Miscellaneous Holidays By Month

• January
• The Hajj Ending in Eid-ul-Adha "Background information about "Eid-ul-Adha ('Celebration of Sacrifice'), also known as the Greater Eid, [which] is the second most important festival in the Muslim calendar. It marks the end of the Hajj, the annual pilgrimage to Makkah (Mecca)." Includes classroom activities and related links about the holiday, which is celebrated in January. From the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)." (LII)
• Chinese New Year"This site provides information on how the Chinese New Year's Day is determined, the Chinese solar/lunar calendar, the animals of the Chinese zodiac, significance of Chinese dragons, calligraphy, and Chinese graphics." (LII)
• Chinese New Year Festival and Parade This official site for the San Francisco Chinese New Year Parade, held in February, also features events outside the area such as street and flower market fairs and the Miss Chinatown USA Pageant. Includes a brief history of the parade, which "is the largest celebration of its kind in the world," facts about Chinese New Year traditions and associated horoscope characters, a parade map, details for participants, crafts for children, and more. (LII)
• Chinese New Year "This site provides information on how the Chinese New Year's Day is determined, the Chinese solar/lunar calendar, the animals of the Chinese zodiac, significance of Chinese dragons, calligraphy, and Chinese graphics." (LII)
• February
• Groundhog Day"This site has information about the history and official observance of Groundhog Day in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. Pictures, movies, souvenirs, event calendars, and information about the groundhog club are all available. You can also watch "Punxsutawney Phil" (the official groundhog) make his prediction live every year over the Internet through this site." (LII)
• Everything Valentine's'"Looking for Valentine's Day gifts, cards, and treats for the classroom, spouses, or little Cupids in your life? Here are 100s of easy-to-do ideas for the sweetest Valentine's Day ever." Includes illustrated instructions. From FamilyFun magazine. ' (LII)
• The History of Valentine's Day "Extensive background on why we celebrate this day and who St. Valentine was. There are also sections on the romances of Harry and Bess Truman, Robert and Elizabeth Barrett Browning, and Jackie and Rachel Robinson. From the History Channel." (LII)
• Today in History: February 14 "Collection of resources for Valentine's Day, including brief history of the holiday and valentine cards, images, historic love songs, and other material from the collections of the Library of Congress. From the American Memory Project of the Library of Congress." (LII)
• March
• Holi: The Festival of Colours Information about this Indian festival "celebrated on the day after the full moon in early March every year." (LII) (LII)
• Purim "Information about Purim, "or the Feast of Lots, ... a joyous holiday that recounts the saving of the Jews from a threatened massacre during the Persian period (539-330 BCE)," and about the Fast of Esther, which occurs on the day prior to Purim." (LII)
• Pi Day Celebration "This site, created in 2004 for the Pi Day celebration on March 14 (3/14), commemorates an irrational real number (approximately equal to 3.14) which is the ratio of a circle's circumference to its diameter. Features a short history of pi, activities, and links to related sites about calculating pi, memorizing pi, and pi humor. From the Exploratorium." (LII)
• St. Patrick's Day Fast Facts: Beyond the Blarney A compilation of facts about this holiday celebrated on March 17, which "marks the Roman Catholic feast day for Ireland's patron saint." Includes facts such as that "New York City hosted the first official St. Patrick's Day parade in 1762," and that "Chicago is famous for dyeing the Chicago River green on St. Patrick's Day." From National Geographic News. (LII)
• St. Patrick's Day "Information about this March 17 holiday celebrated in honor of the patron saint of Ireland. Features background about St. Patrick, a listing of parades and events throughout the world, a listing of Irish pubs, and an Irish quiz. Also includes links to Irish toasts and Irish slang. Some material is only available to members. From IrishAbroad." (LII)
