silver Posted January 15, 2022 Share Posted January 15, 2022 As we've enjoyed chatting about the various customs associated with Christmas and Epiphany in different countries, I thought it might be fun to discuss more customs/festivities as they occur during the year. This includes different religious festivals, and national days observed in particular countries. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silver Posted January 15, 2022 Author Share Posted January 15, 2022 Of course, I have picked a really quiet time to start this thread. I can tell you that we just missed St Hilary's Day (Jan 13th) which is traditionally said to be the coldest day of the year ( ). I don't know much about St Hilary except that Oxford University call the term which starts this time of year "Hilary". (Oxford University calls its academic terms Michaelmas, Hilary and Trinity) 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kreacher Posted January 16, 2022 Share Posted January 16, 2022 (edited) Tomorrow (Monday, Jan 15 2022) is Martin Luther King Jr. Day, a federal holiday in the US. He's a hero here. Is he very well known in other countries? I'm kinda surprised to find a few places outside of the USA that do honor him. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Luther_King_Jr._Day Edited January 16, 2022 by kreacher 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prisca Posted January 16, 2022 Share Posted January 16, 2022 28 minutes ago, kreacher said: Tomorrow (Monday, Jan 15 2022) is Martin Luther King Jr. Day, a federal holiday in the US. That would be 17 January, right? 29 minutes ago, kreacher said: Is he very well known in other countries? I guess he is known almost everywhere in the world. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TinyLove_CJ Posted January 16, 2022 Share Posted January 16, 2022 27 minutes ago, kreacher said: Tomorrow (Monday, Jan 15 2022) is Martin Luther King Jr. Day, a federal holiday in the US. He's a hero here. Is he very well known in other countries? I'm kinda surprised to find a few places outside of the USA that do honor him. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Luther_King_Jr._Day I always thought it was Martin Luther King Sr. who did the famous 'I Have a Dream' speech. I never realised it was his son! Learn something new everyday! I'm gonna read more about him now! Thanks for sharing 🙂 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silver Posted January 16, 2022 Author Share Posted January 16, 2022 48 minutes ago, kreacher said: Tomorrow (Monday, Jan 15 2022) is Martin Luther King Jr. Day, a federal holiday in the US. He's a hero here. Is he very well known in other countries? I'm kinda surprised to find a few places outside of the USA that do honor him. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Luther_King_Jr._Day He's extremely well-known. An inspiration to all people who want change but without violence. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kreacher Posted January 16, 2022 Share Posted January 16, 2022 (edited) Cool that he's that well known around the world! 1 hour ago, Prisca said: That would be 17 January, right? I guess he is known almost everywhere in the world. Yes, you’re right. Turns out I don’t know today’s date Edited January 16, 2022 by kreacher 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TinyLove_CJ Posted January 25, 2022 Share Posted January 25, 2022 Today is a Scottish celebration day known as Burns Night. Although it is Scottish, celebrations are held worldwide in honour of the poet Robert Burns. He was born on this day 1759. Many people will celebrate by having their own parties at home or drinks at a local pub. Here are some traditional activities that are also done today: > Hosting a late supper which is introduced with the music of bagpipes > Traditional Scottish food is served such as a haggis dish, and neeps and tatties. The haggis is often "blessed" with more bagpipes. There is also a poem called Haggis by Burns but it's quite long! > The Selkirk Grace is spoken before the meal: Selkirk Grace: Some hae meat an canna eat, And some wad eat that want it; But we hae meat, and we can eat, And sae the Lord be thankit. > Afterwards a toast as thanks to the "wee lassies" which is replied with a loud CHEERS by the "laddies". > At the end of the evening's celebrations everyone sings 'Auld Lang Syne' The lyrics can be found here: https://poets.org/poem/auld-lang-syne HAPPY BURNS NIGHT EVERYONE!!! