Lists of holidays by various categorizations.
Religious holidays
Abrahamic holidays (Middle Eastern)
Christian holidays
Christmas (Nativity of Jesus Christ, the beginning of Christmastide) Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God Epiphany of the Lord Palm Sunday (Commemoration of the triumphal entry of Jesus Christ into Jerusalem) Paschal Triduum, Easter Vigil (first liturgical celebration of the Resurrection of Jesus) and Easter. (The beginning of Eastertide) Feast of the Ascension Pentecost (descent of the Holy Spirit) Feast of Corpus Christi Feast of the Transfiguration Feast of the Assumption The Exaltation of the Holy Cross (Holy Rood Day) (commemorates the finding and annual elevation of the cross used in the crucifixion of Jesus Christ to the people) Reformation Day All Saints' Day Solemnity of Christ the King Totensonntag Feast of the Immaculate Conception Solemnity of All Saints
Jewish holidays
Chag HaMatzot (Feast of Unleavened Bread – 7 or 8 days of consumption of matzo with wine and avoidance of leavened foods) Chanukkah (Feast of Dedication; Also called the Festival of Lights – Commemoration of the rededication of the Jerusalem Temple) Pesach (Passover – Deliverance of Jews from slavery in Egypt) Lag BaOmer (A holiday celebrated on the 33rd day of the Counting of the Omer, which occurs on the 18th day of the Hebrew month of Iyar) Purim (Feast of Lots – Deliverance of Jews in Persia from extermination by Haman) Reishit Katzir (Feast of Firstfruits – Collecting and waving of grain bundles (barley or wheat); Occurs during the 7 days of unleavened bread after the Sabbath) Rosh Hashanah (Jewish New Year – First day of Tishrei every year) Shabbat (The 7th Day Sabbath – The day of rest and holiest day of the week, Saturday) Shavuot (Feast of Weeks – Wheat harvesting in Israel and the receiving of the Torah at Mount Sinai) Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles; Also called the Feast of Ingathering – Dwelling within sukkahs for 7 days (in Israel) or 8 days (the diaspora); Considered by some to be a mini-campout) Shemini Atzeret (A holiday sometimes confused as being the 8th day of Sukkot; Beginning of the rainy season in Israel) Simchat Torah (Observed after Shemini Atzeret; Completion of the Sefer Torah) Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement – A day of fasting and repentance of one's sins from the past year)
Islamic holidays
Ashura (Day of Atonement; Tenth day of Muharram. Muharram is the first month of the lunar year) Eid (feast): Date determined by the lunar calendar and observation of the Moon Eid al-Adha (Feast of the Sacrifice; Tenth day of Dhu al-Hijjah, the twelfth and final month of the lunar year) Arafah (Eve of Eid al-Adha) Eid al-Fitr (Feast of Breaking the Fast; First day of Shawwal. It marks the end of Ramadan, the fasting month. Part of honoring this occasion is "zakaat ul-fitr" (giving alms to the needy on the day of Eid al-Fitr)) Chaand Raat (Eve of Eid al-Fitr) Holy Month of Ramadan (First day of Ramadan; A 30-day period of fasting to commemorate the first revelation of the Quran) Jumu'atul-Wida (Friday of Farewell; Last Friday of Ramadan before the celebration of Eid al-Fitr) Laylat al-Qadr (Night of Decree; Last ten days of Ramadan. The revealing of the first verses of the Quran to Muhammad) Isra and Mi'raj (Night Journey; Ascension of Muhammad into Heaven) Jumu'ah (More commonly known as the Day of Assembly or the Day of Gathering; Held every Friday of the lunar year as an alternative to the Zuhr prayer) Mawlid (Birth of Muhammad) Mid-Sha'ban (Bara'a Night; Decisions of the fortunes of men in the approaching year) Nuzul Al Quran (First revelation of the Quran) Raʼs as-Sanah al-Hijrīyah (Islamic New Year; First day of Muharram every year)
