Month of January- Poverty Awareness in America Month

January 1- New Year's Day

January 1- Shogatsu/Gatan-sai (Shinto): Gantan-sai is the Shinto celebration of the new year (oshogatsu). This day is one of the most popular for shrine visits, and many pray for inner renewal, health, and prosperity.

January 1- Mary Mother of God (Catholic Christian): This celebration is the octave of Christmas. An octave is an eight-day extension of the feast. In the modern Roman Calendar, only Christmas and Easter have an octave. This holiday is a celebration of Mary’s motherhood of Jesus. It is a reminder of the role she played in the salvation of humankind. 

January 1- Feast Day of St. Basil (Orthodox Christian): The Greek Orthodox Church commemorates Saint Basil the Great, Archbishop of Caesarea in Cappadocia.

January 5- Guru Bobind Singh Ji's Birthday (Sikh): This day is celebrated as the birth anniversary of the tenth Guru, who instituted the Five Ks and established the Order of the Khalsa on Vaisakhi (Baisakhi).

January 5- Twelfth Night (Christian):  The Church of England says Twelfth Night is 12 days after Christmas Day, which means Twelfth Night would fall on 5 January.

January 6- Epiphany (Christian, Protestant, Roman Catholic): Epiphany is the day that the three kings (or wise men) visited Jesus in Bethlehem, after following a bright star, and presented their gifts to the baby Jesus of gold (to symbolize his royal birth), frankincense (to represent his divine birth) and myrrh (to recognize his mortality).

January 6- Feast of the Epiphany (Orthodox Christian): The day that commemorates the first manifestation of Jesus to the Gentiles for Christians. It is celebrated on January 6th as it marks 12 days after Christmas when the three kings arrived in Bethlehem.

January 6- Dia de los Reyes (Christian): Día de Los Reyes (known elsewhere as Epiphany) is celebrated on January 6 to honor the Three Wise Men. This holiday represents the day the Three Wise Men (Los Tres Reyes Magos) gave gifts to Jesus Christ, and the day closes the Christmas festivities.

January 7- Orthodox Christmas (Christian Orthodox): The date that Orthodox Christians celebrate Jesus’s birth in the Julian calendar.

January 7- Feast of the Nativity (Orthodox Christian)

January 8- Baptism of the Lord Jesus (Christian)

January 8 - Bodhi Day: This day celebrates the Buddha’s enlightenment; it is celebrated by Mahãyãna Buddhists.

January 13- Maghi (Sikh)

January 14- Makar Sankranti (Hindu)

January 14 - Orthodox New Year: The “Old New Year” celebrates the start of the Julian calendar.

January 15 - World Religion Day: A day in the Baha’i faith that celebrates common themes for faiths across the world.

January 16- Martin Luther King Jr. Day

January 19- Timkat (Ethiopian Christian): Timkat (also known as Timket) is an Orthodox Christian celebration of the Ethiopian Epiphany. It marks the baptism of Jesus Christ in the Jordan River.

January 20 - Birthday of Guru Gobind Singh – The date used to celebrate the tenth Sikh Guru and spiritual master.

January 22- Chinese New Year/Lunar New Year (Buddist, Confucian, Taoist): The first day after the new (dark) moon is a religious and cultural festival celebrated by Chinese, Vietnamese, and Koreans of Buddhist and other backgrounds as New Year's Day for the year 4716 (Year of the Dog) in the Lunar calendar. (Tibetans celebrate on a different date.)

January 25- Conversion of St. Paul (Christian) - On January 25, we celebrate the Feast of the Conversion of Saint Paul the Apostle. His radical transformation is demonstrative of the extraordinary redemptive power of the Gospel. As a zealous Jewish scholar, he had persecuted countless Christians – including the first martyr for Christ, Stephen. After his encounter with Christ, however, he became an unstoppable force for the kingdom of God.

Month of February- Black History Month

February 1- National Freedom Day: The purpose of this holiday is to promote good feelings, harmony, and equal opportunity among all citizens and to remember that the United States is a nation dedicated to the ideal of freedom.

February 1- World Hijab Day - February 1st, 2013,  marked the first annual World Hijab Day (WHD) in recognition of millions of Muslim women who choose to wear the hijab and live a life of modesty.

February 1- Imbolc (Pagan):  The halfway point between the winter solstice and spring equinox in the Pagan and Wiccan calendars. This day celebrates fire, light, and the return of life.

