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73-608: [REDACTED] Look up observance in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. Observance may refer to: Holiday , day(s) of observance Anniversary , the date on which an event took place or an institution was founded in a previous year, and may also refer to the commemoration or celebration of that event List of minor secular observances United States observances See also [ edit ] Observant (disambiguation) Observer (disambiguation) Topics referred to by

146-466: A weekend day a substitute holiday may be recognised in lieu. In the United Kingdom the government website states that "If a bank holiday is on a weekend, a 'substitute' weekday becomes a bank holiday, normally the following Monday.", and the list of bank holidays for the year 2020 includes Monday 28 December as " Boxing Day (substitute day)", as 26 December is a Saturday. The process of moving

219-544: A Pirate Day is observed on September 19, and Blasphemy Day is held on September 30. Other examples are April Fools' Day on April 1 and World No Tobacco Day on May 31. Various community organizers and marketers promote odd social media holidays . In the United States, holidays have been drawn into a culture of consumption since the late 19th century. Many civic, religious and folk festivals have been commercialised . As such, traditions have been reshaped to serve

292-599: A ban on public celebrations of the Gregorian New Year as per a religious edict, and could fine shops for offering New Year's-related products and confiscate them. However, the religious police did not go after individual citizens holding private celebrations. The power of the CPVPV was curtailed by the 2016 reforms of Mohammed bin Salman . The country also began to base the salaries of public sector employees on

365-568: A holiday from a weekend day to the following Monday is known as Mondayisation in New Zealand. National days are days of significance to a nation or nation state. National days are typically celebratory of a state's independence (e.g. 4 July in the US ), founding or unification (e.g. German Unity Day ), the commemoration of a revolution (e.g. Bastille Day in France) or liberation (e.g. 9 May in

438-466: A longer life) and hamón (dry-cured ham), while lechon (roasted pig) is usually prepared as is barbecued food and various desserts. Some refrain from serving chicken, as their scratching and pecking for food is said to be an unlucky idiom for a hand-to-mouth existence. Many Filipinos also buy firecrackers and fireworks to be used in New Year's Eve, which is believed to drive away any bad luck in

511-501: A more important holiday in both North and South Korea , the 31 December New Year's Eve of the Gregorian calendar is also celebrated. Most cities and urban areas in both Koreas host New Year's Eve gatherings. In South Korea, two of the biggest celebrations take place in the capital of Seoul : the ringing of Bosingak bell 33 times at midnight and fireworks display at Myeong-dong , and an LED laser light show and fireworks display at

584-598: A report estimating that only 67.4% of Israelis were awake at midnight on New Year's Eve in 2013, and most people only stayed up as late as 12:45 a.m. IST . During the era of Mandatory Palestine in the early-1930s, promotional material for formal New Year's Eve parties and masquerade balls was targeted primarily towards Arabic and English -speaking residents (by contrast, posters for Hanukkah parties were written in Hebrew ). These parties also became popular among German and Austrian Jews that had emigrated to avoid

657-525: A tradition in some non-Christian countries. For many Japanese people , it has become customary to buy and eat fried chicken on Christmas. Recently invented holidays commemorate a range of modern social and political issues and other important topics. The United Nations publishes a list of International Days and Weeks. One such day is International Women's Day on 8 March, which celebrates women's achievements and campaigns for gender equality and women's rights. Earth Day has been celebrated by people across

730-521: A year number displayed on the observatory at the stroke of midnight. Shibuya Crossing formerly hosted a gathering of revellers at midnight, but this ended in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic , as well as a subsequent crackdown on gatherings around Halloween and New Year's Eve due to issues with overtourism and public intoxication . Three notable music-oriented television specials air near New Year's Eve. Since 1951, NHK has traditionally broadcast