Baháʼí holidays
1st Day of Ridván 9th Day of Ridván 12th Day of Ridván Ascension of `Abdu'l-Bahá Ascension of Bahá'u'lláh Baháʼí Naw-Rúz Birth of Bahá'u'lláh Birth of the Báb Day of the Covenant Declaration of the Báb Martyrdom of the Báb
Mandaean holidays
Parwanaya Dehwa Daimana Kanshi u-Zahli Dehwa Rabba Dehwa d-Šišlam Rabba Dehwa Hanina Ead Fel Ashoriya
Dharmic holidays (Indian) Buddhist holidays Asalha Puja Blessed Rainy Day (Bhutanese) Bodhi Day Bon Festival (Japanese) Buddha Jayanti or Vesak Kathina Diwali Magha Puja Pchum Ben (Cambodian) Poya
Hindu holidays
Jain holidays Diwali Kshamavani Paryushana
Sikh holidays Bandi Chhor Divas Gurupurab Guru Tegh Bahadur's Martyrdom Day Hola Mohalla Vaisakhi
Pagan holidays Ancient Greek/Roman holidays Adonia/Rosalia Dionysia/Bacchanalia Floralia Kronia/Saturnalia Lemuralia Lykaia/Lupercalia Parentalia Vestalia Vinalia
Celtic, Norse, and Neopagan holidays
In the order of the Wheel of the Year: Samhain/Halloween (Celtic): 31 October – 1 November, Celtic New Year, first day of winter Yule (Norse): 21–22 December, winter solstice, Celtic midwinter Imbolc/Candlemas (Celtic): 1–2 February, Celtic first day of spring Ostara/Easter (Norse): 21–22 March, spring equinox, Celtic midspring Beltane/May Day (Celtic): 30 April – 1 May, Celtic first day of summer Litha (Norse): 21–22 June, summer solstice, Celtic midsummer Lughnasadh/Lammas (Celtic): 1–2 August, Celtic first day of autumn Mabon (Norse): 21–22 September, autumn equinox, Celtic midautumn
Other holidays East Asian holidays
Chinese New Year Chongyang Festival Dragon Boat Festival Fukagawa Festival First Full Moon Festival Ghost Festival Gion Festival Harvest Festival Japanese Autumn Festival Kanda Festival Mid-Autumn Festival Qingming Festival Qixi Festival Sanja Festival Sannō Festival Tado Festival
Messianic interpretations of Jewish holidays for Christians
The following table is a chart based on a Messianic Jewish perspective of the 9 biblical holidays (including the Sabbath), along with their times and days of occurrence, references in the Bible, and how they point to Yeshua (Jesus). All the holidays shown below are major with the exceptions of the Feast of Dedication and the Feast of Lots which are minor festivals. HolidaySeason (Northern hemisphere)MonthBiblical referencesSymbolic significancePassover Spring 14 Nisan Levites 23:4-8, Words 16:1-8, Matthew 26:17-27, John 6:1-71–11:55 He dies.Feast of Unleavened Bread Spring 15-21 Nisan Levites 23:5-8, Matthew 27:1-50, 1 Corinthians 5:7-8 He is buried and rids His House of sin.Feast of Firstfruits Spring 16 Nisan Levites 23:9-14, Matthew 28:1-6, 1 Corinthians 15:20-23 He rises from the dead.Feast of Weeks Spring 6-7 Sivan Levites 23:15-22, Numbers 28:26-31, Tobit 2:1, Acts 2:1-4 He sends the comforter (The Holy Spirit) 7 weeks later.Feast of Trumpets Autumn 1-2 Tishrei Levites 23:23-25, Daniel 7:25, 1 Corinthians 5:8–15:52 He returns.Day of Atonement Autumn 10 Tishrei Levites 23:26-27, Matthew 24:29-30, Romans 11:25-29, Hebrews 9:7 He judges the non-believers.Feast of Tabernacles Autumn 15-21 Tishrei Levites 23:33-43, John 7:1–10:21, Ephesians 2:20-22, Revelation 21:3 He will gather us for the Marriage Supper of the Lamb.Feast of Dedication Autumn-Winter 25 Kislev-2/3 Tevet Maccabees 4:52-59, John 10:22-23 He is the Light of the World.Feast of Lots Winter 14 Adar Esther 9:20-31 He delivers Israel and brings salvation to His people.The 7th Day Sabbath Every Saturday of the year All months of the year Levites 23:3, Words 5:12-14, Hebrews 4:9-11 He will dwell with us for a perpetual day of rest.