February 2- Candlemas (Christian): A holiday in the Christian church that blesses the candle supply for that year.

February 3- Setsubum-sai (Shinto)- Shinto is the native religion of Japan and means “Way of the Gods”. Celebrated every year on February 3, it marks the end of Kan, the coldest season and marks the new Spring season. The day comes before Rishhun, which is the first day of Spring in the Japanese old Lunar calendar.

February 5- Tu B'Shvat (Jewish) - Tu B’Shevat is one of four Jewish New Year celebrations – this one specifically aimed at celebrating agriculture and trees. The date, which falls on the Jewish month of Shevat – the name literally meaning ’15th day of Shevat’ – marks the beginning of the agricultural year, a time when trees emerge from their winter slumber and begin to bear fruit again.

February 15- Parinirvana: Also known as Nirvana Day in Mahãyãna Buddhism, this date marks Buddha’s death and attainment of the final nirvana.

February 18 - Maha Shiravatri: A Hindu festival called “Shiva’s night” which honors this significant deity.

February 18 -  Lailat al Miraj: A Muslim holiday commemorating Muhammad’s journey from Mecca to Jerusalem where he ascended into heaven.

February 20- World Day of Social Justice: On February 20th of every year, the World Day of Social Justice is celebrated. The celebration reflects on guaranteeing fair outcomes for all through employment, social protection, social dialogue, and fundamental principles and rights at work.

February 21- Shrove Tuesday (Western Christian): Shrove, derived from shrive, refers to the confession of sins as a preparation for Lent, a usual practice in Europe in the Middle Ages. Although the day is sometimes still used for self-examination and introspection, Shrove Tuesday eventually acquired the character of a festival in many places and is often celebrated with parades.

February 22- Ash Wednesday: The day in the Christian Church that marks the start of Lent, the 40-day period of prayer and fasting before Easter.

February 26 to March 1- Ayyám-I-Ha or Intercalary Days (Bahá'í): The Ayyam-i-Ha (or Intercalary Days) are a period of time when Bahá’ís focus more than usual on hospitality, charity, giving gifts, and preparing for the month of fasting.

Month of March- Women's History Month

March 8- International Women's Day: International Women's Day (March 8) is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women. The day also marks a call to action for accelerating women's equality.

March 7 – Purium: The Feast of Lots in the Jewish faith that honors the survival of ancient Persian Jews who were marked for death.

March 7-8 – Holi- A Hindu festival of colors that welcomes spring and a new harvest in India.

March 8-10 – Hola Mohalla – The 3-day Sikh festival honoring valor, skill, and defense preparedness.

March 19– Feast Day of St. Joseph: A day that commemorates the husband of Jesus’s mother Mary and surrogate father on Earth.

March 20 – Ostara: The celebration of the spring equinox in the Pagan and Wiccan religions.

March 21- International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination: The International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination is observed annually on the day the police in Sharpeville, South Africa, opened fire and killed 69 people at a peaceful demonstration against apartheid "pass laws" in 1960.

March 21- Nowrúz (Zoroastrian): Festival celebrating 1st day of Spring & Iranian New Year.

March 22– Naw Ruz: The Zoroastrian New Year that is celebrated at the spring equinox.

March 22 – Naw Ruz: The New Year for the Baha’i faith, marking the end of the Baha’i fast.

March 22 - April 21 – Ramadan: The holy month of fasting, introspection, and prayer celebrated by Muslims.

March 25 – The Annunciation: The day in the Christian religion when the Angel Gabriel announced that Mary would become the mother of Jesus.

March 26- Khordad Sal (Zoroastrian): Khordad Sal is a very crucial event in the calendar of Zoroastrians. Khordad Sal day marks the birth anniversary of Prophet Spitaman Zarathushtra (Zoroaster). Khordad Sal is the equivalent of Christmas for Christians, and it is a day of great festivities and celebrations.

March 30- Rama Navami (Hindu): Rama Navami celebrates the birth of Lord Rama, son of King Dasharatha of Ayodhya. Rama was an incarnation of Vishnu and the hero of the Ramayana, the Sanskrit epic of 24,000 stanzas. A continuous recital of the book takes place for about a week prior to the celebration and on the day itself, the highlights of the story are read in the temple.

