Higan Celebrated in Japan at the spring and autumn equinoxes. These are regarded as special times of transition, marking not only seasonal changes but the transition from samsara (illusion) to nirvana (enlightenment). Remembrance of the dead is a particularly important part of these occasions.

Vaisakhapuja or Vesak In Theravadin countries, like Sri Lanka or those in Southeast Asia, the birth, enlightenment, and death of the Buddha are all celebrated on this holiday, which takes place on variable dates in May. It is a time when people try especially hard to live up to the Buddha's teaching, practicing kindness and generosity. Vaisakhapuja is an occasion of great festivity, marked by much color and gaiety. Homes are cleaned and decorated for the occasion. People visit temples and make offerings, while statues of the Buddha are washed with scented water.

Rains Retreat The Rains Retreat begins on the full moon of July and extends into October and is observed in all Theravadin countries. It is when monks enter the seclusion of monasteries to spend time in contemplation. In Thailand, the Rains Retreat is begun with the Rocket Festival. At this season the rice plants are young and fragile, and the rockets are offered to village guardian spirits as a means of ensuring a good crop.

Kathina The Rains Retreat ends with the full moon of October. It is marked with Kathina or Kathin, the Festival of Robes, at which lay people present monks with new robes. In Thailand, on the first day of the festival, gifts for monks are laid on an elaborate wooden palanquin, which is said to symbolize hopes for rebirth in heaven. Carved serpents on the roof represent the Buddha's conquest of desire, and pincushions hung from the four corners symbolize hopes for rebirth with sharpness of mind. The next day the gifts are distributed in a rich procession, concluding with the distribution of the garments. Kathina is the only holiday enjoined in the earliest Buddhist scriptures.


Epiphany Celebrated on January 6. The commemoration of the visit of the Three Wise Man to the infant Jesus. Epiphany traditionally marks the end of the Christmas season, which begins with Christmas Day on December.

Shrove Tuesday Shrove Tuesday is a moveable feast that usually falls in February. It marks the beginning of Lent, which is traditionally a time of fasting and repentance. In many countries Shrove Tuesday is the occasion for wild revelry: Carnival in Brazil and Mardi Gras ("Fat Tuesday") in New Orleans. In England it is celebrated more soberly by the eating of pancakes.

Palm Sunday The Sunday before Easter, commemorating Christ’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem, when, according to the Gospels, he was greeted by a crowd waving palm branches. In Catholic churches it is the custom to give out small pieces of palm on this occasion. Palm Sunday marks the beginning of Holy Week, which ends with Easter.

Maundy Thursday (sometimes called "Holy Thursday") The Thursday of Holy Week. A feast commemorating the Last Supper and Christ’s institution of the sacrament of the Eucharist.

Good Friday The Friday of Holy Week, commemorating Christ’s redemptory death upon the cross. Good Friday is thus a day of great solemnity. The hours between noon and 3 p.m., the time when Christ traditionally hung upon the cross, are usually the hours when services are held.

Easter Sunday Celebrated at the first full moon after the vernal equinox, which can fall anytime between March 21 and April 25. (In fact methods for calculating this feast have varied throughout the centuries and have even been a source of dissension among different branches of the faith.) Easter is the climax of the Christian liturgical year. Although most of the traditional Christian holidays are not celebrated by most Protestant denominations, Easter, like Christmas, is celebrated by all Christians. Because it memorializes the day of Christ’s Resurrection, it is an occasion of special joy. Easter marks an end to the fasting of Lent. Lamb, symbolizing Christ’s role as the Lamb of God, is a traditional dish in many countries, as are eggs, brightly painted and colored. The familiar Easter Bunny is probably an old spring fertility symbol that has been assimilated into Christian folk observance.

Ascension Celebrated on the Thursday that is the fortieth day after Easter, this feast commemorates Christ’s Ascension into heaven after his Resurrection.