Western winter holidays in the Northern Hemisphere
The following holidays are observed to some extent at the same time during the Southern Hemisphere's summer, with the exception of Winter Solstice. Winter Solstice (the longest night and shortest day of the year) or Yule (Winter solstice, around 21–22 December in the Northern Hemisphere and 21–22 June in the Southern Hemisphere) – The solstice celebrations are traditionally marked with anything that symbolizes or encourages life. Decorating evergreens with bright objects and lights, singing songs, giving gifts, feasting and romantic events are often included. For Neopagans this is the celebration of the death and rebirth of the Sun and is one of the eight sabbats on the Wheel of the Year. Christmas Eve (24 December) – Day before Christmas. Traditions usually include big feasts at night to celebrate the day to come. It is the night when Santa Claus delivers presents to all the good children of the world. Christmas Day (25 December) – Christian holiday commemorating the birth of Jesus. Traditions include gift-giving, the decoration of trees and houses, and Santa Claus folktales. Hanukkah (25 Kislev–2 Tevet – almost always in December) – Jewish holiday celebrating the defeat of Seleucid forces who had tried to prevent Israel from practicing the Jewish faith, and also celebrating the miracle of the Menorah lights burning for eight days with only enough olive oil for one day supply. In Hebrew, "Hanukkah" means "dedication" or "to dedicate". Saint Stephen's Day or Second Day of Christmas (26 December) – Holiday observed in many European countries. Boxing Day (26 December or 27 December) – Holiday observed in many Commonwealth countries on the first non-Sunday after Christmas. New Year's Eve (31 December) – Night before New Year's Day. Usually observed with celebrations and festivities in anticipation of the new year. New Year's Day (1 January) – Holiday observing the first day of the year in the Gregorian calendar.
Secular holidays Many other days are marked to celebrate events or people, around the world, but are not strictly holidays as time off work is rarely given.
International
Halloween – (31 October, especially in the UK and former British colonies, including the United States, Canada, and Australia). Also called All Hallows' Eve, it is a highly secularized outgrowth of Christian All Hallows' Day on 1 November, and pagan Celtic Samhain (halfway point between autumn equinox and winter solstice). International Men's Day – (19 November in Canada, Australia, India, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, United Kingdom, Singapore, South Africa, and Malta) International Women's Day – (8 March, particularly in Australia, former Soviet bloc countries and mainland China) May Day, Labor/Labour Day, or International Workers' Day – (1 May in many European and South American countries. The United States and Canada both celebrate on the first Monday in September) Saint Nicholas Day – (5 or 6 December in the Netherlands, Belgium, Lebanon, and other countries) Saint Patrick's Day – (17 March in Ireland, the United States, Canada, and other countries by people of Irish descent or heritage) Saint Valentine's Day – (14 February in the United States, Canada, and many other countries as a day to celebrate love and affection) Thanksgiving Day – (4th Thursday in November in the United States, 2nd Monday in October in Canada). Generally observed as an expression of gratitude, traditionally to God, for the autumn harvest. It is traditionally celebrated with a meal shared among friends and family in which turkey is eaten. In Canada, since the climate is colder than in the US, the harvest season begins and ends earlier.
Regional