An * means that the holiday begins on the evening before
-
1
- New
Year's Day
- The beginning of the
Gregorian calendar year of 2008. Celebrated with festivities
and jubilance.
- Temple
Day [Buddhism] - A day of special serivces
held in North Ameican Buddhist Temples.
- Feast
of Basil [Orthodox Christianity] - The commemoration
of Saint Basil who wrote the Eucharist Liturgy.
- Oshogatsu
[Shintoism] - This day is the Shinto New Year,
and it is customary to visit shrines to give offerings
and ask for good fortune for the coming year.
-
5
- Birthday
of Guru Gobind Singh Ji [Sikhism] - The birthday
celebration of the tenth and final Sikh master.
-
6
- Armenian
Christmas - Christmas day for the Armenian
Orthodox Church.
- Epiphany
[Anglican, Protestant, Catholicism] - Meaning manifestation,
this is the end of the 12 days of Christmas. It also
marks the day the Three Kings visited the baby Jesus.
Only Catholics who follow the pre Vatican II calendar
celebrate Epiphany on this day.
- Theophany
[Orthodox Christianity] - This day commemorates the
Baptism of Jesus by John for Orthodox Christians who
follow the Gregorian calendar and celebrate Christmas
on December 25th.
-
7
- Epiphany
[Catholicism] - Celebrated on this day by those following
the calendar established after Vatican II.
- Christmas
[Orthodox Christianity] - Celebrates the birth of Jesus
according to the Julian calendar.
- Baptism
of the Lord [Anglican] - Celebrates the day
Jesus was baptized by John.
-
8
- New
Moon - 11:38 Universal Time
-
9
- *Islamic
New Year
[Islam]
- The first month of the Islamic year. It celebrates
the Hijra (migration) of Muhammad and his followers
from Mecca to Medina where they established the first
Islamic community.
-
13
- Maghi
[Sikhism] - Commemorates the battle of Chali Mukte in
which forty Sikhs laid down their lives in defense of
their Guru Gobind Singh.
- Baptism
of the Lord
- [Catholicism] - This day celebrates the baptism of
Jesus according to the pre Vatican II calendar.
-
14
- Makar
Sankranti [Hinduism] - This day celebrates
the sun's northern journey. During this time, there
is an equal amount of daylight and nightfall. Sesames
seeds are customary symbolic of soft and tender feelings
that are exchanged at this time.
-
15
- Seijin-no-hi
[Shintoism]
- On this Coming-of-age Day, young men and women go
to shrines dressed in traditional clothing. Their families
announce their adulthood to the spirits and pray for
health.
-
18
- Week
of Prayer for Christian Unity [Christianity]
- A week long event in which Christians pray for unity
among themselves and others.
- *Ashura
[Islam] -
An optional fast day for Sunni Muslims commemorating
the day Noah left the ark, as well as Moses being saved
from the Egyptians by God. For Shi'a Muslims this day
also marks the martyrdom of Hussein, the grandson of
Muhammad, and is a required day of fasting that is marked
with grief and mourning.
-
19
- Feast
of Theophany [Orthodox
Christianity] - Observed as the day that Jesus was baptized
by those who follow the Julian calendar.
-
20
- World
Religion Day [Baha'i] - A celebration of the
unity found in all faiths.
-
21
- Martin
Luther King Day [United States] - A commemoration
of the struggles of the Equal Rights Movement and Dr.
King's battle for equality and justice.
-
22
- Full
Moon - 13:35 Universal Time
- *Tu
B'Shevat [Judaism]
- The
celebration of the New Year for trees, marking the bloom
of vegetation for the spring.
-
25
- St.
Paul Day
[Anglican, Catholic Christianity] - This day commemorates
the conversion of Saint Paul.
-
30
- Jashan
Sadeh [Zoroastrianism] - A mid winter festival
that celebrates the discovery of fire.
-
31
- Birthday
of Guru Har Rai
[Sikhism] - Commemorates the birthday of the seventh
Sikh master Guru Hai Rai.
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