803-1236: Is a lesser Sabbat of the wheel of the year. Some are closely linked to Swedish festivities . The Baháʼí Faith observes 11 annual holidays on dates determined using the Baháʼí calendar . Jews have two holiday seasons: the Spring Feasts of Pesach (Passover) and Shavuot (Weeks, called Pentecost in Greek); and the Fall Feasts of Rosh Hashanah (Head of the Year), Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement), Sukkot (Tabernacles), and Shemini Atzeret (Eighth Day of Assembly). Some religious holidays are also celebrated by many as secular holidays. For example, 61% of Brits celebrate Christmas in an entirely secular way. 81% of non-Christian Americans also celebrate Christmas. A 2019 Gallup poll found that two-thirds of Americans still celebrate an at least somewhat religious Christmas. The claimed over-secularisation of particular holidays has caused controversy and claims of censorship of religion or political correctness . For example, in

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876-488: Is a major fireworks show launched from the Taipei 101 skyscraper in Taipei . In 2018, the show was enhanced by the installation of a new LED display system on the north face of the tower between its 35th and 90th floors, which can be used to display digital animation effects. This change countered a reduction in the number of firework shells launched during the show, as part of an effort to produce less pollution. Aside from

949-461: Is a special non-working holiday (except for 2021 and 2022, where it is a special working holiday), and Filipinos usually celebrate in the company of family or close friends. Traditionally, most households would attend church for year-end services and afterwards, host or attend an abundant midnight feast called the Medianoche . Typical dishes include pancit (a noodle dish meant to symbolize for

1022-588: Is broadcast through the leading TV channel and the celebrations usually continue until sunrise. Fireworks are lit throughout the night. Ambang Tahun Baru , a celebration sponsored by the government was held at Merdeka Square , the field opposite the Sultan Abdul Samad Building in the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur in the early days. The event was broadcast live on government as well as private TV stations at those times. The countdown

1095-538: Is celebrated as a day off. The day before, 31 December, is also marked as International Solidarity Day of Azerbaijanis , marking the double anniversary of that day in 1989 when the local residents took down the Soviet–Iranian border in then- Nakhichevan ASSR to reunite with Iranian Azerbaijanis south of the border, as well as the Istanbul-held first World Congress of Azerbaijanis which tackled issues regarding

1168-460: Is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages Holiday Holidays can be thematic, celebrating or commemorating particular groups, events, or ideas, or non-thematic, days of rest that do not have any particular meaning. In Commonwealth English , the term can refer to any period of rest from work, such as vacations or school holidays . In American English , "the holidays" typically refers to

1241-631: Is now broadcast live on Government television from Putrajaya and the Broadcasting Centre in which the concert is held and fireworks are displayed at the Petronas Towers . There are New Year countdown parties in major cities such as George Town , Shah Alam and Kuching , typically organized by the private sector in these cities. Mongolians began celebrating the Gregorian New Year in the Socialist period, with influence from

1314-626: Is recognised in World War I Allied nations (and across the Commonwealth ) to memoralise those lost in the World Wars. National leaders will typically attend remembrance ceremonies at national memorial sites. Maybe surprisingly, World War II Armistice Day (and victory against Nazism ) day, on 8 May, is much less celebrated. Many holidays are linked to faiths and religions (see etymology above). Christian holidays are defined as part of

1387-508: Is sung to mark the end and beginning of the year with a blessing. The service ends at 12:30   am. In Tunisia , Tunisians celebrate by spending the evening in restaurants and hotels and exchange gifts and flowers, or travel outside Tunisia to spend New Year's Eve in a European country. But most Tunisians prefer to celebrate it at home in a family evening with relatives and friends. Tunisians buy cakes or prepare them at home, in addition to holding dinner banquets, as roast chicken remains

1460-495: Is the Lunar New Year , which is celebrated across East Asia and South East Asia. Many other days are marked to celebrate events or people, but are not strictly holidays as time off work is rarely given; examples include Arbor Day (originally U.S.), Labor Day (celebrated sometimes under different names and on different days in different countries), and Earth Day (22 April). If a holiday coincides with another holiday or

1533-480: Is the evening or the entire day of the last day of the year, 31 December . In many countries, New Year's Eve is celebrated with dancing, eating, drinking, and watching or lighting fireworks . Some Christians attend a watchnight service . The celebrations generally go on past midnight into New Year's Day , 1 January . The Line Islands (part of Kiribati ), Samoa and Tonga , in the Pacific Ocean , are