Pentecost Celebrated fifty days after Easter, Pentecost commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles after Christ’s Ascension. Because it was traditionally favored as a day for baptizing new converts, who wore white, it is also called Whitsunday.

The Assumption Celebrated on August 15 by the Catholic Church to commemorate the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin body and soul into heaven. In Eastern Orthodoxy this is called the Dormition of the Virgin. Protestants reject this doctrine and do not celebrate this holiday.

All Saints’ Day Celebrated on November 1 as a commemoration of all the Christian saints in heaven whose feasts are not celebrated on other days. Halloween literally means "the Eve of All Hallows," that is, the night before All Saints’ Day.

Christmas Celebrated on December 25 in the Western churches as the day of the birth of Christ. As such it is a season of great joy. Although Christmas was not celebrated in the early centuries of Christian history (partly because the actual date of Christ’s birth is unknown), it has since risen to become one of the major events in the Christian year; certainly no other holiday in the U.S. is as widely celebrated. Gift-giving, Christmas cards, and gathering with family members are common customs. The Christmas tree is a German tradition that was imported into the English-speaking world in the nineteenth century, as is Santa Claus. The Christmas crèche, or crib of the Christ Child, is said to have been the invention of St. Francis of Assisi in 1224.


Maha Shivarathri Celebrated in mid-February, Maha Shivarathri is dedicated to Shiva. At this time of the year, the planets are said to be aligned to foster spiritual balance. Hindus fast and hold vigil at night for this sacred celebration.

Holi and Dhuleti This bright, joyous two-day festival, on the full moon of the month of Phalguna (February-March), celebrates the onset of spring season. This holiday has a light-heartedness that inspires practical jokes and brightly colored decorations.

Rama Navami This holiday in late March celebrates the birth of Rama, who is believed to be the reincarnation of the revered god Vishnu. Hindus often fast, breaking their fast at midnight with only a piece of fruit. This celebration brings together Hindus of all social castes and offers a release of social tensions. In some areas of India, the feast is celebrated for one night, while in others, the celebration lasts nine days. On the ninth night, Hindus stay awake in anticipation of Rama’s birth and hold a thanksgiving at dawn.

Janmashtami Celebrated on the night of the new moon in the Hindu month Bhadrapada (August-September), this happy celebration honors the birth of Lord Krishna, the eighth incarnation of Vishnu. Vishnu declared that his eighth incarnation would defeat the evil King of Mathura. Krishna followed through with this predestined mandate and restored power to the proper king. This celebration requires a fast until midnight as well as visits to temples in devotion to Krishna.

Dusserah This ten-day festival in September-October honors Durga, the goddess of primal energy. The prominent aspect of this festival is the recounting of the epic tale of the Ramayana. In this story, an exiled prince, Rama, battles the evil King Ravana to save his wife. Finding it nearly impossible to defeat the King, Rama prayed for nine days to Durga and found the strength to defeat King Ravana, thereby saving his wife and restoring peace to the land. Throughout this festival, dramatizations of the story take place in many forms, ending with the burning of large effigies of King Ravana.

Diwali This five day festival in October-November is a time to pray and meditate to Laksmi, the goddess of prosperity, to Durga, the goddess of primal energy, to Sarasvati, the goddess of learning, and to Vishnu, the god of protection, sustenance, and maintenance. This New Year festival, celebrated at the new moon, is a time to contemplate peace and celebrate the new harvest. This celebration is often referred to as the Festival of Lights, because lights shine throughout the festival, symbolizing new beginnings.


Purim Purim is celebrated on the fourteenth of the Jewish month Adar (usually in March). It commemorates the deliverance of the Jews from the evil machinations of Haman, a prominent Persian official, by the Jews Esther and Mordecai, as recounted in the biblical Book of Esther. Purim means "lots"; the name comes from the lots used to determine the month of the massacre. Purim is one of the most joyous festivals of the Jewish year, celebrated with noisemakers called graggers. It is also considered a time to rise above distinctions of duality. Traditional instructions for the feast stipulate that one is to become so drunk that one cannot tell the difference between Mordecai and Haman (i.e., good and evil). Some Jewish sages say that Purim is so holy and joyous that it will be the only holiday celebrated in the World to Come.

