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Holidays America on the Go: U.S. Holiday Travel Statistics for holiday travel in the United States, including information on who is traveling and why, patterns of travel, and graphics. Published in 2003; data is from the 2001 National Household Travel Survey. From the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, U.S. Department of Transportation. http://www.bts.gov/publications/america_on_the_go/us_holiday_travel/ Topics: Christmas, Holidays and Observances Individually, Statistics Last updated Nov 27, 2003 Best-Ever Thanksgiving Collection of recipes and craft and activity ideas for children related to the celebration of Thanksgiving. Includes recipes for turkey, pies and desserts, side dishes, and leftovers. Craft ideas include decorations, tabletop decor, pilgrim hats, toy canoes, and more. From FamilyFun magazine. http://familyfun.go.com/thanksgiving/ Topics: Food & Cooking, Holiday Foods, Beverages, and Recipes, Holidays and Observances Individually Last updated Sep 4, 2009 Carnival of Venice This site presents information about the annual pre-Lent carnival featuring fantastic masked and costumed participants that has been held in Venice, Italy, for hundreds of years. Provides brief historical information, photographs of recent carnivals, and a schedule of events for the future carnival. The quality of the English translation of this page is somewhat uneven, but understandable. http://www.carnivalofvenice.com/ Topics: Holidays & Observances, Holidays and Observances Individually, Recreation, Sports, Recreation, & Entertainment Last updated Nov 6, 2005 Celebrating the Holidays in an Interfaith Family Article about understanding the dilemma of combining traditions and finding and sharing solutions for celebrating winter holidays in families with members of different religious groups. From BabyCenter. http://www.babycenter.com/0_celebrating-the-holidays-in-an-interfaith-family_9838.bc Topics: Christmas, Holidays and Observances Individually, Judaism Last updated Jul 30, 2008 Chabad.org: Jewish Holidays Provides information about preparing for and observing Jewish holidays. In addition to the holiday calendar, offers information about religious observance, cooking, fasts, activities for children, and more. Includes a link to an international Shabbat candle-lighting schedule. From the Jewish organization Chabad-Lubavitch. http://www.chabad.org/holidays/default_cdo/jewish/Holidays.htm Topics: Food & Cooking, Holiday Foods, Beverages, and Recipes, Holidays & Observances, Holidays and Observances Individually, Judaism, Ready Reference & Quick Facts Last updated Jun 3, 2009 Chabad.org: Jewish Holidays: Chanukah This site presents the story of Hanukkah, a step-by-step guide to Hanukkah observance, inspirational insights, recipes, games, photos of public menorahs worldwide, a section for children, and more. Available in several languages. http://www.chabad.org/holidays/chanukah/default_cdo/jewish/Hanukkah.htm Topics: Food & Cooking, Holiday Foods, Beverages, and Recipes, Holidays & Observances, Holidays and Observances Individually, Judaism Last updated Jun 8, 2009 Chinese New Year This site provides information on how the Chinese New Year's Day is determined, the Chinese solar/lunar calendar, the animals of the Chinese zodiac, significance of Chinese dragons, calligraphy, and Chinese graphics. http://www.chinapage.com/newyear.html Topics: Astronomy, Holidays & Observances, Holidays and Observances Individually, Holidays by Region Last updated Jan 3, 2007 Chinese New Year Festival & Parade This official site for the San Francisco Chinese New Year Parade, held in February, also features events outside the area such as street and flower market fairs and the Miss Chinatown USA Pageant. Includes a brief history of the parade, which "is the largest celebration of its kind in the world," facts about Chinese New Year traditions and associated horoscope characters, a parade map, details for participants, crafts for children, and more. http://www.chineseparade.com Topics: California: History, Holidays and Observances Individually Last updated Jan 25, 2006 Christmas Brief overview of Christmas and New Year's traditions in France, Germany, Italy, and Spain, such as "Père Fouettard, Father Spanker, in France, to las uvas