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1606-421: Is the first implication detailed that this article is concerned with. Modern use varies geographically. In North America, it means any dedicated day or period of celebration. In the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand, holiday is often used instead of the word vacation . The celebration of the New Year has been a common holiday across cultures for at least four millennia. Such holidays normally celebrate

1679-856: Is used exclusively to refer to the nationally, religiously, or culturally observed day(s) of rest or celebration or the events themselves, whereas in the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth nations , the word may refer to the period of time where leave from one's duties has been agreed upon and is used as a synonym for the US preferred vacation . This time is usually set aside for rest, travel, or participation in recreational activities, with entire industries targeted to coincide with or enhance these experiences. The days of leave may not coincide with any specific customs or laws. Employers and educational institutes may designate 'holidays' themselves, which may or may not overlap nationally or culturally relevant dates, which again comes under this connotation, but it

1752-498: Is usually celebrated with fireworks in big cities (e.g. Lahore , Karachi and Islamabad ). Musical nights and concerts are also held. Many Pakistani youngsters enjoy the type of celebrations held the world over. The elite and educated classes participate in night-long activities in urban and cosmopolitan cities like Karachi, Lahore, and the capital of Islamabad. In the Philippines , New Year's Eve ( Bisperas ng Bagong Taon )

1825-595: The Kōhaku Uta Gassen ("Red and White Song Battle") on New Year's Eve, a music competition where two teams of popular musicians (the red and white teams, which predominantly contain female and male performers respectively) perform songs. The winning team is determined by a panel of judges, audience members at the NHK Hall in Tokyo, and televotes. The special is traditionally one of the most-watched television programs of

1898-661: The Lotte World Tower in Songpa-gu . Television networks KBS and SBS both broadcast award shows, the KBS Drama Awards and SBS Drama Awards , to honor achievements in the television dramas aired by the networks. Until 2022 South Koreans calculated their age using the East Asian age reckoning method, with all South Koreans adding a year to their age at midnight of the New Year (of the Gregorian, not

1971-620: The Marina Bay Singapore Countdown with light shows being held in December under Shine The Light programme while fireworks at the city are not permitted on New Year's Eve. Heartland celebrations are held instead on New Year's Eve at various locations for countdown fireworks. Similarly, public transport services are extended; last MRT trains will leave City Hall at 1.15am. The most prominent New Year's event in Taiwan

2044-816: The North Korean calendar or the Juche Year, which is based on 15 April 1912, Kim Il Sung 's date of birth, the celebrations are more recent in origin with the fireworks displays dating from 2013. For 2018–19, Kim Il Sung Square hosted a concert performance by the state Moranbong Band , midnight fireworks, and a drone show . In Lebanon . Lebanese people celebrate New Year's Eve with a dinner attended by family and friends. The dinner features traditional dishes such as tabouli, hummus, kibbi, and other Lebanese foods. These celebrations could also take place in restaurants and clubs. Game shows are also organized where contestants can try to win money. The countdown to New Year's

2117-565: The Roman Catholic church and 10   pm for the Protestants . At 00:00, at midnight, the president delivers an end-of-year address which is broadcast live on many radio and television stations. Fireworks were introduced in recent years, with the most significant displays happening at Kigali Convention Centre , Rebero Hill, Mount Kigali. In South Africa , South Africans vote on a top ten music countdown before 31 December. When

2190-629: The Saitama Super Arena has hosted an MMA event on New Year's Eve since 2001, which were initially promoted by Pride Fighting Championships . After its dissolution and sale to UFC , Yarennoka! was organized by former Pride executives in 2007, while its successor Dream would hold the event through 2012 (which marked its final event). These cards have also featured kickboxing matches, promoted by groups such as Glory and K-1 Rizin Fighting Federation would take over

