All major religious festivals should be celebrated....

aged hippy · #1 (**permalink**) 2nd November 2007, 12:38 AM

Quote:

Think-tank: 'Mark all religious festivals'
By Nigel Morris, Home Affairs Correspondent
Published: 01 November 2007

All major religious festivals should be celebrated alongside Christmas in an attempt to boost race relations, a left-leaning think-tank has suggested.

The Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) was accused by the Conservatives of "losing the plot" after it floated the idea.

The proposal came in a new pamphlet on improving race relations, which argued that ethnic minorities were surrounded by symbols of "long-standing cultures and religions".

The leaked report from the IPPR, regarded as the Government's favourite think-tank, added: "In these circumstances, even-handedness dictates we provide public recognition to minority cultures and traditions.

"If we are going to continue as a nation to mark Christmas... then our public organisations should mark other major religious festivals too."

It does not name the other festivals that could be marked, but the authors could have had the Muslim festival of Eid, the Hindu festival of Diwali, the Jewish holiday of Passover and the Chinese new year in mind.
http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/pol...cle3115524.ece

I think that this move shows respect to people of beliefs other than the Christian one, and that it's about time we moved towards a more cohesive -- rather than divisive -- society and, in my opinion, this may well help that movement.

.... although, knowing the British Government, even if this does come about - it won't mean any more holidays....

Peace, Love, & Light

Lightkeeper · #2 (**permalink**) 2nd November 2007, 02:17 AM

This sounds like a step in the right direction. I wonder how many festivals are about praising and thanking God?

**angeleyes** · #3 (**permalink**) 2nd November 2007, 03:39 AM

I had an image come to me while I was reading the article - it was of people sharing their celebrations, even explaining them, to friends who weren't of the same faith. I saw hot apple cider and candles, and a cozy setting....... one of those heart-warming movie sets!

I don't know whether it was a Christian family inviting the Jewish family next door to have a Christmas Eve meal with them, or a Jewish family inviting Muslim friends to help light the Mennorah in their home. But it was a lovely little daydream, even though it only lasted for only a matter of seconds!

I remember growing up in a neighborhoor with a a fairly even mix of Catholics, Protestants, and Jews. Looking back, I think it would have been wonderful to learn about my neighbors' traditions and vice versa.

**Rev. Kelly** · #4 (**permalink**) 3rd November 2007, 12:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lightkeeper

This sounds like a step in the right direction. I wonder how many festivals are about praising and thanking God?

Today, most people consider there to be eight major religions: Christianity, Muslim, Judaism, Wicca, Taoism, Hinduism, ...I can't seem to rememeber the other two.

sorry. Then there are 1000s of indiginous religions, each with their own holidays and celebrations. Considering all that, we could be celebrating something new everyday.

Frankly I think that could be fun.

aged hippy · #5 (**permalink**) 3rd November 2007, 01:08 AM

Quote:

This is an incomplete list of festivals and holidays that take place during the winter in the northern hemisphere, especially those commemorating the season. Many festivals of light take place in this period since the shortest day of the year in the northern hemisphere is the Winter Solstice.

See also: Christmas around the world

Holidays are listed in chronological order under each heading.
Contents

* 1 Celtic
* 2 Chinese
* 3 Christian
* 4 Germanic
* 5 Jewish
* 6 Muslim
* 7 Pagan and neopagan
* 8 Persian / Iranian
* 9 Polynesian
* 10 Roman
* 11 Secular
* 12 Slavic
* 13 Zen Buddhist
* 14 Fictional
* 15 See also

Celtic

* Samhain: November 1 - first day of winter in the Celtic calendar (and Celtic New Year's Day)
* Winter Solstice: December 21~December 22 - midwinter
* Imbolc: February 1 - first day of spring in the Celtic calendar

Chinese

* Dong zhi: Winter solstice
* Signature of the Constitution of the Republic of China (Taiwan) : December 25 - a secular national holiday, which due to its date is celebrated in some respects like Christmas
* Chinese New Year (late January - early February) - considered the end of winter in the traditional Chinese calendar

Christian

* Advent: four weeks prior to Christmas - preparing for the birth of Christ.
* Saint Nicholas' Day: December 6
* Christmas Eve: December 24
* Christmas: December 25 - celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ.
* 12 Days of Christmas: December 25 through January 6
* Saint Stephen's Day: December 26
* Saint John the Evangelist's Day: December 27
* Holy Innocents' Day: December 28
* Saint Sylvester's Day: December 31
* Watch Night: December 31
* Feast of the Circumcision: January 1
* Feast of Fools: January 1
* Twelfth Night: Epiphany Eve January 5
* Epiphany - January 6: the arrival of the Three Magi.
* Eastern Orthodox Christmas according to the Julian Calendar: January 7
* Candlemas: February 2
* St. Valentine's Day: February 14

Germanic

* Modranect: or Mothers' Night, the Saxon winter solstice festival.
* Yule: the Germanic winter solstice festival

Jewish

* Hanukkah: Starting on 25 Kislev (Hebrew) or various dates in December (Gregorian) - eight day festival commemorating the miracle of the oil after the desecration of the Temple by Antiochus IV Epiphanes and his defeat in 165 BCE.
* Tu Bishvat: New Year of the Trees occurring on the 15th of Shevat, January or February.
* Purim: Occurring on 14th or 15th day of Adar, late February to March, commemorating the miraculous deliverance and victory of the Jews of the Persian Empire in the events recorded in the Book of Esther

Muslim

* Eid ul-Adha: Starting on the 10th of Dhul Hijja, a four day holiday commemorating the Prophet Ibrahim's willingness to sacrifice his son, Ishmael.