de la suerte, the lucky grapes, in Spain." Also includes a quiz and foreign terms associated with these holidays. From the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) service that focuses on learning foreign languages. http://www.bbc.co.uk/languages/christmas/ Topics: Christmas, Holidays and Observances Individually Last updated Nov 27, 2005 Christmas in Iceland This site describes various ways that Christmas is celebrated in Iceland. Includes pages devoted to the transition from solstice to Christmas, decorations and preparations, St. Thorlákur's Mass, children, food, the Christmas Cat, the Yule Lads (13 mischievous trolls), Christmas Eve, and Threttándinn (the 13th day, also known as Twelfth Night). Includes some Icelandic Christmas vocabulary and related links. From the Embassy of Iceland in Washington, D.C. http://www.iceland.org/us/the-embassy/curiosities/nr/757 Topics: Christmas, Holidays & Observances, Holidays and Observances Individually Last updated Jun 11, 2005 Christmas in Mexico This bilingual (English and Spanish) website describes traditional Christmas celebrations in Mexico, which begin nine days before Christmas Eve with "Las Posadas" ("an enactment of looking for lodging of St. Joseph and Virgin Mary"). Features traditional songs, prayers, food, and activities. From a Spanish instructor at Sinclair Community College in Dayton, Ohio. http://www.nacnet.org/assunta/nacimnto.htm Topics: Christmas, Holidays & Observances, Musical Genres Last updated Mar 2, 2006 Christmas Traditions in France and Canada Historical background on the "social and communal customs, family celebrations and religious ceremonies" of Christmas as they evolved from the Middle Ages to modern day France and Canada is explored at this site. Available in English and French. http://www.virtualmuseum.ca/Exhibitions/Noel/angl/ Topics: Christmas, Holidays by Region Last updated Nov 21, 2002 Día de los Muertos This Day of the Dead site provides information on the foods, history, events, altars, and culture of the popular Mexican holiday celebrated on November 2. From The Arizona Republic. http://www.azcentral.com/ent/dead/ Topics: Holiday Foods, Beverages, and Recipes, Holidays & Observances, Holidays and Observances Individually, Holidays by Region Last updated Oct 20, 2005 Digital Haggadah Audio files for the Passover Haggadah (the story of the Exodus, traditionally sung at the Seder dinner in Hebrew, as it is here). The files can be downloaded individually or as a set, or streamed from the site. The clear, well-sung tracks were recorded for the commercial website Judaism.com by Chiam Davidson, "a Pittsburgh Ba'al Tefila (leader of Synagogue services)." http://www.judaism.com/digital_haggadah/ Topics: Holidays & Observances, Holidays and Observances Individually, Judaism Last updated Apr 6, 2006 Earth Calendar The "Today" button creates a list of today's holidays around the world. Tabs allow browsing by country, religions, or date. This simple site also gives dates of new and full moons. Searchable. http://www.earthcalendar.net/ Topics: Holidays & Observances, Ready Reference & Quick Facts, Ready Reference & Quick Facts Last updated Nov 22, 2002 Education World: Holidays & Special Days Center Offers ideas for educational activities for children, with links to related resources, curriculum ideas, and more for about two dozen holidays. Features a few holidays not always addressed by other resources, such as Groundhog Day and Hawaii Admission Day. Browsable chronologically. http://www.education-world.com/holidays/ Topics: Holidays & Observances, Holidays and Observances Individually, Holidays by Region, K-12 Education Last updated Jan 19, 2009 Essentials of Ramadan, The Fasting Month This site is adapted from the book by Tajuddin B. Shu`aib, which serves as a guide and reference for Islamic studies courses. Find the religious significance to Muslims of the month of fasting, the laws for fasting, and the prayer recited every day. From the Islamic Server of the Muslim Students Association, University of Southern California. http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/fundamentals/pillars/fasting/tajuddin/fast_1.html Topics: Faiths, Food & Cooking, Holiday Foods, Beverages, and Recipes, Holidays & Observances, Holidays and Observances Individually, September 11 & Beyond