Festivals and Celebrations
Please read below to find information about some of the feast and cultural days that our families at NETNS celebrate.
YULE
(Pagan - 21st/Dec/)
Yule is the time of the winter solstice, when the sun child is reborn, an image of the return of all new life born through the love of the Gods.
MAY DAY
(Secular - 1st/May/)
This festival marks the beginning of Spring. People traditionally celebrate by dancing aroung a maypole and choosing a May Queen.
BIRTHDAY OF GURU NANAK
(Sikh - 21st/Nov/)
This day celebrates the first Sikh guru, and is marked by reading the Sikh holy book, the Granth Sahib.
BAISAKHI
(Sikh - 14th/April/)
The harvest festival of North India, the beginning of the solar year. For Sikhs it represents the founding of the Khalsa, a Sikh brotherhood. Baisakhi always falls on April 14th and this is also the Hindu New Year for North India
PARINIRVANA/NIRVANA DAY
(Buddhism - 8th/15th/Feb/2011)
Mahayana Buddhist festival marking the final passing away from this world of Gautama Buddha at Kushinagara, India, at the age of 80.
WESAK
(Buddhism - /May/)
Wesak or Buddha Day occurs near or on the day of the full moon in May. For Western Buddhists this is a three fold celebration. It represents the day on which the Buddha was born, achieved enlightenment and attained 'nirvana'. The festival is a celebration of much colour. Homes are decorated with flowers and incense. Buddhists visit their local temples for services and teachings, and give offerings to monks.
EID-AL-ADHA
(Muslim - 16th/Nov/2010)
Eid al-Adha (the festival of sacrifice) is a religious festival celebrated by Muslims and Druze worldwide as a commemoration of Ibrahim's (Abraham's) willingness to sacrifice his son, as commanded by Allah. In commemoration of Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his son, Ishmael, Muslims all over the world sacrifice a sheep if they can afford it. The meat is shared with the family and the poor. This festival also marks the end of Hajj, the holy pilgrimage to Mecca.
RAMADAN/EID-UL-FITR
(Muslim - 10th/Sept/2010)
Ramadan is a month of fasting from dawn to sunset. During Ramadan, Muslims celebrate the time when the verses of the Qur'an were revealed to the Prophet Muhammad. Eid-ul-fitr is a Muslim holiday that marks the end of Ramadan, the Islamic holy month of fasting. Eid is an Arabic word meaning 'festivity', while fitr means 'to break fast', and so symbolises the breaking of the fasting period. Eid is celebrated over a three day period.
LENT
(Christian - 9th/Mar/2011)
Lent is the time when Christians remember the forty days that Jesus spent in the wilderness and the temptations he faced during this time. Lent is a time of fasting and discipline in preparation for Easter. Ash Wednesday marks the first day of Lent that lead up to Easter. Ashes are placed on the foreheads of the faithful as a sign of penitence. Shrove Tuesday is commonly known as Pancake Day and is the day before the start of Lent. Christians traditionally 'use up' rich foods in preparation for fasting during Lent.
EASTER
(Christian - 17th-25th/April/2011)
This is the most solemn week of the Christian Year. Christians remember Jesus' life beginning on Palm Sunday, when Jesus enters Jerusalem, and ends on Good Friday when He was crucified. Palm Sunday is commemorated in churches by processions, with the congregation carying symbolic branches of trees or palm leaves folded into the form of a cross. On Maundy Thursday Christians reflect on The Last Supper, when Jesus celebrated the Passover meal with his disciples. Good Friday commemorates the crucifixion of Jesus. Easter Sunday is the most important festival of the Christian year, as it is when Christians celebrate the resurrection of Jesus.
CHRISTMAS
(Christian - 25th/Dec/2010)
Christmas celebrates the birth of Jesus, who Christians believe to be the son of God. Advent is the start of the Christian year, four Sundays before Christmas. The word Advent means 'the coming'. It is a time of reflection, as well as cheer and anticipation. An Advent wreath is made from a circle of green leaves to symbolise continuous life and contains four candles (3 purple, 1 pink) that are lit each Sunday. A fifth white candle sits in the centre of the wreath and is lit on Christmas Eve in celebration of the birth of Jesus. An Advent calendar is also used, especially by children.