Month of April- Arab American Heritage Month

(2022)

April 27 - April 28: Yom HaShoah (Jewish) - Yom HaShoah, also known as Yom Hashoah VeHagevurah, literally means the “day of remembrance of the Catastrophe and the Heroism.”

April 29 - Laylat al Qadr: A day that observes the night when the Prophet Mohammad received the first verses of the Koran.

(2023)

April 2- Palm Sunday (Christian, Eastern Orthodox Christian, Protestant, Roman Catholic): Palm Sunday recalls an event in the Christian Scripture (The New Testament) of Jesus entering into Jerusalem and being greeted by the people waving palm branches. For Christians, it is a reminder of the welcoming of Jesus into our hearts and of our willingness to follow him.

April 4– Mahavir Jayanti: A Jain holiday celebrating the birth of Lord Mahavira, the founder of Jainism.

April 5 - 13 – Passover: A 7-day holiday in the Jewish faith that honors the freeing of the Israeli slaves.

April 6- Holy Thursday (Christian, Protestant, Roman Catholic): Maundy Thursday is a common and popular name for Holy Thursday, the Thursday before the Christian celebration of Easter Sunday. On Maundy Thursday, the Catholic Church, as well as some Protestant denominations, commemorate the Last Supper of Christ, the Savior.

April 7 - Good Friday: Christian holiday commemorating the crucifixion of Jesus and his death at Calvary.

April 14 - Vaisakhi: An ancient festival for Hindus that simultaneously celebrates that Solar New Year and spring harvest.

April 6-8- Theravada New Year (Buddist): The Theravada new year is celebrated for three days from the first full moon in April. Theravada means “the teachings of the elders”. Levada is the dominant form of Buddhism mainly practiced in prevalent in South East Asian countries including India, Thailand, Burma, Laos, Cambodia, and Sri Lanka.

April 9 – Easter: The most important day in the Christian faith when they celebrate the resurrection of their Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

April 24- Armenian Christian Martyr's Day: Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day, also known as Armenian Christian Martyr day, commemorates the Armenian genocide from 1915 to 1923 in the Ottoman Empire in Turkey.

April 16 - Orthodox Easter/Pascha (Christian Orthodox): Orthodox Christians recognition of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

April 16 – Feast of the Divine Mercy: A feast day on the second Sunday of Easter when Christians seek Christ’s forgiveness and grace.

April 17 - April 18: Yom HaShoah (Jewish) - Yom HaShoah, also known as Yom Hashoah VeHagevurah, literally means the “day of remembrance of the Catastrophe and the Heroism.”

April 28 - Laylat al Qadr: A day that observes the night when the Prophet Mohammad received the first verses of the Koran.

Month of May- Asian, Pacific Islander & Desi American Heritage Month

Month of May- Jewish American Heritage Month

May 1– Beltane: A fire festival celebrated by the Pagan and Wiccan religions that celebrate summer and the fertility of the upcoming year.

May 3 – Eid al-Fitr: An Islamic holiday that marks the end of Ramadan. As it ends fasting, its primary event is a big meal.

May 5- Cinco de Mayo: Cinco de Mayo, or the fifth of May, is a holiday that celebrates the date of the Mexican army's May 5, 1862 victory over France

May 6 - Visakha Puja (Buddhism): Also called Wesak, Vesak is an observation of the birth, enlightenment, and death (parinirvana) of the historical Buddha.

May 8– Birthday of Buddha: The day that Buddhists celebrate the Buddha’s birthday.

May 16 – Vesak:  The most important Theravada Buddhist festival that signifies the birth, enlightenment, and death of the Buddha.

May 21- World Day for Cultural Diversity: The day provides us with an opportunity to deepen our understanding of the values of cultural diversity and to advance the four goals of the UNESCO Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions adopted on 20 October 2005. 1) Support sustainable systems of governance for culture, 2) Achieve a balanced flow of cultural goods and services and increase the mobility of artists and cultural professionals, 3) Integrate culture in sustainable development frameworks, 4) Promote human rights and fundamental freedoms

May 24 – Declaration of the Bab: The day that marks the prediction of the Bab as the Messenger of God in the Baha’i faith.

May 26 – Ascension Day: A Christian holiday that marks the 40^th day following Easter when Jesus ascended into Heaven.

May 29- Ascension of the Bahá'U'lláh (Bahá'í): This important holy day is celebrated on the 29th May, at 3am. It commemorates the anniversary of the death of the founder of the Bahá'í faith, Bahá'u'lláh, and his teachings. Bahá'u'lláh died peacefully on the morning of 29th May 1892.