Last updated Oct 7, 2004 Fall-Related Injuries During the Holiday Season — United States, 2000-2003 This report looks at "nonfatal fall injuries associated with decorating or related activities." The report notes "males were 40% more likely than females to be injured in falls." Includes data and prevention strategies. From the December 10, 2004, issue of Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5348a1.htm Topics: Holidays & Observances, Public Health & Safety Last updated Dec 13, 2004 Father's Day (Yahoo!) Directory of websites about Father's Day. Includes links to sites containing stories, music, animations, puzzles, cards, poems, gift and craft ideas, recipes, history, quotes, and more. http://dir.yahoo.com/Society_and_Culture/Holidays_and_Observances/Father_s_Day/ Topics: Families, Holidays & Observances, Holidays and Observances Individually, Musical Genres, Mysteries and More Last updated May 29, 2008 Food for the Ancestors This site is a companion to a Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) program presenting a "culinary-history exploration of Days of the Dead [Dias de los Muertos]" as celebrated in Puebla, Mexico. The site includes a description of the holidays and their altars (ofrendas), the traditional art depicting skeletons (calaveras), and a few recipes including one for "Salsa de Gusanos de Maguey (Worm Sauce)" with a clip of someone eating it. Not for the squeamish. http://www.pbs.org/foodancestors/ Topics: Food & Cooking, Holiday Foods, Beverages, and Recipes, Holidays & Observances, Holidays and Observances Individually, Holidays by Region, Recipes & Food Preparation Last updated Oct 20, 2003 Food Theme Month Links A collection of links to materials about various foods, wellness topics, and holiday meals related to specific months of the year. Topics include Oatmeal Month in January, American Heart Month in February, National Barbecue Month in May, National Watermelon Day in August, and Thanksgiving meal tips for November. From the University of Nebraska Cooperative Extension in Lancaster County http://lancaster.unl.edu/food/ciqlinks.htm Topics: Food & Cooking, Holiday Foods, Beverages, and Recipes, Holidays and Observances Individually, Recipes & Food Preparation Last updated May 11, 2005 God Jul! [Merry Christmas!] This page contains an overview of Christmas activities in Sweden, including Advent, St. Lucia's Day (the oldest daughter wears a wreath and candles on her head while serving saffron buns and coffee), Christmas Eve (children set out porridge for the Jultomten, the Christmas gnome, who leaves them presents), Christmas Day, and St. Stephen's Day (for the patron saint of animals). Includes directions for making a St. Lucia wreath. http://www.bry-backmanor.org/holidayfun/sweden.html Topics: Christmas, Holidays & Observances, Holidays and Observances Individually Last updated Dec 8, 2005 The Hajj Ending in Eid-ul-Adha Background information about "Eid-ul-Adha ('Celebration of Sacrifice'), also known as the Greater Eid, [which] is the second most important festival in the Muslim calendar. It marks the end of the Hajj, the annual pilgrimage to Makkah (Mecca). It takes place on the 10th day of Dhul-Hijjah, the last month of the Islamic calendar" (during December, January, or February). Includes classroom activities and related links about the holiday. From the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC). http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/religion/islam/eid_haj.shtml Topics: Faiths, Holidays & Observances, September 11 & Beyond Last updated Jan 1, 2005 Halloween: The Fantasy and Folklore of All Hallows An essay about the historical origins of Halloween in the Samhain holiday, "the biggest and most significant holiday of the Celtic year." Also includes a brief bibliography. From the American Folklife Center of the Library of Congress. http://www.loc.gov/folklife/halloween.html Topics: Holidays and Observances Individually Last updated Sep 28, 2009 High Holy Days on the Net This site provides information about the Jewish High Holy Days, Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, "the most important of all Jewish Holidays and the only holidays that are purely religious, as they are not related to any historical or natural event." Includes activities, stories, recipes, calendars, and