Author Archives: Rob Burroughs

Robert Burns was a Scottish poet that wrote many famous poems and songs. He died in 1796 and 5 years after that date a group of his friends got together in his cottage on his birthday on 25th January to remember him. This grew into a tradition that is not only followed in Scotland, butContinue reading “Burns Night”

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”

This is a public holiday in Romania celebrated every 24th January to commemorate the unification of the Romanian Principalities (Moldavia and Wallachia), also known as the “Little Union”, on 24th January under prince Alexandru Ioan Cuza. This was considered important as it was considered the first step towards a unitary Romanian state, achieved on 1stContinue reading “Day of the Unification of the Romanian Principalities”

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”

Blue Monday is given to a day in January, usually the third Monday of the month, which is said to be the most depressing of the year. This day was first thought of in a 2005 press release from UK travel company Sky Travel. They said they calculated it using an equation taking into accountContinue reading “Blue Monday”

This is a federal holiday in the USA held on the third Monday of January every year. The day celebrates the birthday of Martin Luther King Jnr, who was the chief spokesperson for nonviolent activism in the Civil Rights Movement, which successfully protested racial discrimination in federal and state law. He was assassinated in 1968,Continue reading “Martin Luther King Jnr. Day”

This is celebrated on the third Sunday in January. It was initiated by the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha is of the United States in 1950, and is celebrated internationally by followers of the Baha Faith. Its principles are of the oneness of religion and of progressive revelation, which describe religion as evolving continuouslyContinue reading “World Religion Day”

Georgia Flag Day is marking the anniversary of the adoption of the Georgian Flag on 14th January 2004 by parliament. It was then formally endorsed via Presidential Decree No.31 on 25th January by Mikheil Saakashvili, the leader of the United Nation Movement.

It is the national day of Republic Srpska celebrated on 9th January as it is on the same day as the feast of its unofficial saint, Saint Archdeacon Stephen. The Constitutional Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina declared the holiday unconstitutional on 26th November 2015 because of it coinciding with a religious holiday. However parades andContinue reading “National Day of Republic Srpska”

Plough Monday is the traditional start of the English agricultural year. It is the first Monday after Epiphany on 6th January. Customs observed vary by regions, but a common feature was for a plough to be drawn from house to house in a procession collecting money. They were often accompanied by musicians, an old womanContinue reading “Plough Monday”