2263-649: The corniche of Casablanca. In Nigeria , Nigerians often Celebrate the New Year's Eve by going to church; others go to nightclubs and parties organized by individuals, communities, and other organizations. In Lagos , a year-end festival known as Lagos Countdown (later renamed One Lagos Fiesta) was first held in 2012, as part of an effort to establish tourism-oriented New Year's festivities more in line with those of other major metropolitan areas. In Rwanda , Rwandans celebrate New Year's Eve by going to church, taking part in social gatherings and organizing family activities. The services usually start from 6   pm for

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2336-631: The liturgical year , the chief ones being Easter and Christmas . The Orthodox Christian and Western-Roman Catholic patronal feast day or "name day" are celebrated in each place's patron saint's day, according to the Calendar of saints . Jehovah's Witnesses annually commemorate "The Memorial of Jesus Christ's Death", but do not celebrate other holidays with any religious significance such as Easter, Christmas or New Year. This holds especially true for those holidays that have combined and absorbed rituals, overtones or practices from non-Christian beliefs into

2409-559: The 108 elements of bonō ( 煩悩 ) , mental states that lead Japanese to take unwholesome actions. In most cities and urban areas across Japan, New Year's Eve celebrations are usually accompanied by concerts, countdowns, fireworks and other events. In Tokyo , revelers gather at the Zojoji Temple in Minato , who release helium balloons with New Year's wishes up in the sky and watch the lighting of Tokyo Tower and Tokyo Skytree with

2482-512: The 1990s, Birmingham City Council promoted a series of events in the Christmas season under the brand Winterval to create a more multi-cultural atmosphere about the seasonal festivities. The Bishop of Birmingham responded to the events, saying "the secular world, which expresses respect for all, is actually embarrassed by faith. Or perhaps it is Christianity which is censored". In the United States, conservative commentators have characterised

2555-685: The Azeri expat communities. Celebrations of the holiday are influenced from its Soviet history, at midnight the national anthem is played on all TV stations following the message of the President of Azerbaijan produced by state channel AzTV . The New Year celebrations take place in all around the country mostly in Dhaka , Chittagong , Sylhet , Rajshahi , Khulna , Barishal , Cox's Bazar etc. The celebrations mostly take place at night. On this day, Bangladeshis go to parties at clubs or hotels, beaches, at

2628-656: The Channel Islands ), or the feast day for a patron saint (e.g. St Patrick's Day in Ireland) or ruler (e.g. 5 December in Thailand). Belgium's national day, on the 21st of July, commemorates the oath of office of the first King of the Belgians (an uncle of the then-future Queen Victoria ), i.e., so to say, the day Belgium became a kingdom by ending the initial interregnum . Every country other than Denmark and

2701-710: The Gregorian calendar as a cost savings measure, while retaining the Islamic calendar for religious purposes. In 2019, the capital of Riyadh introduced a new winter entertainment festival known as Riyadh Season , in support of Saudi Vision 2030 . The inaugural festival included New Year's festivities centred upon Boulevard Riyadh City , including fireworks and a concert at Mohammed Abdo Arena featuring top Arabic music performers. New Year's Eve celebrations in Singapore are centered in Marina Bay, which had hosted

2774-612: The Gregorian calendar except Israel . Christmas is a popular holiday globally due to the spread of Christianity . The holiday is recognised as a public holiday in many countries in Europe, the Americas, Africa and Australasia and is celebrated by over 2 billion people. Although a holiday with religious origins, Christmas is often celebrated by non-Christians as a secular holiday. For example, 61% of British people celebrate Christmas in an entirely secular way. Christmas has also become

2847-520: The Gregorian calendar. It is largely celebrated through social gatherings and parties. The New Year's holiday has historically attracted a negative stigma among parts of the Israeli Jewish population due to its connection to Pope Sylvester I —who is widely considered to have been an antisemite . As a result, celebrations have historically been modest in comparison to other countries. In December 2014, wearables manufacturer Jawbone published

2920-626: The Korean calendar), the government finally ended the practice for 2023 and onwards. In Pyongyang , the capital of North Korea, the chimes of the clock at the Grand People's Study House and the national fireworks display along Kim Il-sung Square , Juche Tower and the surrounding areas signal the start of the New ;Year. The celebration in Pyongyang, however, also marks the beginning of