information about Shofar (instrument made from ram's horn), the celebration of Sukkot, and the Yizkor service. http://www.holidays.net/highholydays/ Topics: Food & Cooking, Holiday Foods, Beverages, and Recipes, Holidays & Observances, Holidays and Observances Individually, Judaism Last updated Sep 24, 2003 The History of Labor Day A history of the holiday celebrated on the first Monday in September and "dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers." From the U.S. Department of Labor. http://www.dol.gov/opa/aboutdol/laborday.htm Topics: Holidays and Observances Individually, Labor Last updated Sep 1, 2009 The History of Valentine's Day Extensive background on why we celebrate this day and who St. Valentine was. There are also sections on the romances of Harry and Bess Truman, Robert and Elizabeth Barrett Browning, and Jackie and Rachel Robinson. From the History Channel. http://www.history.com/content/valentine Topics: Holidays and Observances Individually Last updated Nov 1, 2009 Holi: The Festival of Colours Information about this Indian festival "celebrated on the day after the full moon in early March every year." This holiday, "a symbolic commemoration of a legend from Hindu Mythology" and "associated with the immortal love of Krishna and Radha," is celebrated with bonfires and splashing others with colored powder and water. Generates some pop-ups. From IndiaExpress.com. http://www.indiaexpress.com/rangoli/holi.html Topics: Faiths, Holidays & Observances, Holidays and Observances Individually, Recreation Last updated Aug 31, 2005 Holiday Craft Countdown: 30 Days of Crafts Presented in the form of an advent calendar, this site offers daily holiday craft projects for mid-November through mid-December. Includes an archive of additional holiday craft projects, such as ornaments, cards, home decor, entertaining ideas, and gift wrapping and boxes. From the website for HGTV (Home & Garden Television). http://www.hgtv.com/hgtv/pac_ctnt_988/text/0,,HGTV_22056_53734,00.html Topics: Holidays & Observances Last updated Nov 16, 2006 Holiday Logos and Events: Google Style! Galleries of Google logos commemorating holidays and events. Use the search tool to rummage for logos for occasions such as Alfred Hitchcock's birthday, Earth Day, and Chinese New Year. Archives back to 1999 include early logos customized for Thanksgiving and the Burning Man festival. http://www.google.com/logos/ Topics: Holidays & Observances, Internet Guides & Search Tools Last updated Oct 26, 2009 Holiday Survival Guide: Manage Stress and Simplify Your Holiday Season Advice on reducing stress during the holiday season, including dealing with difficult relatives, loneliness, shopping, and party planning. An About.com site. http://stress.about.com/od/holidaysurvivalguide/Holiday_Survival_Guide_Manage_Stress_and_Simplify_Your_Holiday_Season.htm Topics: Families, Holidays & Observances Last updated Nov 27, 2008 Holiday Traditions A guide to winter holiday traditions from around the world. The site mainly addresses Christmas greetings, decorations, and related traditions. Browsable by country. Also includes brief information about holidays that celebrate light or enlightenment, such as Chinese New Year, Diwali, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and Ramadan. From the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago. http://www.msichicago.org/scrapbook/scrapbook_exhibits/catw2004/holiday_traditions.html Topics: Christmas Last updated Mar 9, 2005 The Holiday Zone Provides ways to celebrate common American holidays by doing a craft, singing a song, reading a story, or discovering why we mark certain days and the seasons. http://www.theholidayzone.com/ Topics: Holidays & Observances, Holidays by Region, Musical Genres Last updated Jun 19, 2002 Honor Your Father ... At Least Once a Year Describes the origins of Father's Day in America, from Spokane, Washington state, resident Sonora Dodd's idea, to the first celebration of the day in 1910 and the holiday's official recognition in "1966, when President Lyndon Johnson declared that the third Sunday in June would be Father's Day." Includes illustrations and related links. From the Library of Congress. http://www.loc.gov/wiseguide/jun03/father.html Topics: Families, Holidays and Observances Individually, Presidents by Name