goingson Events Calendar Paper lanterns leave celebrants seeing red for good luck: Chinese begins January 26. Holidays Thanksgiving November 27

Eid al-Adha, Islam Festival of Sacrifice december 8

Bodhi Day December 8

Shab-e Yalda, Persian winter solstice December 21

Hanukkah December 21-29

Christmas December 25

Kwanzaa December 26- January 1

Muharram, Islam New Year December 29

New Year’s Day January 1

The eight candles on the menorah signify the miracle of one- Gatan-Sai, Shinto New Year January 1 day’s oil lasting a full eight: Hannukah begins December 21. Genji-Sai , Japanese First Beginning January 3

Mahayana, Buddhist New Year January 11-13

Makar , Hindu Mid-Winter Festival January 14

Kong Shi Fa Chai, January 26

NoRooz, Persian New Year March 21

Hindu New Year March 27

Indonesian Muslim New Year March 30

Cambodian New Year April 1

Songkran, Thai New Year April 13

The traditional ‘Haft-Sin’ table features seven foods all beginning with ‘s,’ including sîbsib (apples) and sîrsir (garlic.): Persian new Year is celebrated March 21. Dance Portland Ballet, Portland. The Victorian Nutcracker ,Franco-American Heritage Center, Lewiston, December 7; Kennett High School, North Conway, New Hampshire, December 13-14; Merrill Auditorium, December 17. 842-0800 or www.portlandballet.org eh d Maine State Ballet, 348 US Route One, Falmouth. Nutcracker, Merrill Auditorium, December 29-30 and January 5-7. 842-0800 or www.mainestateballet.org akimiza H eila L Theater Good Theater, St. Lawrence Arts Center, 76 Congress Street, Portland. Stones in his Pockets to November 23, Broadway at Good Theater opens December 4. 885-5883 or www.goodtheater.com Portland Players, South Portland. Five Women Wearing the Same Dress, November 7-23. www.portlandplayers.org Portland Stage Company, Forest Avenue, Portland. Wait Until Dark to November 23; A Christmas Carol, from December 5 to 24. 774-0465 or www.portlandstage.com This page: Festive red ribbon and pine cones spruce up the holiday table. Let’s toast! The Public Theatre, Lisbon and Maple Streets, Lewiston. The Secrets of a Soccer Mom www.maineholidaywreaths.com for centerpieces; Sew Portland, 306 Warren Ave., to November 9; A Christmas Carol, December 12-14. 781-2211

Portland, for ribbon, www.sewmaine.com. clockwise from top left: istock photo (3) or www.thepublictheatre.org

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