2993-608: The United Kingdom observes a national day. In the UK, constituent countries have official or unofficial national days associated with their patron saint. A British national day has often been proposed, such as the date of the Acts of Union 1707 (1 May) or the King's Official Birthday , but never adopted. Other days of national importance exist, such as one to celebrate the country's military or veterans . For example, Armistice Day (11 November)

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3066-562: The buildings of Hong Kong's Victoria Harbour —is held on New Year's Eve, incorporating a fireworks show. From 1993 to 2014, the Times Square shopping centre in Causeway Bay hosted New Year's Eve festivities featuring the " lowering " of an apple (via 22 m (72 ft) of signage ), in imitation of the ball drop at New York City 's Times Square . The countdown event was discontinued in 2015 in favor of other events over

3139-514: The celebration, as well as those holidays that distract from or replace the worship of Jehovah. In Islam , the largest holidays are Eid al-Fitr (immediately after Ramadan ) and Eid al-Adha (at the end of the Hajj ). Ahmadi Muslims additionally celebrate Promised Messiah Day , Promised Reformer Day , and Khilafat Day , but contrary to popular belief, neither are regarded as holidays. Hindus , Jains and Sikhs observe several holidays, one of

3212-663: The churches for a watch night service till midnight, praying for blessing in the coming new year as it is also part of the Christmastide season observances. In China , although the celebrations of the Lunar New Year are not until a few weeks after the Gregorian New Year, celebrations of the Gregorian New Year are held in some areas, particularly in major cities. For example, celebrations with fireworks and rock concerts have taken place in Beijing 's Solana Blue Harbor Shopping Park, while cultural shows and other events are held at

3285-546: The city's Millennium Monument, Temple of Heaven , Great Wall of China , Olympic Green , and the Summer Palace . Since 2011, a light and sound show has been held at The Bund in Shanghai , a few minutes before midnight. In Hong Kong , many gather in shopping districts like Central , Causeway Bay and Tsim Sha Tsui . A special edition of A Symphony of Lights —the nightly light and sound show conducted across

3358-506: The commemoration of the ending of World War II , or the Shoah , can also be part of the reparation obligation as per UN General Assembly Resolution 60/147 Basic Principles and Guidelines on the Right to a Remedy and Reparation for Victims of Gross Violations of International Human Rights Law and Serious Violations of International Humanitarian Law. Another example of a major secular holiday

3431-459: The countdown reaches number one, the song with the most votes plays on all the country's radio stations. Fireworks are lit all around South Africa. South Africans engage in occasional drinking and braais . In South Sudan , South Sudanese attend church services at many churches in Juba . The service begins at 9   pm. At the stroke of midnight, the famous carol , " Hark! The Herald Angels Sing "

3504-471: The country, generally in Tunis or Paris . At 8 PM ( AST ) , the President's message of greetings is read on TV. The EPTV network airs an entertainment show, with different hosts and guests. In Egypt , New Year's Eve is celebrated with fireworks and often evening parties with friends and family. In Ghana , Ghanaians celebrate New Year's Eve by going to church; others go to nightclubs, pubs or take to

3577-434: The crowded roadsides and bridges where firecrackers are blasted out in the sky at night. The roadsides and bridges are also lighted up by colorful lights at night. Bangladeshis do a get-together as well as enjoy with their families. That day, Cox's Bazar becomes a popular tourist destination for both Bangladeshi and foreign tourists. Music, songs and dances are organized in the auditoriums, hotels, beaches and as well as in

3650-576: The first places to welcome the New Year , while American Samoa , Baker Island and Howland Island (part of the United States Minor Outlying Islands ) are among the last. In Algeria , New Year's Eve is usually celebrated with family and friends. In the largest cities, there are fireworks at midnight. The Martyrs' Memorial is the main attraction during the celebration, while some Algerians prefer celebrate outside