Last updated Jun 9, 2005 How to Take Great Photos of Holiday Lights This article offers ideas for taking photos of tree lights, candles, holiday lights on buildings, and other indoor and outdoor lit subjects. Includes tips for both film and digital photography, and examples of photographs of holiday lights. From a photography school. http://www.nyip.com/ezine/holidays/holidaylights.html Topics: Christmas, Holidays & Observances, Holidays and Observances Individually, Photography Last updated Dec 13, 2006 How We Celebrate Hanukkah Information about Hanukkah, covering the history and meaning of the holiday and how to celebrate, complete with blessings, songs, activities, recipes for traditional foods, the meaning of "gelt," and a virtual dreidel game. Chag sameach! (Happy holidays!) From the Jewish Outreach Institute. http://www.joi.org/celebrate/hanuk/ Topics: Food & Cooking, Holiday Foods, Beverages, and Recipes, Holidays & Observances, Holidays and Observances Individually, Judaism, Musical Genres, Recipes by Region, Recipes by Region: United States Last updated Dec 6, 2006 Jewish Holidays "Learn about the Jewish holidays and explore the customs and traditions of Reform Jews throughout North America." Every description has dates, a brief annotation, and a good selection of related links. Includes a holiday calendar. From the Union for Reform Judaism. http://urj.org/holidays/ Topics: Food & Cooking, Holiday Foods, Beverages, and Recipes, Holidays & Observances, Holidays and Observances Individually, Judaism Last updated Dec 1, 2005 Jewish Holidays: Lag Ba'Omer A directory of links for the Jewish holiday Lag Ba'Omer, the 33rd day between Pesach (Passover) and Shavuot (the timing means the holiday usually occurs in late spring). The links represent a range of information about the Lag Ba'Omer, including explanations of the holiday, traditions (such as the lighting of bonfires), and biographies of Rabbi Akiva. Also includes links to sites in Hebrew, Russian, Spanish, and other languages. http://www.jr.co.il/hotsites/j-hdayla.htm Topics: Food & Cooking, Holiday Foods, Beverages, and Recipes, Holidays & Observances, Holidays and Observances Individually, Judaism Last updated May 6, 2004 Jewish Holidays: Passover Dozens of sites related to Passover, some in Hebrew or other languages. Everything from recipes and history to matzo clip art. http://www.jr.co.il/hotsites/j-hdaypa.htm Topics: Food & Cooking, Holiday Foods, Beverages, and Recipes, Holidays & Observances, Holidays and Observances Individually, Judaism Last updated Apr 21, 2005 JewishHolidays.org This resource features the current upcoming Jewish holiday on the main page, and has a rolling calendar of dozens of other holidays, presented chronologically. Each entry has dates, a brief description, and related links. The section "For Kids" features games and other fun activities. Includes locators for Jewish religious services and holiday events in the San Francisco Bay Area. http://www.sfjcf.org/jholidays/ Topics: Food & Cooking, Holiday Foods, Beverages, and Recipes, Holidays & Observances, Holidays and Observances Individually, Judaism, Ready Reference & Quick Facts Last updated Mar 2, 2005 Kaboose: Father's Day Children's activities and resources for the celebration of Father's Day, including games, clip art, stories, history of the holiday, printable activities (such as mazes, crossword puzzles, and coloring pages), and craft projects (for example, business card holders and picture frames). http://holidays.kaboose.com/fathers-day/ Topics: Families, Holidays & Observances, Holidays and Observances Individually Last updated Aug 28, 2008 Kaboose: Holidays A list of ideas for games, activities, stories, and special events for many holidays and the seasons of the year. It includes crafts, mazes, clip art, icons, coloring pages, word searches, and miscellaneous related links for both adults and children. http://holidays.kaboose.com/ Topics: Holidays & Observances, Internet Guides & Search Tools Last updated Aug 28, 2008 Krishna's Birthday Bash "Krishna, the blue-faced prankster, is a beloved Hindu deity. His birthday, Janmashtami, is a joyous day with a serious message." This article provides information about this August event celebrating the birth of "the Cosmic Cowherd, the mischievous deity that Hindus love the