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silver Posted January 27, 2022 Author Share Posted January 27, 2022 Today (27th) is International Holocaust Memorial Day, when we remember all the people of Jewish origin from across Europe, Poles, Russians, Roma, Sinti and many other nationalities who were murdered in WW2 Sadly ethnic cleansing (what a clinical term for such cruelty) is still going on around the world But I am heartened by the way ordinary people respond to natural disasters and e,ergencies, offering help and donations, so I know there is also goodness in the world. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TinyLove_CJ Posted February 1, 2022 Share Posted February 1, 2022 HAPPY LUNAR NEW YEAR!!! 🐯 To be honest I don't know much about Lunar New Year, other than it's celebrated mainly across Asian countries. If anyone does celebrate this day I'd love to learn more! 😊 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prisca Posted February 2, 2022 Share Posted February 2, 2022 Today is Groundhog Day Groundhog Day is a popular North American tradition observed in the United States and Canada on February 2. It derives from the Pennsylvania Dutch superstition that if a groundhog emerges from its burrow on this day and sees its shadow due to clear weather, it will retreat to its den, and winter will go on for six more weeks; if it does not see its shadow because of cloudiness, spring will arrive early. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
holdingyourdrink Posted February 2, 2022 Share Posted February 2, 2022 22 hours ago, TinyLove_CJ said: HAPPY LUNAR NEW YEAR!!! 🐯 To be honest I don't know much about Lunar New Year, other than it's celebrated mainly across Asian countries. If anyone does celebrate this day I'd love to learn more! 😊 My family used to celebrate Chinese New Year! In mandarin, you say “Xin Nian Kwai Le” (Happy New Year) and “Gong Xi Fa Cai” (wishing you prosperity and wealth) It is tradition for the elderly to give the younger people/generation money in a red envelope during celebrations. I mean, if you wish someone wealth you may be the first to give it to them this is called “Ang Bao”. We haven’t truly celebrated Chinese New Year for a long time now, the last time was when my grandparents were still alive and us grandkids were still small. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prisca Posted February 2, 2022 Share Posted February 2, 2022 That probably doesn't really go under tradition. But every year in Switzerland, on the 1st Wednesday of February, all sirens are tested in the early afternoon. Luckily I found out in time that today is that day (again). And I don't get a fright. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PYZ_Moustache Posted February 2, 2022 Share Posted February 2, 2022 (edited) On 2/1/2022 at 8:58 PM, TinyLove_CJ said: HAPPY LUNAR NEW YEAR!!! 🐯 To be honest I don't know much about Lunar New Year, other than it's celebrated mainly across Asian countries. If anyone does celebrate this day I'd love to learn more! 😊 1 hour ago, holdingyourdrink said: My family used to celebrate Chinese New Year! In mandarin, you say “Xin Nian Kwai Le” (Happy New Year) and “Gong Xi Fa Cai” (wishing you prosperity and wealth) It is tradition for the elderly to give the younger people/generation money in a red envelope during celebrations. I mean, if you wish someone wealth you may be the first to give it to them this is called “Ang Bao”. We haven’t truly celebrated Chinese New Year for a long time now, the last time was when my grandparents were still alive and us grandkids were still small. Yeah! Xin Nian Kuai Le! As the youngest adolescent except my brother in my family, I've received quite some red envelopes these days (btw we call it "Hong Bao") It's the year of tiger, so usually whose zodiac is tiger should WEAR RED UNDERPANTS FOR A WHOLE YEAR. My father, who's an Ox, followed it last year, and my mother this year, but my brother, a tiger as well, refuses to do it! Edited February 2, 2022 by PYZ_Moustache 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
holdingyourdrink Posted February 2, 2022 Share Posted February 2, 2022 4 minutes ago, PYZ_Moustache said: Yeah! Xin Nian Kuai Le! As the youngest adolescent except my brother in my family, I've received quite some red envelopes these days (btw we call it "Hong Bao") It's the year of tiger, so usually whose zodiac is tiger should WEAR RED UNDERPANTS FOR A WHILE YEAR. My father, who's an Ox, followed it last year, and my mother this year, but my brother, a tiger as well, refuses to do it! Ahhh lucky you! And geez you have a strong household having two tigers in the family. I’m a rat (yeah, great zodiac for the Western world ), my brother is a horse, my father a pig and my mum is a dragon. Yeah, that was tough when I was younger 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prisca Posted February 2, 2022 Share Posted February 2, 2022 11 minutes ago, PYZ_Moustache said: It's the year of tiger, so usually whose zodiac is tiger should WEAR RED UNDERPANTS FOR A WHILE YEAR. I don't have any red underpants , I'm not going to buy any now. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