3723-486: The former Soviet Union. As a modern tradition, New Year's Eve as well as New Year's Day are public holidays, and are two of the biggest holidays of the year. They celebrate New Year's Eve with families. It is common, just like in the former Soviet Union, that the National Anthem of Mongolia is to be played at the midnight hour on television following the holiday address by the President of Mongolia. New Year's Eve

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3796-416: The grounds which are shown live concert on television where many Dhallywood celebrities along with many personalities participate in the dance, music, songs and often drama to liven up the concert more. Sometimes marriages and weddings take place in the clubs on the night of 31 December so that Bangladeshis can enjoy more. Bangladeshis also enjoy New Year's Eve with their families, relatives, and friends in

3869-579: The holiday season. New Year's Eve celebrations are the biggest in large cities, and include Goa 's beaches and Park Street, Kolkata . Other cities such as New Delhi and Mumbai also celebrate extravagantly New Year's Eve has been observed in Israel since the introduction of the Gregorian calendar in 1918; it is referred to as Silvester to distinguish it from the Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashanah , which falls in either September or October on

3942-401: The holiday were unsuccessful or left unenforced, and it continued to increase in popularity—especially among secular populations. Following the post-Soviet aliyah , Novy God was imported into Israel by emigrants. The observance was initially obscure outside of Israel's Russian Jewish community , and also faced stigma from those who mistook its traditions for being Christmas or Silvester. In

4015-425: The holiday, while 54% did not perceive Novy God to be part of the country's culture. In Japan , New Year's Eve is used to prepare for and welcome Toshigami ( 年神 ) , the New Year's god. Japanese clean their homes and prepare Kadomatsu or Shimenawa to welcome the god before New Year's Eve. Buddhist temples ring their bells 108 times at midnight in the traditional Joya no Kane ( 除夜の鐘 ) . The rings represent

4088-513: The largest being Diwali (Festival of Light). Japanese holidays as well as few Catholic holidays contain heavy references to several different faiths and beliefs. Celtic, Norse, and Neopagan holidays follow the order of the Wheel of the Year . For example, Christmas ideas like decorating trees and colors (green, red, and white) have very similar ideas to modern Wicca (a modern Pagan belief) Yule which

4161-424: The last day of a year and the arrival of the next year in a calendar system. In modern cultures using the Gregorian calendar, the New Year's celebration spans New Year's Eve on 31 December and New Year's Day on 1 January. However, other calendar systems also have New Year's celebration, such as Chinese New Year and Vietnamese Tet . New Year's Day is the most common public holiday, observed by all countries using

4234-409: The main dish for this occasion, and staying up until midnight to eat cake as the first moments of the new year arrive. In recent years, the popular Tunisian film Choufli Hal on New Year's Eve is broadcast every year, ending just minutes before the new year. This has become an annual tradition. The Gregorian calendar is still in force after Azerbaijan became an independent republic, and 1 January

4307-512: The mid-2010s, a campaign was launched to promote awareness of the holiday among the 1.5 generation of immigrants, as well as non-Russian residents. By the late-2010s, public awareness of Novy God had increased; Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu began to acknowledge Novy God in his holiday greetings, and it became more common for retailers to stock Novy God-related goods. In a 2020 survey, 72% of Israelis surveyed stated they were familiar with

4380-568: The needs of industry. Leigh Eric Schmidt argues that the growth of consumption culture allowed the growth of holidays as an opportunity for increased public consumption and the orderly timing of it. Thus, after the Civil War, as department stores became the spatial expression of commercialism , holidays became the temporal expression of it. New Year%27s Eve In the Gregorian calendar , New Year's Eve , also known as Old Year's Day ,

4453-580: The period from Thanksgiving to New Year's (late November to January 1), which contains many important holidays in American culture. The word holiday comes from the Old English word hāligdæg ( hālig " holy " + dæg " day "). The word originally referred only to special religious days. The word holiday has differing connotations in different regions. In the United States , the word