most for his pranks, for his butter-thievery, for his melodious flute, [and] for his romantic interludes with Gopis, the milkmaids." From Beliefnet; has some intrusive ads. http://www.beliefnet.com/story/173/story_17368_1.html?rnd=324 Topics: Faiths, Fish, Meat, & Dairy Last updated Aug 31, 2005 Kwanzaa Basic information about Kwanzaa, "a non-religious African American holiday which celebrates family, community, and culture. It is celebrated for seven days: December 26-January 1." Describes the "seven principles" (such as unity, creativity, and purpose) and the "seven symbols" (including the ear of corn and the seven candles). From the website for the History Channel. http://www.history.com/content/kwanzaa Topics: Black Resources, Holidays & Observances, Holidays and Observances Individually Last updated Nov 1, 2009 Kwanzaa: A Celebration of Family, Community and Culture "The Official Kwanzaa Web Site" focuses on the philosophy of Dr. Maulana Karenga, the African-American professor who created the holiday in 1966. It describes in detail the African roots of the holiday, the seven principles, and the seven basic symbols. Includes a comprehensive guide for those celebrating Kwanzaa for the first time. http://officialkwanzaawebsite.org/ Topics: Black Resources, Holidays & Observances, Holidays and Observances Individually Last updated Dec 6, 2006 MardiGras.com Contains photo and video tours of the New Orleans parades, dates of Mardi Gras for the next few years, a FAQ for first-time visitors, tips on attending the celebrations with children, webcams, a glossary, history, and an explanation of the traditions of Carnival. From NOLA.com, a website created in alliance with The Times-Picayune newspaper. (Note: you may need to enter a ZIP code and other information to access this site). http://www.nola.com/mardigras/ Topics: Film, Movies, & Video, Holidays & Observances, Holidays and Observances Individually, Photograph Collections: Regional: United States, Recreation, Sports, Recreation, & Entertainment, U.S. History By Place Last updated Feb 20, 2006 Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service "The King Day of Service is a way to transform Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s life and teachings into community service that helps solve social problems." Includes a tool for finding an MLK Day service project in your area, plus project tips, PR resources, logos, reading lists, and more. From the Corporation for National & Community Service, "a federal agency that gives more than a million Americans opportunities to improve communities through service." http://www.mlkday.gov/ Topics: Black Resources, Charity & Nonprofit Resources, Communities & Groups, Holidays and Observances Individually, Holidays by Region, Jobs & Work Last updated Sep 29, 2009 Memorial Day "Uncover the interesting history of the holiday we now call Memorial Day. Discover little-known facts about America's wars and stop by the Veterans' Forum message boards to share your views with veterans, their loved ones, and fellow history buffs." Includes audio clips where you can "listen in as some of America's veterans share their memories of war." From the History Channel. http://www.history.com/content/memorial Topics: Communities & Groups, Holidays and Observances Individually, Military Last updated Nov 1, 2009 Memorial Day Basic guidelines for observing the National Moment of Silence (3 p.m. local time) for Memorial Day. Suggestions include a minute of silence, turning on headlights, tapping a glass, and more. From the U.S. Office of Personnel Management. http://www.opm.gov/memorialday/ Topics: Communities & Groups, Holidays and Observances Individually, Military Last updated Nov 6, 2008 Moonwise: New Easter Dates 1997-2205 This site features a table of the dates for Easter in the Gregorian calendar and for orthodox Christian religions. It also explains the differing methods of calculating the date for Easter (based on the date of the full moon) and proposals for establishing one date for Easter. Designed in a rather difficult color scheme by a company that makes moon calendars. http://www.moonwise.co.uk/neweaster.htm Topics: Christianity, Holidays & Observances, Holidays and Observances Individually Last updated Mar 23, 2005

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