Month of June- Pride Month

Month of June- Caribeean American Heritage Month

June 2 – Ascension Day: A day celebrated in Coptic Orthodox Christianity that marks Jesus’s ascension into heaven.

June 4- June 6 – Shavuot: A Jewish holiday that combines a grain harvest and the giving of the Torah on Mount Sinai.

June 5- World Environment Day: World Environment Day is the United Nations day for encouraging worldwide awareness and action to protect our environment.

June 8 – Race Unity Day: A day that promotes racial harmony and understanding in the Baha’i faith.

June 12 – Trinity Sunday: A day in the Christian faith that celebrates the three personifications of God (the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit).

June 12 – All Saints Day: The day in Eastern Orthodox Christianity that designates the end of the Easter season.

June 16 – Feast of Corpus Christi: The feast day that commemorates the real presence of Jesus’s body in the Eucharist in the Roman Catholic Church.

June 16 – Martyrdom of Guru Arjan Dev Sahib: A day observed by Sikhs to commemorate an individual who laid down his life for their people.

June 19 - Juneteenth: Juneteenth is the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States. From its Galveston, Texas origin in 1865, the observance of June 19th as the African American Emancipation Day has spread across the United States and beyond.

June 20- World Refugee Day: The Day offers a chance to raise awareness of the plight of refugees around the world and of the efforts to protect their human rights.

June 24 – Litha: A Pagan and Wiccan festival that begins on the summer solstice and celebrates midsummer.

June 24 – Feast of the Sacred Heart: A feast day in the Roman Catholic Church that celebrates Jesus’s physical heart as a representation of his love for all humanity.

July 4- Independence Day

July 6 – Tisha B’Av: A Jewish holiday that remembers the destruction of the Jewish temple, once in 586 BCE and once in 70 CE in Jerusalem.

July 7-July 12 – The Hajj: The name for the annual pilgrimage to the Holy City of Mecca is required for all Muslims at least once.

July 9-10 – Eid al-Adha: A Muslim holiday that marks the end of the Hajj pilgrimage.

July 10 – Martyrdom of the Bab – The day of the execution of the co-founder of the Baha’i faith.

July 13 - Dharma Day (Islamic) 

July 23 – Birthday of Haile Selassie: A holiday in Rastafarianism that celebrates Emperor Haile Selassie, an individual believed to be the incarnation of God.

July 24 – Pioneer Day: A Utah state holiday that celebrates the settling of the Mormon pioneers in the Great Salt Lake area where they established the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

July 26- Americans with Disabilities Act Day: The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was signed into law on July 26, 1990 by President George H.W. Bush. Throughout the year and on the ADA Anniversary, the ADA National Network recognizes this landmark event and the important work to promote equal opportunity for people with disabilities.

August 1 - Lughnasadh: A festival in the Pagan and Wiccan religions that marks the beginning of harvest season.

August 15 – Feast of the Assumption: A holy day that commemorates the Virgin Mary being assumed, body and soul, into heaven.

August 3 to 31- Rohini Vrat (Jain): Rohini Vrat is an Indian ritual observed by the Jain community. This day of fasting is marked as a significant day for the Jains. Jains believe, by observing the fast on this day, an individual can get relief from sorrow, poverty, and other obstacles in life.

August 9- International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples: In order to raise awareness of the needs of these population groups, every 9 August commemorates the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples, chosen in recognition of the first meeting of the UN Working Group on Indigenous Populations held in Geneva in 1982.

August 11 - Raksha Bandhan (Hindu): Raksha Bandhan, also abbreviated to Rakhi, is the Hindu festival that celebrates brotherhood and love. It is celebrated on the full moon in the month of Sravana in the lunar calendar. The word Raksha means protection, whilst Bandhan is the verb to tie.

August 18- Ashura (Islamic): The day of Ashura is marked by Muslims as a whole, but for Shia Muslims, it is a major religious commemoration of the martyrdom at Karbala of Hussein, a grandson of the Prophet Muhammad.

August 18 - August 19 - Krisna Janmashtami (Hindu): Janmashtami, Hindu Festival celebrating the birth of the god Krishna on the eighth day of the dark fortnight of the month of August.