Passover Passover, or Pesach, is celebrated on the 15th of the Jewish month Nisan (usually in April). It commemorates the deliverance of the children of Israel from bondage in Egypt, as recounted in the biblical Book of Exodus. Passover celebrations focus on a ritual dinner called the seder. The meal involves a number of practices: Matzoh, an unleavened cracker, is eaten, as are charoset (a mixture of fruits, nuts, and wine), and bitter herbs. The unusualness of these practices is quite deliberate: each is intended to commemorate some aspect of the Exodus. These customs are particularly intended to attract the interest of children, who are encouraged to ask their meaning and so be reminded of the Israelites' deliverance. Passover is celebrated over an eight-day period, during which time no hametz (yeast products) are eaten.

Shavuot The Festival of Weeks, celebrated exactly seven weeks after Passover. Shavuot has two functions. In the first place it is a traditional agricultural festival, involving the offering of the first fruits of the harvest to God. In the second place, it commemorates Israel's receiving the Law from God at Mount Sinai.

Rosh Hashanah The Jewish New Year, celebrated on 1 Tishri of the Jewish calendar (in September or October). Rosh Hashanah is the commencement of the High Holy Days, the most important part of the sacred year in Judaism, a time of reflection and repentance. It is said that on Rosh Hashanah the deeds of the good are written in the Book of Life and that the deeds of the wicked are written in the Book of Death. One traditional observance is the blowing of the shofar, a musical instrument made from a ram's horn. According to the Jewish philosopher Moses Maimonides, this is to say, "Awake from your slumbers, you who have fallen asleep, and reflect on your deeds." Another custom is to eat something sweet as a harbinger of a sweet year ahead.

Yom Kippur The Day of Atonement, traditionally held to be the holiest day of the Jewish year, celebrated on the ninth of Tishri, ten days after Rosh Hashanah. It is a day of making amends and of asking forgiveness, both individually and collectively. On Yom Kippur, observant Jews fast and abstain from sex, and even from washing and wearing perfume. In ancient times, Yom Kippur was the day when the High Priest set foot into the Holy of Holies of the Temple in Jerusalem — a room forbidden to anyone else to enter at any other time.

Sukkot The eight-day Festival or Booths or Tabernacles, celebrated starting four days after Yom Kippur. It is marked by the building of open-air booths (sukkot) decorated with produce and in which families eat and sometimes sleep — a custom that recalls the tents in which the children of Israel dwelt after their deliverance from Egypt. Four types of plant — a palm branch, a sprig of myrtle, a willow leaf, and a citron — are waved by celebrants to acknowledge God's bounty.

Hanukkah The Festival of Lights, celebrated beginning on the 25th of Kislev (in December) and lasting for eight days. It commemorates the purifying of the Second Temple in Jerusalem by Judas Maccabeus in 165 B.C. after its desecration by the Hellenistic monarch Antiochus IV Epiphanes. One of the most familiar observations is the lighting of the Hannukiah, a nine-branched candelabrum. This commemorates a Talmudic story of how a one-day supply of oil miraculously burned in the Temple for eight full days until new oil could be obtained. Gift-giving, card playing, and spinning a top known as a dreidl, are also associated with Hanukkah


Hijrat Celebrated on the first of Muharram, the first month of the Islamic calendar. (Because this calendar is lunar, Hijrat, like all other Muslim holidays, can fall at any time of the year according to the solar calendar.) Hijrat commemorates the departure of the Prophet Muhammad from Mecca to the city of Medina in 622 A.D. This event, called the Hegira, marks the start of the Muslim calendar. Islamic years are numbered starting from the Hegira.

