| Holiday |
Religion |
Date |
Description |
|
Ramadan**
|
Islam
|
May 15-June 14
|
Fast from sunrise to sunset held during the month of Ramadan
|
|
Eid al-Fitr
|
Islam
|
June 14 - 15
|
Feast to celebrate the end of Ramadan
|
|
Eid Al-Adha
|
Islam
|
Aug. 21
|
Commemoration of a Muslim's pilgrimage to Mecca
|
|
Rosh Hashanah*
|
Judaism
|
Sep 9 - 11
|
Jewish New Year
|
|
Paryushana**
|
Jain |
Sep 7
|
8-10 day celebration which involves fasting and studying scriptures
|
|
Yom Kippur*
|
Judaism
|
Sep 18 -19
|
Day of Atonement - Fast
|
|
Eid al-Adha
|
Islam
|
Aug 20-21
|
Feast to celebrate Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his son, Ishmael, at the command of God
|
|
Birth of the Bab
|
Baha'i
|
Nov 8-9
|
Celebrates the birth of the Bab, who was said to prepare the way for the founder of Baha'i, Baha'u'llah
|
|
Diwali**
|
Hindu, Sikh, Jain
|
Nov 7
|
5-day festival of lights that celebrates the triumph of good over evil and the goddess Lakshmi
|
|
Birth of Baha'u'llah
|
Baha'i
|
Nov 9-10
|
Celebrates the birth of Baha'u'llah, the founder of the Baha'i faith
|
|
Bodhi Day
|
Buddhist
|
Dec 8
|
Commemorates Gautama Buddha's enlightenment
|
|
Hanukkah
|
Judaism
|
Dec 2 - 10
|
Celebrates the rededication of the temple in Jerusalem after the Maccabees rebelled against the Seleucid empire in the 2nd century BCE
|
|
Christmas
|
Christian (Roman Catholic & Protestant)
|
Dec 24 - 25
|
Celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ
|
|
Makar Sankranti
|
Hindu
|
Jan 14
|
Harvest festival that celebrates the beginning of spring in India
|
|
Chinese New Year
|
Confucian, Taoist, Buddhist
|
Feb 16
|
Lunar New Year for Chinese people
|
|
Purim*
|
Judaism
|
Feb 28 - Mar 1
|
Commemorates the deliverance of the Jewish people from a plot to destroy them while they were exiled in Persia
|
|
Month of Fasting
|
Baha'i
|
Mar 2 - 20
|
19-day fast observed from sunrise to sunset
|
|
Naw Ruz
|
Baha'i
|
Mar 21
|
Traditional Iranian new year holiday
|
|
Passover*
|
Judaism
|
March 30 - Apr 7
|
Commemorates God delivering the Israelites from slavery in Egypt
Seder begins in the evening of April 3
|
|
Holi
|
Hindu
|
Mar 2
|
Festival of color that celebrates the arrival of spring
|
|
Good Friday
|
Christian (Roman Catholic & Protestant)
|
Mar 30
|
Commemorates the crucifixion of Jesus Christ
|
|
Easter
|
Christian (Roman Catholic & Protestant)
|
Apr 4
|
Celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ
|
|
Easter Monday
|
Catholic
|
Apr 5
|
Easter Monday or " Monday of the Angels," celebrates the angel's announcement about Christ's Resurrection to the women who came to the tomb. It is traditional to enjoy leisure and free time and to switch form saying the Regina Caeli at noon hour instead of the Angelus.
|
|
Vaisakhi
|
Sikh, Hindu, Buddhist
|
Apr 13
|
Commemorates the foundation of Sikhism and serves as a festival of thanksgiving. Also begins the Hindu New Year.
|
|
Shavuot*
|
Judaism
|
May 19-21 |
Begins evening of May 19
|
|
Visakha Puja
|
Buddhist
|
Apr 29 |
Celebrates the birth of Siddhartha Gautama, the historical Buddha
|
|
Ascension of Baha’u'llah
|
Baha'i
|
May 29 |
Commemorates the death of Baha'u'llah, the founder of the Baha'i faith
|