August 21- Khordad Sal (Zoroastrian): The birthday of Zoroaster; Khordad Sal is celebrated as the birthday of Zoroaster. This is known as the 'Greater Noruz' and happens six days after Noruz. Zoroastrians gather in Fire temples for prayer and then celebrate with feasting.

August 23- International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and Its Abolition: The Day intends to inscribe the tragedy of the slave trade in the memory of all peoples. 

August 26- Women's Equality Day: The observance of Women’s Equality Day not only commemorates the passage of the 19th Amendment but also calls attention to women’s continuing efforts toward full equality.

August 29 – Hijiri: Also known as Islamic New Year, this is the start of the Islamic lunar calendar, which begins when the crescent moon is sighted. 

September 1- Ecclesiastical year begins (Orthodox Christian)

September 8- Nativity of Virgin Mary (Christian): The Catholic Church celebrates the birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary on its traditional fixed date of September 8, nine months after the December 8 celebration of her Immaculate Conception as the child of Saints Joachim and Anne.

September 10 - September 25– Pitru Paksha: A time when Hindus pay homage to their ancestors.

September 11 – Coptic New Year: Also known as Nayrouz, this is a feast day that commemorates both martyrs and confessors in the Coptic Orthodox Christian Church.

September 14- Universal Exaltation of the Life-Giving Cross (Christian): Exaltation of the Holy Cross, also called Universal Exaltation of the Holy and Life-Giving Cross or Holy Cross Day, is a liturgical feast celebrated to honor the cross on which Jesus Christ was crucified.

September 15 to October 15- Hispanic/Latinx Heritage Month

September 17 – Arbaeen: A day of observance for Muslims that concludes the 40-day mourning period after the Day of Ashura.

September 23 – Mabon: This day marks the autumnal equinox in the Pagan and Wiccan religions.

September 23 - September 31 – Paryushana: A Jain festival about forgiveness that is the faith’s most important religious observance.

September 25- September 27 – Rosh Hashanah: The Jewish New Year beginning at sundown, and encourages reflection

September 26- October 4 – Navaratri: A Hindu festival that celebrates the Goddess Durga.

September 27- Meskel (Ethiopian Orthodox Christian): The most important religious holiday on the Ethiopian Orthodox Church’s calendar is called “Meskel” and is based on a legend of the discovery of the true cross of Christ in the fourth century A.D. by Helen, who was Emperor of Rome at the time. It is thought that a piece of the true cross she rediscovered was brought to Ethiopia and remains there to this day.

September 29- Michael and All Angels (Christian): Michaelmas, the Christian feast of St. Michael the Arc Angel; given St. Michael’s traditional position as leader of the heavenly armies, veneration of all angels was eventually incorporated into his feast day. 

Month of October- LGBTQIA+ History Month

Month of October- Disability Awareness Month

October 4 - October 5 – Yom Kippur: A Jewish day of atonement to reflect on sins and seek forgiveness from God.

October 4- St Francis Day (Catholic Christian): St. Francis is one of the most venerated religious figures in Roman Catholic history. He founded the Franciscan Orders, including the Poor Clares and the lay Third Order. He is one of the patron saints of Italy, and he is also the patron saint of ecology and of animals. 

October 4- Blessing of the Animals (Christian): A day in which animals can be/are blessed with Holy Water.

October 5 – Dussehra: The tenth and final day of the Hindu festival honoring Asuj Navratras.

October 8 – Mawlid: An Islamic holiday celebrating the birthday of the Prophet Muhammad.

October 9 - October 16 – Sukkot: A day in the Jewish faith that remembers when the Jews journeyed to the desert on the way to the promised land.

October 10- Thanksgiving (Canada): Canadians celebrate Thanksgiving on the second Monday of October, as that is when the Canadian harvest would be complete.

October 11- National Coming Out Day: National Coming Out Day (NCOD) was founded on October 11, 1988 by Robert Eichsberg and Jean O’Leary marking the anniversary of the 1987 March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights. Since then, on or near every October 11, thousands of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people and allies celebrate NCOD; with workshops, speak-outs, rallies and other kinds of events all aimed at showing the public that LGBT people are everywhere.

October 12- Indigenous Peoples' Day: Indigenous Peoples' Day is a holiday that celebrates and honors Native American peoples and commemorates their histories and cultures.