Ashuraa Celebrated on the tenth day of Muharram, this day commemorates the martyrdom of Imam Hussain, the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad, and his followers in 663 A.D. Ashuraa is observed with special diligence by the Shi'a sect of Islam, which is predominant in Iran and parts of Iraq. Large processions are formed, and participants display banners and models of the mausoleum of Imam Hussain. It is customary for the Shi'a community to offer milk drinks, known as sharbat (the origin of the English word sherbet), free of charge on this day.

Eid Milad-un-Nabi Celebrated on the twelfth day of the month Rabee-ul-Awwal, this feast commemorates the birth of the Prophet Muhammad, venerated by Muslims as the "Seal of the Prophets." Public meetings are held in mosques, where speeches are delivered on different aspects of the Prophet's life and character. Devout Muslims also give large sums of money to charity, and meals of meat and rice are distributed free to the poor. Despite the peerless admiration in which the Prophet is regarded by Muslims, this festival is not an occasion of total joy, because it also marks the date of his death.

Shab-e-Miraj "The Night of the Ascent," commemorating the occasion when the Prophet Muhammad was taken into heaven and granted a vision of the divine resplendence. It is celebrated on the twenty-seventh day of the month Rajab. In some Muslim countries, the houses and streets are decorated with bright bunting and at night are brightly lit with electric lights. In the evening, worshippers assemble in the mosques. Many devout Muslims spend the night in prayer. Shab-e-Miraj is also an occasion for Muslims to give alms to the poor, one of the central requirements of Islam.

Ramadan The ninth month of the Islamic calendar, and the month in which the Archangel Gabriel began to reveal the Qur'an to the Prophet Muhammad. Ramadan is a time when devout Muslims turn their attention away from the material world and toward the spiritual. They are required to fast from sunrise to sunset as well as to abstain from sexual intercourse and smoking. This fast is obligatory for every healthy adult Muslim.

Lailat-ul-Qadr "The Night of Decrees," observed on the twenty-seventh of Ramadan, as the occasion on which the Archangel Gabriel began to reveal the Qur'an to the Prophet. Tradition says that during the last ten days of Ramadan, Muhammad would stay awake the whole night. As a result, on this night, devout Muslims stay up all night and ask forgiveness for their sins.

Eid-ul-Fitr The feast commemorating the end of fasting at Ramadan — one of the most joyous occasions in the Islamic year. On the day of Eid-ul-Fitr, it is customary to serve a sweet breakfast dish called sheer-kurma, vermicelli in milk with raisins, dates, almonds, and other nuts. After a service at the mosque, people retire to their homes and invite friends and relations to join them in elaborate meals. Gifts are exchanged. Eid-ul-Fitr is one of two Muslim feasts, along with Eid-ul-Adha ten weeks later, that are celebrated as public holidays in Muslim nations.

Hajj Hajj, or pilgrimage, to Mecca in Saudia Arabia, is one of the "five pillars" of Islam and is performed during the eighth to the thirteenth of the month Zul-Hijja. Over a million Muslims may perform this profound act of devotion in a given year. It involves a number of observances, including putting on Ihram, a simple, two-piece white garment for men, and circumambulation of the Ka'aba, a simple, cubic stone structure that is the center of Islamic observance worldwide. Pilgrims customarily follow the observances at Mecca with a visit to the tomb of the Prophet in Medina.

Eid-ul-Adha The Festival of Sacrifice. According to the Qur'an, Abraham (venerated in Islam as a great prophet) was commanded to sacrifice his son Ishmael. At the last minute, however, God interceded and a ram was offered up in Ishmael's place. Muslims also make an animal sacrifice on this date. A third of the meat is kept for the household, and the rest is given uncooked to the poor and to friends and relatives. Eid-ul-Adha, like Eid-ul-Fitr, is a public holiday in Muslim countries.