus and his gift-giving on Christmas.
Kwanzaa
Americans with African heritage celebrate this holiday from the 26th of December to the 1st of January. Kwanzaa is about celebrating the culture that Africans brought with them to America, and about keeping the knowledge and traditions of African culture alive.
New Years Day
This holiday begins at midnight on January 1st, which is the first day of the year on the Gregorian calendar. Countries which use the Gregorian calendar celebrate New Years Day with parades and fireworks.
Chinese New Year
Celebrated at the end of winter in late January or Early February, Chinese New Year is all about parades and fireworks. Each year is associated with one of the twelve animals in the Chinese zodiac.
Groundhog Day
Supposedly started by the Romans and then introduced to America by German immigrants, Groundhog Day is about the tradition of predicting long winters and early springs by the shadow of a groundhog who leaves his burrow on February 2nd. If the groundhog sees his shadow, six more weeks of winter is expected.
Valentine's Day
This holiday has evolved from a religious day about honoring early Christian martyrs, to a day about celebrating love and exchanging love notes called Valentines. Valentine's Day is celebrated on February 14th.
Martin Luther King Day
Martin Luther King Junior was the leader of the Civil Rights Movement in the U.S.. The importance of his work and his memory is celebrated on the third Monday of January.
Presidents' Day
Originally started to honor George Washington's birthday, Presidents' Day now honors all of the presidents who ever served the United States, and is celebrated on the third Monday of February.
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