• St. Patrick's Day' "Explore some of the places and legends associated with Saint Patrick and find out about the life of Ireland's patron saint." Also includes a list of "essential Irish phrases" for a night out at a pub, and traditional Irish recipes for items such as Irish stew, Irish coffee, and champ (mashed potatoes). From the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC).' (LII)
• Aprl
• Celebration of Tomb Sweeping Day (Qing Ming Jie) "Introduction to this Chinese holiday "celebrated two weeks after the vernal equinox," in which family members visit graves "to tend to any underbrush that has grown." The site describes past and present observations of Tomb Sweeping Day, "one of the few traditional Chinese holidays that follows the solar calendar -- typically falling on April 4, 5, or 6." From the Chinese Culture Center of San Francisco. (LII)
• May
• Cinco de Mayo "Bilingual (English and Spanish) account of the events that occurred during the Battle of Puebla, Mexico, on May 5, 1862, and a brief account of why this day is important to Mexican-Americans." (LII)
• The History of Cinco de Mayo "Brief background about "the holiday of Cinco De Mayo, The 5th Of May, [which] commemorates the victory of the Mexican militia over the French army at The Battle Of Puebla in 1862. ... It is not, as many people think, Mexico's Independence Day, which is actually September 16." From Mexonline, a guide to Mexico founded by an author and radio host." (LII)
• Cinco de Mayo Recipes from the Food Network (LII)
• Laughter Arts and Sciences Foundation "The Laughter Arts and Sciences Foundation sponsors World Laughter Day, the first Sunday in May. Its site provides a history of this day that was first commemorated in 1998, and a directory of events throughout the world." (LII)
• Wesak (Buddha Day) -- First Full Moon in May "Wesak or Vesak, also known as Buddha Day, celebrates the Buddha's birthday, enlightenment and death. It is the most important day in the Buddhist calendar. In Japanese Buddhism, 8th April marks the birth of the Buddha, 8th December his enlightenment and 15th February his death." "Discusses Wesak traditions and activities, Buddhist beliefs, suggested classroom activities, and links to related sites. From the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) site with learning resources for home and school." (LII)
• Mother's Day "historical facts and figures about Mother's Day, links to information about famous mothers, and several ideas for celebrating the holiday." (LII)
• Julia Ward Howe: The Woman Behind Mother's Day "Video and transcript about Julia Ward Howe, "the author of the 'Battle Hymn of the Republic,' [who] began advocating for a mother's day for peace in 1870." Features an interview with an author of a Howe biography, and Julia Ward Howe's 1870 Mother's Day proclamation. From Democracy Now!, a daily radio and TV news program." (LII)
• Lag Ba'Omer "a range of information about the Lag Ba'Omer, including explanations of the holiday, traditions (such as the lighting of bonfires), and biographies of Rabbi Akiva. Also includes links to sites in Hebrew, Russian, Spanish, and other languages." (LII)
• Memorial Day from the History Channel. (LII)
• Department of Veteran Affairs: Memorial Day a comprehensive history of Memorial Day. (STN)
• June
• Holi e cards
  
• Kamehameha Day Celebration "information about Kamehameha Day" (LII)
• Infoplease: Father's Day "Histories, stories, and fun facts to share with Dad" include History of the Necktie, Father's Day Timeline and facts from the census bureau such as the number of U.S. dads, both married and single. Scroll down for quizzes, quotes, a crossword puzzle, and four features on various kinds of dads: athletic dads, sitcom dads, animal dads and prolific dads." (STN)
• Handbook of Texas Online: Juneteenth "This essay describes the origins of the Juneteenth holiday. "On June 19 ('Juneteenth'), 1865, Union general Gordon Granger read the Emancipation Proclamation in Galveston, thus belatedly bringing about the freeing of 250,000 slaves in Texas." Discusses the history of the holiday and the impact of Juneteenth, which is now celebrated beyond Texas. From the General Libraries at the University of Texas at Austin and the Texas State Historical Association." (LII)
• July
• Hindu festival of Rakshabandhan greeting cards, information about the holiday, and recipes.
