Holidays
Holidays hold a special place in cultures around the world and each carry their own unique history, shaped by centuries of traditions and beliefs. From religious observances such as Yom Kippur and Ramadan to patriotic celebrations such as July Fourth and Presidents' Day, explore the stories behind the holidays.
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Lent, the 46-day period of prayer and fasting that leads up to Easter, was once a preparatory period for new converts.
Ramadan is a holy month of fasting, introspection and prayer.
The celebration of Irish culture takes place annually on March 17. Learn about the origins and history of St. Patrick’s Day in this article.
Easter celebrates the belief in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Learn about the Christian holiday’s history, meaning and traditions.
Lunar New Year
The Chinese New Year
The 15-day-long Chinese New Year celebration originated from an ancient Chinese legend of the monster Nian.
3 Holy Spring Holidays
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The plain Passover flatbread known as matzo has important meaning.
In Judaism, Passover commemorates the Israelites’ escape from slavery in ancient Egypt. Learn about the Passover story and traditions.
Easter traditions like the Easter Bunny and hunting Easter eggs are centuries old. Many of the Christian holiday’s symbols have pagan roots.
April Fools’ Day, sometimes called All Fools’ Day, is several centuries old. Its exact origins remain a mystery.
The holidays both celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ but have some different traditions and are based on different calendars.
Easter celebrates the belief in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Learn about the Christian holiday’s history, meaning and traditions.
In 1957, a TV broadcaster shared footage of harvesting "an exceptionally heavy spaghetti crop" in a town near the Italian border. Try to top that—and other historic, outrageous pranks—this April Fools' Day.
The trees, a symbol of international friendship, initially arrived thanks to the work of travel writer Eliza Scidmore.
A group of hard-boiled congressmen literally protecting their turf got the annual Easter tradition rolling.
For many Christians, sunrise and resurrection are linked.
Honoring the start of the year and the change of seasons are practices as old as time.
Local celebrations include parades and reenactments as well as hatchet burials, horse races and barbecue competitions.
The annual Mexican holiday marks the anniversary of the Battle of Puebla.
The spiritual meaning of St. Patrick’s Day dates back to the Middle Ages. The holiday largely emphasizes Irish culture today.
St. Patrick is said to have chased snakes out of Ireland, but in truth, he might never have seen one there.
Muslims around the world break their Ramadan fasts with delicious feasts on Eid al-Fitr.
