DOCSLIB.ORG

Special Days and Holidays

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Special Days and Holidays Special Days and Holidays Joan Acosta w w w . b e s t o f t h e r e a d e r . c a bestofthereader.ca Best of the Reader series of books by Joan Acosta is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 2.5 Canada Licence. [email protected] Copyright 2013 w w w . b e s t o f t h e r e a d e r . c a Contents Welcome . 4 Valentine’s Day . 5 Thanksgiving . 7 Halloween . 9 Diwali. 12 Vaisakhi. 12 Easter . 14 Hanukkah . 16 Norooz . 18 Christmas . 20 Ramadan . 24 New Year’s. 27 Remembrance Day . 30 Lunar New Year. 32 Answers for exercises . 35 3 w w w . b e s t o f t h e r e a d e r . c a Welcome This e-book is part of a series To the teacher called Best of The Reader. The stories in the e-books are from The Westcoast Learners can read the articles Reader. It is a newspaper for adults and do the exercises individually, who are improving their English in pairs, or in groups. reading skills. The topics can be explored further through discussion or follow-up activities. To the reader Teachers’ Guide 4 You can use this book The Teachers’ Guide on this in a classroom, with a tutor, website has ideas on how to use or on your own. the e-books with students. 4 Each story has exercises to go with it. These exercises can help Acknowledgements you improve your English and The author gratefully acknowledges the financial reading skills. support of Capilano University for this project. 4 A special thank you to the learners and teachers You can check your answers who helped choose the articles for this book. at the end of the book. All of the material in this book first appeared in The Westcoast Reader (1982 to 2009). Some of the articles have been updated. Most of the exercises and activities for learners are based on material from Three reading levels The Westcoast Reader Teachers’ Notes (1982 to 2009). There are three reading levels Credits in this book. Here are the symbols Photos Front cover—Halloween: Northshore News (Victor Aberdeen); Valentine’s Day: for each level: The Vancouver Sun; Lunar New Year: Metro Vancouver (Jeff Hodson) The Vancouver Sun Northshore News field);Page 5—couple: , children: (Mike Wake- Page 7—iStockphotos (top) Thanksgiving ©SJ Locke, (bottom) food ©Cathleen Clapper; Page 9—top: The Vancouver Sun, bottom: iStockphoto ©SJ Locke; Level 1 Page 10: Edmonton Journal; Page 11: Northshore News (Victor Aberdeen); Page 12—left: The Vancouver Sun, right: The Province; Page 14: iStockphotos— crucifixion ©Wim Burger, kids ©Edyta Line, basket: St. Elias Church; Page 16: The Vancouver Sun; Page 18—table: North Shore News (Mike Wakefield), family: Babak Saberi; Page 20: iStockphoto; Page 21: choir: Central Coast Level 2 Children’s Choir, cookie making: iStockphoto, potluck: Corinna Ruhl, lights and students: The Vancouver Sun; Page 24: man praying: Muslim Times; architect: The Vancouver Sun; Page 27: iStockphoto; Page 30—ceremony, poppy: The Province, veteran: The Vancouver Sun, graves: eurosnaps.com; Page 32: The Vancouver Sun Level 3 Illustrations Page 6, 9 (flashlight, pumpkin),10, 16 (hanukkiah), 22, 27, 28: Nola Johnston; Page 5, 9 (ghost), 14, 15, 16 (dreidel), 19, 20, 22, 27, 28, 30: Guy Parsons; Page 22: ©King Features Syndicate. Reproduced with permission—Torstar Syndication Services; Page 29 (rabbit) Government Information Office, Republic of China (Taiwan); Religious symbols: iStockphoto 4 w w w . b e s t o f t h e r e a d e r . c a Valentine’s Day How to say “I love you” French: Je t’aime Spanish: Te amo flowers Cree: Kisakihitin Cantonese: Ngo oi ney Russian: Ya tyebya lyublyu chocolate How do children celebrate? Young children gift give each other valentines. They often make cards at school. Valentine’s Day is on February 14. It is a romantic day for many adults. They buy cards, chocolates or flowers for each other. They say, “I love you.” 5 w w w . b e s t o f t h e r e a d e r . c a Cards Some people send cards on Valentine’s Day. They also send cards for other occasions. Choose a word from the box to go with each card. Write the word on the line. 1 2 ________________________________ _______________________________ 3 4 ________________________________ _______________________________ 5 6 ________________________________ _______________________________ Easter wedding graduation Valentine’s Day birthday Christmas 6 w w w . b e s t o f t h e r e a d e r . c a Thanksgiving Thanksgiving is the second Monday in October. Families and friends get together. They have a big meal. Turkey and pumpkin pie are popular at Thanksgiving. What’s for Thanksgiving dinner? mashed potatoes yams whipped cream stuffing gravy • • • • • • • • pumpkin pie green beans turkey n Thanksgiving Day is the fourth Thursday in November in the United States. 7 w w w . b e s t o f t h e r e a d e r . c a Thanksgiving Write answers on the lines. 1. When is Thanksgiving? _______________________________________________________________ 2. What do many people do for Thanksgiving? _______________________________________________________________ 3. What foods are popular at Thanksgiving? _______________________________________________________________ Where do the words belong? Write these 18 words months food days in the correct boxes. October Christmas sister pie turkey Monday lunch uncle family meals holidays Easter July Thursday salad husband breakfast dinner Sunday May Thanksgiving 8 w w w . b e s t o f t h e r e a d e r . c a Halloween Halloween is on October 31. Children dress up in costumes. In the evening, they go trick or treating. They visit neighbours and ask for treats. Most people give the children candy. Many people carve jack-o-lanterns for Halloween. Tips to keep children safe on Halloween Halloween is on October 31. 