PURIM
(Jewish - 20th/Mar/2011)
Purim celebrates the deliverance of the Jewish people from the wicked Haman in the days of Queen Esther of Persia. They remember Queen Esther who saved the life of the Jewish people, as told in The Book of Esther. This is read twice in the synagogue. The name of Haman is drowned out with rattles and hooters by the congregation whenever it is read. Many people come in fancy dress. Hamantashen (cakes filled with poppy seeds, literally "Haman's pockets") are made and eaten at this time.
PESACH (PASSOVER)
(Jewish - 18th-26th/April/2011)
Passover begins at sundown and is the eight-day feast commemorating the exodus of the people of Israel from slavery in Egypt. The first two and last two days of the festival are observed as holidays from work.
HANUKKAH
(Jewish - 1st-9th/Dec/2010)
This is the Jewish festival of lights. Hanukkah celebrates the miraculous victory over religious persecution in the Holy Land and also commemorates the re-dedication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem and the miracle of the burning oil. This is where the oil of the menorah miraculously burned for eight days, even though there was only enough oil for one day.
ROSH HASHANAH
(Jewish - 8th/Sept/2010)
This is the most important time in the Jewish year. It is also the beginning of ten special days,called the days of penitence. This is the time when Jews say sorry to God for all the bad things they have done in the past year. This is the only Jewish holiday which lasts for 2 entire days (considered as one very long day), and the reason for this is to emphasise its importance.
DIWALI
(Hindu/Sikh - 5th/Nov/2010)
The most important date in the Hindu calendar, the story of Rama and Sita is retold and people spend time with their families. Diwali, the festival of lights, is a five day celebration. The fourth day is the Hindu New Year. Diwali celebrates the return of Rama and Sita, the story shows how good wins over evil.
HOLI
(Hindu - 20th/Mar/2011)
One of the most colourful Hindu festivals, Holi begins with a bonfire to celebrate the death of Holika, the demon of winter. On the second day, people throw coloured water over one another to remind themselves of the mischievous young Krishna.
MARDI GRAS
(Latin America, Caribbean and Christian - 8th/Mar/2011)
This literally means 'Greasy or Fat Tuesday' and is the same festival as Shrove Tuesday. Many countries celebrate Mardi Gras with processions and Carnivals.
Mardi Gras is the final day of Carnival, the three day period preceding the beginning of Lent, the Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday immediately before Ash Wednesday (some traditions count Carnival as the entire period of time between Epiphany or Twelfth Night and Ash Wednesday)
TENG CHIEH
(Chinese - 18th/Feb/2011)
This is the Lantern festival, which marks the full moon of the year and the lengthening of the days. Strings of lanterns in various designs are hung out as decorations
Valentine's Day
( - 14th/Feb/2011)
Valentine's Day or Saint Valentine's Day is a holiday celebrated on February 14.
In this day people traditionally send unsigned cards to those they secretly love. Legend has it that it is the date that birds choose their mates and begin to build nests. Valentine himself was probably Bishop Valentine, a third century Roman soldier who refused to agree to the command that soldiers must not marry and devote themselves to their fighting careers. He was imprisoned and finally executed on February 14th.
YUAN TAN (New Years Day)
(Chinese - 3rd/Feb/2011)
This is the most important date in the Chinese calendar and marks the beginning of the first lunar month. This festival is colourfully celebrated with fireworks, dances and the giving of gifts, flowers and sweets. Gold is a dominant colour to symbolise the wish for prosperity and red is also much used as a lucky colour. Business accounts should be settled and debts paid before the New Year begins. Celebrations can last three or more days. This is the year of the rabbit.
SETSUBUN / BEAN SCATTERING
(Japanese - 3rd/Feb/2011)
In Japan, Setsubun is the day before the beginning of each season. The name literally means "seasonal division", but usually the term refers to the spring Setsubun, properly called Risshun, celebrated yearly on February 3.
The day for the Bean Scattering ceremony performed both in homes and temples.
CANDLEMAS
(Christian - 2nd/Feb/2011)
This Christian festival commemorates Mary presenting Jesus to the temple, as required by Jewish law. At special church services children are often presented with a candle.
In addition to being known as the Presentation of Jesus at the Temple, other traditional names include Candlemas, the Feast of the Purification of the Virgin, and the Meeting of the Lord.
LA le BRIDE (ST. Brigid's Day)
(Irish - 1st/Feb/2011)
This is a fusion of the feast day of early Christian saint, Brigid, and is an important Celtic feast, Imblog, associated with a Celtic goddess and marking the coming of Spring. There are many fertility traditions connected to this feast. Nowadays, Brigid's crossses are made from reeds to mark the feast.