Pagan and neopagan

* Samhain: November 1 - first day of winter in the Celtic calendar (and Celtic New Year's Day)
* Yule: (Winter Solstice) - Germanic Pagan festival of the rebirth of the Sun
* Imbolc : (February 1 or 2) - festival of candles
* Winter Solstice: (December 21) - New Age festival

Persian / Iranian

* Sadeh: A mid-winter feast to honor fire and to "defeat the forces of darkness, frost and cold".
* Yalda: The turning point. End of the longest night of the year (Darkness), and beginning of growing of the days (Lights). A celebration of Good over Evil.
* Chahar Shanbeh Suri: Festival of Fire, Last Wednesday of the Iranian Calendar year. It marks the importance of the light over the darkness, and arrival of spring and revival of nature.

Polynesian

* Matariki: (Māori New Year, usually early June) - Rising of the Pleiades star cluster before dawn.

Roman

* Saturnalia: the Roman winter soltice festival
* Festival of the birth of the Unconquered Sun: late Roman Empire - December 25
* Lupercalia, the Roman end-of-winter festival - February 15

Secular

* Winterval: Secular name for winter festivities coined by Birmingham City Council to encompass all holidays being recognized from October to January
* Zamenhof Day: (December 15) - Birthday of Ludwig Zamenhof, inventor of Esperanto; holiday reunion for Esperantists
* Winter Solstice, Yule: (December 21 or December 22) (Late June weekend in Australia) - Celebration of the Winter Solstice.
* HumanLight: (December 23) - Humanist holiday originated by the New Jersey Humanist Network
* Chrismukkah: Slang term for the amalgam of Christmas and Hanukkah celebrated by religiously mixed families and couples
* Yuletide: (December 25) - Classic and modern, respectively, terms for the social and federal December 25th holiday
* Boxing Day: (December 26) - Gift-giving day after Christmas.
* Kwanzaa: (December 26 - January 1) - Pan-African festival
* Yulefest, Midwinter Christmas (around late June or July) - Australian New Zealand winter 'Christmas/Yuletide'
* New Years Eve: (December 31) - Last day of the Gregorian year
* Hogmanay: (Night of December 31 - Before dawn of January 1) - Scottish New Years Eve Celebration
* New Year's Day: (January 1) - First day of the Gregorian year
* Burns Night: (January 25) - Birthday of Robert Burns
* Groundhog Day: (February 2)
* Quebec City Winter Carnival: (February) - Annual celebration of winter.
* Fur Rondy: (Late February and early March]) - Winter celebration in Anchorage, Alaska

Slavic

* Karachun - the ancient Slavs polytheistic winter solstice festival

Zen Buddhist

* Rohatsu

Fictional

* Festivus: December 23 - quirky holiday famously invented on the show Seinfeld
* Festival of the Bells: Midwinter celebration in Fraggle Rock, also mentioned in A Muppet Family Christmas.
* Decemberween: December 25 - A holiday in the Homestar Runner universe, occurring 55 days after Halloween.
* Hogswatchnight: December 32 - New Year's Eve/Christmas in Terry Pratchett's Discworld novels (plays on Hogmanay, Watch Night, and "hogwash")
* Winter-een-mas: January 25 - January 31 - from Ctrl+Alt+Del
* Winterfair: from the Vorkosigan Saga of Lois McMaster Bujold; a Barrayarran cultural holiday
* Chrismukkah: the modern-day merging of the holidays of Christianity's Christmas and Judaism's Hanukkah.
* Chrismahanukwanzakah: the modern-day merging of the holidays of Christianity's Christmas, Judaism's Hanukkah, and the African-American holiday of Kwanzaa.
* Pule: December 25 - Fictional replacement for Christmas created on the show Jimmy Neutron
* Hedgehog Day: February 2 - supposed archaic European version of Groundhog Day, dating back to Roman times.
* Kwanamus: Fictional blend of Christmas, Ḥannukah and Kwanzaa.

See also

* Winter solstice

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_winter_festivals

.... no, i didn't bother to count them.

Peace, Love, & Light

**angeleyes** · #6 (**permalink**) 3rd November 2007, 03:56 AM

WOW, aged hippy! That's a great list - thanks!

**arthra** · #7 (**permalink**) 3rd November 2007, 07:41 AM

Baha'is don't have any celebrations for the Winter Solstice or around December 25th but our New Years Day NawRuz is March 21st and is the ancient Persian New Year also still observed by Zoroastrians and many Shiah Muslims as well.

On November 11-12th we observe the anniversary of the Birth of Baha'u'llah.

Our Holy Days are open to anyone to attend if they wish.

- Art

aged hippy · #8 (**permalink**) 3rd November 2007, 12:46 PM

Would it be at all possible - or even feasible - to compile a comprehensive list of all the religious festivals from around the world?

If it were done, the result could well be an excellent promotion for InterFaithForums....
.... which may have unforseen and possibly unwanted results....

Just a thought.
I do have them occasionally.

Peace, Love, & Light

evangelicalhumanist · #9 (**permalink**) 3rd November 2007, 06:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aged hippy

Would it be at all possible - or even feasible - to compile a comprehensive list of all the religious festivals from around the world?

If it were done, the result could well be an excellent promotion for InterFaithForums....
.... which may have unforseen and possibly unwanted results....

Just a thought.
I do have them occasionally.

Peace, Love, & Light

There is a site for interfaith calendars.

aged hippy · #10 (**permalink**) 3rd November 2007, 07:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by evangelicalhumanist

There is a site for interfaith calendars.

Thank you for that link, "interfaith calendar" must have been the only search i never thought of.

Peave, Love, & Light

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