October 18- St. Luke, Apostle, & Evangelist (Christian): Luke, also called Saint Luke the Evangelist, (flourished 1st century ce; feast day October 18), in the Christian tradition, the author of the Gospel According to Luke and the Acts of the Apostles, a companion of St. Paul the Apostle, and the most literary of the New Testament writers.

October 24 – Diwali: A 5-day festival of light that combines several different festivals in honor of gods, goddesses, harvests, new year’s, etc. It is celebrated by Hindus, Sikhs, and Jains.

October 26 – Birthday of the Bab: A day honoring the birthday of God’s messenger in the Baha’i faith.

October 27 – Birthday of Baha’u’llah: A day honoring the birthday of the prophet-founding of the Baha’i faith

October 20- Installation of the Guru Granth Sahib (Sikh): On October 20, 1708, Guru Gobind gave his last sermon and conferred permanent gurudom on the second edition of the Granth. Since then, the book has become known as Sri Guru Granth Sahib. Sikhs view it as their perpetual living Guru and guide. 

October 28- Milvian Bridge Day (Christian): October 28th marks the anniversary of the Battle of the Milvian Bridge, at which Constantine defeated Maxentius and by which he gained control of the Western part of the Roman Empire.

October 31- Reformation Day (Protestant Christian): Reformation Day brings all Christians from different backgrounds together to celebrate and acknowledge one common faith and purpose. 

October 31- All Hallows Eve (Christian): The All Saints' Day celebration was also called All-hallows or All-hallowmas (from Middle English Alholowmesse meaning All Saints' Day) and the night before it, the traditional night of Samhain in the Celtic religion, began to be called All-Hallows Eve and, eventually, Halloween.

Month of November- Native American Heritage Month

November 1 – Samhain: A festival in the Pagan and Wiccan religions that marks the end of the harvest season.

November 1– All Saints Day: Also known as Day of the Dead or Día de los Muertos, this day honors the saints who have attained heaven in the Christian faith.

November 2 – Anniversary of the Crowning of Haile Selassie: One of the holiest days of the Rastafarian year, it celebrates Haile Selassie’s accession to the Ethiopian throne. It cements the role Ethiopia plays at the heart of Rastafarian tradition.

November 2- All Souls' Day (Catholic Christian): All Souls' Day, in Roman Catholicism, a day for commemoration of all the faithful departed, those baptized Christians who are believed to be in purgatory because they died with the guilt of lesser sins on their souls.

November 8- Intersex Day of Solidarity: Intersex Day of Solidarity, also known as Intersex Day of Remembrance is a day that marks the birthday of Herculine Barbin, a French intersex person whose memoirs were later published by the philosopher Michel Foucault, along with contemporary texts and a later fictionalized account.

November 8 – Birthday of Guru Nanak Ji: A day honoring the birth of the founder of Sikhism.

November 15- Nativity Fast begins (Orthodox Christian)

November 20- Trans Day of Remembrance: A day to remember and honor trans individuals who have died - often by means of violence - in the last year.

November 20- Feast of Christ the King (Christian): Feast of Christ the King, also called Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe, is a festival celebrated in the Roman Catholic Church in honor of Jesus Christ as Lord over all creation. 

November 24- Martyrdom of Guru Tegh Bahdur (Sikh): Tegh Bahādur, ninth Sikh Guru and second Sikh Guru martyr gave his life for a religion that was not his own.

November 24 – Jain New Year: A holiday always following Diwali; Jains celebrate their new year on the first day after the month of Kartika.

November 26- Day of the Covenant (Bahá'í): Day of the Covenant commemorating Bahá'u'lláh's appointment of His son, 'Abdu'l-Bahá, as the One to whom His followers should turn after His passing.

November 27- Advent begins (Christian): Advent, (from Latin adventus, “coming”), in the Christian calendar is the period of preparation for the celebration of the birth of Christ at Christmas and also of preparation for the Second Coming of Christ. 

November 28- Ascension of 'Abdu'l-Baha (Bahá'í): Ascension of 'Abdu'l-Bahá* marking the passing of 'Abdu'l-Bahá in 1921.

November 30- Feast of St. Andrew: A day honoring the patron saint of Scotland, Greece, Russia, Ukraine, Barbados, and Romania in the Roman Catholic Church.

November 30- Birthday of Guru Nanak Dev Sahib (Sikh): Nanak Dev Sahib was the first Sikh Guru.

