Christmas
Christmas is both a sacred religious holiday and a worldwide cultural and commercial phenomenon. For two millennia, people around the world have been observing it with traditions and practices that are both religious and secular in nature. Christians celebrate Christmas Day as the anniversary of the birth of Jesus of Nazareth, a spiritual leader whose teachings form the basis of their religion. Popular customs include exchanging gifts, decorating Christmas trees, attending church, sharing meals with family and friends and, of course, waiting for Santa Claus to arrive. December 25–Christmas Day–has been a federal holiday in the United States since 1870.
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Easter
Easter is the celebration and commemoration of one of the most important events of the Christian faith: the resurrection (rising from the dead) of Jesus Christ three days after his death by crucifixion.
Easter, being the oldest Christian holiday, is the most important day of the ecclesiastical year. All the Christian feasts and worships are arranged around Easter. Catholic and Protestant churches celebrate Easter on the first Sunday after the full moon following the Vernal or Spring Equinox on March 21st. The Eastern churches (Greek, Russian, and other forms of Orthodoxy) use calculations based on the Julian calendar (on which March 21 is April 3). Thus the Orthodox Easter sometimes falls on the same day as the western Easter, but the two celebrations can occur as much as five weeks apart. |
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Halloween
Halloween is a celebration observed in a number of countries on the 31st of October, the eve of the Western Christian feast of All Hallows' Day. It begins the three-day observance of Allhallowtide, the time in the liturgical year dedicated to remembering the dead, including saints (hallows), martyrs, and all the faithful departed
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April Fool's Day
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Mother's Day
Mother's Day is a modern celebration honoring one's mother, as well as motherhood, maternal bonds, and the influence of mothers in society. It is celebrated on various days in many parts of the world, most commonly in the months of March or May. It complements similar celebrations honoring family members, such as Father's Day and Siblings Day. |
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Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving Day is a national holiday celebrated in Canada and the United States. It was originally celebrated as a day of giving thanks for the blessing of the harvest and of the preceding year. Thanksgiving is celebrated on the second Monday of October in Canada and on the fourth Thursday of November in the United States. Several other places around the world observe similar celebrations. Although Thanksgiving has historical roots in religious and cultural traditions, it has long been celebrated in a secular manner as well.
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