holdingyourdrink Posted February 2, 2022 Share Posted February 2, 2022 31 minutes ago, Prisca said: I don't have any red underpants , I'm not going to buy any now. Ah! You’re turning 36 this lunar year! You’re a tiger!!! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prisca Posted February 2, 2022 Share Posted February 2, 2022 1 minute ago, holdingyourdrink said: Ah! You’re turning 36 this lunar year! You’re a tiger!!! I have heard that the tigers are very unpopular and are even denied entry in some places, is this true? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
holdingyourdrink Posted February 2, 2022 Share Posted February 2, 2022 (edited) 2 minutes ago, Prisca said: I have heard that the tigers are very unpopular and are even denied entry in some places, is this true? Depends if you show your fangs or not. And if you have paid entry or not Edited February 2, 2022 by holdingyourdrink 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
holdingyourdrink Posted February 2, 2022 Share Posted February 2, 2022 I’ve just realized that Mika is a pig. His Chinese zodiac sign! Nothing else! 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TinyLove_CJ Posted February 2, 2022 Share Posted February 2, 2022 1 hour ago, holdingyourdrink said: It is tradition for the elderly to give the younger people/generation money in a red envelope during celebrations. I quite like the sound of that! 57 minutes ago, PYZ_Moustache said: It's the year of tiger, so usually whose zodiac is tiger should WEAR RED UNDERPANTS FOR A WHOLE YEAR. That's an unusual tradition for sure! Do you mean it's the same underpants every day or are you allowed to change them? Are the zodiac animals you are within the family quite important then? Do people react differently to different signs? I'm a rooster btw! 🐓 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PYZ_Moustache Posted February 2, 2022 Share Posted February 2, 2022 8 minutes ago, TinyLove_CJ said: I quite like the sound of that! That's an unusual tradition for sure! Do you mean it's the same underpants every day or are you allowed to change them? Are the zodiac animals you are within the family quite important then? Do people react differently to different signs? I'm a rooster btw! 🐓 Sure we change our underpants We buy a bag of the same red underpants and take turns to wear. And we don't link zodiac much with our personalities, at least in my family we sometimes jokes about it but never take it serious. (Tho pig may can explain something about Mika!) 1 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silver Posted February 14, 2022 Author Share Posted February 14, 2022 And of course today is Valentine's Day, originally commemorating Saint Valentine (there are several!), but now corrupted into a commercial celebrationj of romance. There is a very old English tradition that birds paired up on Saint Valentine's Day, though this might not be the Saint Valentine of February 14th. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prisca Posted February 24, 2022 Share Posted February 24, 2022 Today is Fat Thursday Fat Thursday is a traditional Christian festival in some countries marking the last Thursday before Lent and is associated with the celebration of Carnival. Because Lent is a time of fasting, the days leading up to Ash Wednesday provide the last opportunity for feasting (including simply eating forbidden items) until Easter. Traditionally it is a day dedicated to eating, when people meet in their homes or cafés with their friends and relatives and eat large quantities of sweets, cakes and other meals usually not eaten during Lent. Among the most popular all-national dishes served on that day are pączki in Poland[2][3] or berliner, fist-sized donuts filled with rose hip jam, and angel wings (faworki), puff pastry fingers served with powdered sugar. In the Catholic areas of Switzerland, the climax of the carnival is on Dirty Thursday and ends on Mardis Gras (one day before Ash Wednesday). People dress up and the Guggen play "Guggenmusik" and there are parades. It's a matter of taste whether you like this music, but it also depends on the bands, there can be a lot of off-key sounds. 294019447_GuggenmusikNoggelerGdismontagLuzern2020.mp4 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silver Posted February 24, 2022 Author Share Posted February 24, 2022 I didn't know there was a "Fat Thursday", most countries save their carnival/feasting for Mardi Gras (Fat Tuesday), or Shrove Tuesday as it is known in the UK 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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