• Fourth of July Celebrations Database "Find "selected examples of Fourth of July celebrations that have occurred throughout our nation's history" since 1776. This site also describes the formalizing of the Independence Day holiday, and provides chronologies, stories, and speeches. Includes links to some events scheduled for the Fourth of July in the current calendar year." (LII)
• Today in History: July 4 "A brief history of the holiday also known as Independence Day, which observes the day in 1776 when "the Second Continental Congress unanimously adopted the Declaration of Independence." Includes speeches, music, photos, and links to related topics. From the American Memory Project of the Library of Congress." (LII)
• Fourth of July Is Independence Day "Collection of links to material related to Independence Day. "Independence Day honors the birthday of the United States of America and the signing of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. It's a day of picnics and patriotic parades, a night of concerts and fireworks, and a reason to fly the American flag." Topics include fireworks, summer safety tips, and virtual visits to historic sites. From USA.gov, the U.S. government's official Web portal." (LII)
• August
• Lughnasadh "Background about "the Celtic harvest festival on August 1st [that] takes its name from the Irish god Lugh." Includes a description of the history of the festival and its celebrations, and recipes for dishes inspired by the events, such as bilberry jam and potato griddle cakes. From a company that provides Celtic-related tours and classes." (LII)
• Rakhi Festival "Find information on rakhi festival, legends, customs, celebration, and rakhi gift traditions"
• Women's Equality Day "Collection of links to material related to Women's Equality Day, celebrated each year on August 26 "to honor women's continuing efforts toward full equality. ... The 19th Amendment granting women the right to vote was certified as part of the U.S. Constitution on August 26, 1920." From the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs." (LII)
• September
• The Origins of Labor Day "Read about the turbulent circumstances of Labor Day's birth, browse NewsHour segments on labor and the economy, and explore labor-related resources on the Internet." From the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS). (LII)
• The History of Labor Day From the U.S. Department of Labor. (LII)
• Roshhashanah ecards variety of free e-cards.
• Rosh-hashanah e-cards variety of free e-cards.
• The International Day of Peace September 21 "This day "provides an opportunity for individuals, organizations and nations to create practical acts of peace on a shared date." The site features the U.N. resolutions designating this day, a listing of events throughout the world, educational resources, and links to related material. This site "is provided by Pathways To Peace, the International Secretariat of the Culture of Peace Initiative (formerly We The Peoples Initiative), a United Nations-designated Peace Messenger Initiative." "(LII)
• October/November
• Children's Activities in Ramadan "A collection of activities related to Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic Calendar. Includes a poem, songs, craft projects, and study material for teachers and students. From Submission.org, an American group that condemns violence "carried out in the name of Islam." " (LII)
• Essentials of Ramadan, The Fasting Month " adapted from the book by Tajuddin B. Shu`aib, which serves as a guide and reference for Islamic studies courses." (LII)
• Hispanic Heritage " "National Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated from September 15 through October 15 every year. This page includes recommended reading lists, reference resources and related websites, chosen by our librarians." Includes a list of Hispanic mysteries, recommended fiction in Spanish and English, recommended titles for children, reading lists from other libraries, and selected Internet resources in English and Spanish. From the Springfield, Massachusetts, City Library." (LII)
• Día de los Muertos information on the foods, history, events, altars, and culture of the popular Mexican holiday celebrated on November 2. From The Arizona Republic. (LII)
• Celebrating Americas Freedoms Information about Veterans Day, as well as other information from the Veterans Administration. (STN)
• Enchanted Learning: Veterans Day Crafts twenty patriotic crafts for preschool, kindergarten, and early elementary ages. (STN)
• Infoplease: Veterans Day a history of Veterans Day (STN)
• Veterans Day from the Department of Veterans Affairs (SR)
• The History of Veteran's Day "A timeline about the history of Veteran's Day. Topics include the first Armistice Day in 1919 (which followed the "implementation of an armistice ... between the Allies and Germany at the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of November, 1918)," the changing of the name of the holiday to Veteran's Day in 1954, and how this holiday was designated by the federal government as the first Monday in October from 1971-1977. From the U.S. Army." (LII)
• Veterans History Project from the Library of Congress (RT)
• Durga Puja information and links about this Hindi festival.
• Durga Puja CardsFree e-cards.
• American Indian Heritage Month Resources (FGI)
• National Museum of American Indians (FGI)
• Native American and Tribal Cultural Resources (FGI)

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