Sri Lanka Independence Day This day commemorates the country’s political independence from Britain in 1948. It is celebrated through a flag-hoisting ceremony, dances, parades and performances. The main celebration takes place in its capital Colombo, where the President raises the national flag and delivers a nationally televised speech. World Cancer Day This is a globalContinue reading “Holidays on 4th February”
Author Archives: Rob Burroughs
Holidays on 2nd February
Groundhog Day This day is a popular North American tradition observed in the USA and Canada. It derives from the Pennsylvania Dutch superstition that if a groundhog emerging from its burrow on this day sees its shadow due to clear weather, it will retreat to its den and Winter will persist for six more weeks;Continue reading “Holidays on 2nd February”
St Brigid’s Day
This day is celebrated in Ireland on 1st February and is the only female patron saint of Ireland. It has its origins in the Celtic festival of Imbolc, it is a festival of fertility and marked the beginning of spring in Ireland. It signalled the end to the darkness of winter and ushered in aContinue reading “St Brigid’s Day”
Holidays on 31st January
International Zebra Day This day was founded by a consortium of conversation organisations, including the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute. The goal was to help raise awareness about the zebra’s plight so that they can be preserved and protected. Nauru Independence Day Germany took control of the island in 1888 after 10 yearsContinue reading “Holidays on 31st January”
Chinese New Year
This festival celebrates the beginning of a new year on the traditional lunisolar Chinese calendar. This can also be called the Spring Festival or Lunar New Year. This is a 16 day festival from New Year’s Eve to the 15th day which is the lantern festival. The first day of Chinese New Year begins onContinue reading “Chinese New Year”
International Holocaust Memorial Day
This day remembers the 6 million Jews murdered during the Holocaust in World War Two, as well as millions of other people killed under Nazi Persecution and in genocides that followed in Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia and Darfur. This date was when the largest Nazi death camp at Auschwitz-Birkenau was liberated. Each year there is aContinue reading “International Holocaust Memorial Day”
Australia Day
This is the official national day of Australia. It marks the anniversary of the 1788 arrival of the First Fleet at Port Jackson in New South Wales, and the raising of the British flag at Sydney Cove by Arthur Phillip. It took a while from the first official celebration in 1808 to 1994 when theContinue reading “Australia Day”
India Republic Day
This day honours the date on which the Constitution of India came into effect in 1950 replacing the Government of India Act (1935) as the governing document of India, and turning the nation into a newly formed republic. The Constitution was adopted by the Indian Constituent Assembly on 26th November 1949 and came into effectContinue reading “India Republic Day”
Burns Night
Robert Burns was a Scottish poet that wrote many famous poems and songs. He was born in 1759 in Alloway, Ayrshire, in the cottage that still stands. He married Jean Amour, and had 9 children, only 3 surviving infancy. He is rumoured to have fathered three more children over his lifetime. He was a farmerContinue reading “Burns Night”
St Dwynwen’s Day
St Dwynwen’s Day is the Welsh version of Valentine’s Day as the day celebrates St Dwynwen, the Welsh saint of lovers. She lived in the 5th century, where she fell in love with a man called Maelon Dafodrill. They couldn’t be together though as her farther forbade the marriage and had already promised her toContinue reading “St Dwynwen’s Day”
Holidays & Special Events 