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4526-645: The private sector with the help of the local government. These parties, which include balls hosted by hotels, usually display their own fireworks and are also well-attended. Until 2016, Saudi Arabia used the Umm al-Qura calendar —which is based on astronomical calculations—for administrative purposes. The Committee for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice (CPVPV, the Saudi religious police ) also enforced

4599-428: The rise of Nazi Germany . The increasing popularity of Silvester faced criticism from the Orthodox population, including the Hapoel HaMizrachi , who considered them contrary to Zionist values. In 1934, it was reported that the municipal council of Tel Aviv had passed a resolution to ban Silvester parties, calling them "contrary to the spirit and traditions of the people of Israel". However, reported efforts to ban

4672-417: The same term [REDACTED] This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the title Observance . If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Observance&oldid=1024234813 " Category : Disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description

4745-434: The secularisation of Winter festivities as "the War on Christmas ". These are holidays that are not traditionally marked on calendars. These holidays are celebrated by various groups and individuals. Some promote a cause, others recognize historical events not officially recognized, and others are "funny" holidays celebrated with humorous intent. For example, Monkey Day is celebrated on December 14, International Talk Like

4818-445: The ships and yachts especially in the sea while going to Saint Martin where DJs liven up their night through their music and songs. Muslims during the year's last Jumu'ah prayer of mosque permanently pray a Munajat, which is done all over the mosques of the country, so that Allah may bless them and the coming year can be fruitful. Hindus organize a Puja so that the coming year can be fruitful for them. The Christians go to

4891-459: The start of the new year. Many opt to wear new, bright, or colorful clothes with circular patterns, such as polka dots , or display sweets and twelve round fruits in the belief that circles attract money, while candies represent a sweeter year ahead. Several customs must be done exactly at midnight: scattering coins to increase wealth in the coming year, jumping to increase height, or the Spanish custom of eating twelve grapes, one for each month of

4964-411: The streets to celebrate. At midnight, fireworks are displayed across various cities of Ghana, especially in Accra and Tema . In Morocco , New Year's Eve is celebrated in the company of family and friends. Moroccans get together to eat cake, dance, and laugh. Traditionally, Moroccans celebrate it at home, but some prefer to go to nightclubs. At midnight, fireworks are displayed across Ain Diab , in

5037-402: The tradition beginning in 2015 with its inaugural event. In Central Asia, such as Kazakhstan, New Year's Eve celebrations were inherited from Soviet traditions; thus they are similar to those of Russia. An example of such traditions would be the playing of the national anthem at midnight and the presidential address before it. Although the traditional Korean New Year (Seollal) is typically

5110-452: The traditional Thai New Year Songkran (Thailand) (which falls on 13 April or 14 April), Thais also celebrate the arrival of the Gregorian New Year on 1 January with families, relatives and friends, which includes a family dinner and following different customs. It is a public holiday. In most cities and urban areas across Thailand , New Year's Eve celebrations are accompanied by countdowns, fireworks, concerts and other major events, notably,

5183-430: The world since 1970, with 10,000 events in 2007. It is a holiday marking the dangers of environmental damage, such as pollution and the climate crisis . Other secular holidays are observed regionally, nationally and across multi-country regions. The United Nations Calendar of Observances dedicates decades to a specific topic, but also a complete year, month, week and days. Holidays dedicated to an observance such as

5256-708: The year in Japan. Although it did air on 31 December from 1959 to 2006, the Japan Record Awards , recognizing outstanding achievements in the Japanese music industry , is held annually on 30 December since 2007 and is broadcast on TBS . Since 1996, Fuji Television has broadcast Johnny's Countdown —a live concert at the Tokyo Dome organized by the talent agency Johnny & Associates . A more recent tradition in Japan have been combat sports supercards ;

5329-488: The year. Filipinos also make loud noises by blowing on cardboard or plastic horns called torotot , banging on pots and pans, playing loud music, blowing car horns, or by lighting firecrackers and bamboo cannons . It is an apotropaic ritual, as the din is believed to scare away bad luck and evil spirits. Although many Filipinos typically spend their New Year's Eve at their family homes, in some urban areas, many New Year's Eve parties and countdown celebrations are also hosted by

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