December 1- World AIDS Day: This World AIDS Day, help raise awareness (and life-changing funds) in your university to fight HIV. 

December 2- International Day for the Abolition of Slavery: The International Day for the Abolition of Slavery, 2 December, marks the date of the adoption, by the General Assembly, of the United Nations Convention for the Suppression of the Traffic in Persons and of the Exploitation of the Prostitution of Others. The focus of this day is on eradicating contemporary forms of slavery, such as trafficking in persons, sexual exploitation, the worst forms of child labor, forced marriage, and the forced recruitment of children for use in armed conflict.

December 6- Saint Nicholas Day (Christian): St. Nicholas Day, the feast day of St. Nicholas, the 4th-century bishop of Myra. St. Nicholas is the patron Saint of Russia and Greece, of a number of cities, and of sailors and children, among many other groups, and was noted for his generosity. 

December 8 – Feast of the Immaculate Conception: A feast day celebrated by Roman Catholics that celebrate Mary’s conception without original sin.

December 8- Pansexual Pride Day: A day to recognize the Pan community and to take pride in the strides and efforts they have taken to be recognized and accepted.

December 10- Human Rights Day: Human Rights Day is observed every year on 10 December — the day the United Nations General Assembly adopted, in 1948, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). The UDHR is a milestone document, which proclaims the inalienable rights that everyone is entitled to as a human being - regardless of race, color, religion, sex, language, political or other opinions, national or social origin, property, birth or another status. Available in more than 500 languages, it is the most translated document in the world.

December 12- Feast day- Our Lady of Guadalupe (Catholic Christian): Our Lady of Guadalupe, Spanish Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe, also called the Virgin of Guadalupe, in Catholicism, the Virgin Mary in her appearance before St. Juan Diego in a vision in 1531. Our Lady of Guadalupe holds a special place in the religious life of Mexico and is one of the most popular religious devotions. Her image has played an important role as a national symbol of Mexico.

December 16 to 25- Posadas Navidenas (Hispanic Christian): Las Posadas, (Spanish: “The Inns”) religious festival celebrated in Mexica and some parts of the U.S. between December 16 and 24. Las Posadas commemorates the journey that Mary and Joseph made from Nazareth to Bethlehem in search of a refuge where Mary could give birth. When they were unable to find lodging in Bethlehem, Joseph and Mary were forced to seek shelter in a stable, where Jesus was born. 

December 18 - December 26 - Hanukkah: The 8-day celebration of the “Festival of Lights” that honors the victory of Jews over Syrian Greeks.

December 21 – Yule: A Pagan and Wiccan holiday that begins at sundown at the winter solstice.

December 24- Christmas Eve (Christian):  Celebrated in most European countries, Christmas gifts are exchanged on Christmas Eve. European and North American churches hold services, some of which begin at midnight. Many Latin(x) people in Latin America and the United State celebrate Christmas on December 24 as the end of Las Posadas, a Christian festival commemorating Joseph and Mary’s journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem before Mary gave birth to the baby Jesus.

December 25 – Christmas: The holiday that celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ.

December 26- Zarathosht Diso (Zoroastrian): On this day Zoroastrians remember the death of their prophet, Zoroaster.

December 26 – The Feast of St. Stephen:  Also called Boxing Day, this day commemorates the life of a saint known for his service to the poor who became the first Christian martyr.

December 26 to January 1- Kwanzaa: During the week of Kwanzaa, families, and communities come together to share a feast, to honor the ancestors, affirm the bonds between them, and celebrate African and African American culture.

December 27- Saint John-Apostle and Evangelist (Christian): The Church celebrates the Feast of St. John, Apostle and evangelist.

December 27- Holy Family (Catholic Christian): Feast of the Holy Family, Roman Catholic religious festival falling on the first Sunday after Christmas.

December 28 or December 29- Holy Innocents (Christian): Feast of the Holy Innocents, also called Childermas or Innocents’ Day, Christian feast in remembrance of the massacre of young children in Bethlehem by King Herod the Great in his attempt to kill the infant Jesus (Matthew 2:16–18). The feast is observed in Western churches on December 28 and in the Eastern churches on December 29.

December 31- Watch Night (Christian): Watch Night, also called Freedom’s Eve, Christian religious service held on New Year's Eve and associated, in many African American churches, with a celebration and remembrance of the Emancipation Proclamation (enacted January 1, 1863), which freed slaves in the Confederate States.