4 Remind children to look both Many children go trick or treating ways before they cross streets. in the evening. 4 Check all the treats Here are some tips to keep before children eat them. children safe on Halloween. 4 4 Make sure costumes An adult should go trick are short. Children can or treating with young children. trip on long costumes 4 Older children should trick and fall. or treat in groups. 4 Adults and older children should carry flashlights. 9 w w w . b e s t o f t h e r e a d e r . c a How to carve a jack-o-lantern seeds knife spoon 1 Cut out the top of a pumpkin 2 Take out the seeds with a sharp knife. with a big spoon. knife candle 3 Draw a face on the pumpkin 4 Put a candle with a marker. inside the pumpkin. Cut out the face with a knife. The Westcoast Reader 10/2004 10 w w w . b e s t o f t h e r e a d e r . c a Carve a jack-o-lantern Here are six steps for carving a jack-o-lantern. Put them in the correct order. ____ Cut out the face with a knife. ____ Put a candle inside the pumpkin. ____ Cut out the top of the pumpkin. ____ Draw a face on the pumpkin. ____ Buy a pumpkin. ____ Take out the seeds. Same word has different meanings Sometimes a word can have different meanings. For example: 1. Children can trip on long costumes. 2. Ana took a trip to Mexico. Here are some words that can have more than one meaning. Match each word to one of its meanings. ____ 1. tip a. the sound a bell makes ____ 2. test b. a large stone ____ 3. watch c. to teach ____ 4. ring d. a clock you wear on your wrist ____ 5. train e. a useful idea or suggestion ____ 6. rock f. an exam ☞ Do you know other meanings for these words? 11 w w w . b e s t o f t h e r e a d e r . c a Diwali Vaisakhi Diwali is a popular fall festival Vaisakhi is in April. It is an in India. It is sometimes called the important festival in parts of India. Festival of Lights. Some Sikh communities in Diwali marks the beginning British Columbia have parades of the new year for Hindus. Sikhs to celebrate Vaisakhi. also celebrate Diwali. Diwali traditions 4 Many people wear new clothes on Diwali. 4 They visit family and friends. 4 They share sweet snacks. 4 They decorate their homes with small oil lamps called diyas. diya A Vaisakhi parade This is a symbol This is a symbol for Hinduism. for Sikhism. 12 w w w . b e s t o f t h e r e a d e r . c a Finish the sentences Draw a circle around the correct answer. 1. Diwali is a _____ festival. 5. Many Sikh _____ wear turbans. a. spring a. men b. fall b. girls 2. Sikhs celebrate _____. 6. Diwali is sometimes called a. Hanukkah the Festival of _____. b. Vaisakhi a. Lights b. Food 3. People wear new _____ on Diwali. 7. Vaisakhi is in _____. a. clothes a. November b. hats b. April 4. Some Sikh communities 8. Diwali is the start of the new year in B.C. have _____ for Vaisakhi. for ________. a. art exhibits a. Hindus b. parades b. Muslims Missing letters Add the missing vowels (a, e, i, o, u) to finish each word.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Vishwa Hindu Parishad (UK) World Council of Hindus Charity No: 262684
    Vishwa Hindu Parishad (UK) World Council of Hindus Charity No: 262684 ON THIS SACRED MAHotSAVA WE WISH YOU Shubh Deepawali & Nutan Varshabhinandan (HAPPY DEEPAWALI & PROSPEROUS VIKRAM NEW YEAR) This heralds the Hindu New Year. Through several millennia of civilisation, Hindu Dharma has enhanced World Thought, Culture, Science & Peace (According to Sacred Hindu Scriptures) Bhagwan Shree Rama - Treta Yug - 1,296,000 human or 3,600 divine years – Bhagwan Shree Krishna – Dvapar Yug | 3228 BC - 3102 BC | Bhagwan Shree Buddha | 623 BC - 543 BC | Bhagwan Shree Mahavir | 599 BC – 527 BC | Vikram Samvat | 57-56 BC | Lord Christ | 0 BC/AD | Guru Nanak Dev Maharaj Ji (Nanak Shahi) | 1469 AD -1539 AD | \ Let us all remain guided eternally by SANATAN DHARMIC values, which are inclusive & plural, commonly known as Hindutva \ Ekam Sat Vipraha, Bahudha Vadanti \ (Truth is One, Wisemen (Seers, Rishis) have called it by different Names in different Eras) \ Sarve Bhavantu Sukhinaha, Sarve Santu Niramayaha, Sarve Bhadrani Pashyantu, Maakashchit Dukhabhag Bhavet \ (Let All be Happy, Let All be without Any illness, Let there be Universal Brotherhood, \ Vishwa Dharma Prakashena Vishwa Shanti Pravartake \ (Dharma - the Eternal Guiding Light for Universal Welfare and Peace) \ Asato ma Sad Gamaya - Lead me from Untruth to Truth \ Tamaso ma Jyotir Gamaya - Lead me from Darkness to Light Mrutyor ma Amritam Gamaya - Lead me from Death to Immortality \ Shanti Shanti Shantihi : \ Vishwa Hindu Parishad (UK) - World Council of Hindus & National Hindu Students Forum (NHSF) UK SPECIAL MESSAGE: On this auspicious occasion, come, let us rededicate ourselves towards, Spreading Universal Dharma of Righteousness, Peace & Conservation, keeping in mind the pollution generated as a result of the smoke from fireworks….
    [Show full text]
  • Chinese Or Lunar New Year
    Teaching About Lunar New Year Dr. Margaret Hill Chinese New Year, or Spring Festival, falls on the first day of the first month of the new lunisolar calendar each year. The Lantern Festival that falls on the fifteenth day brings an end to the New Year season, though for China and other Asian countries, Spring Festival is a week-long holiday. Across Asian cultures that use the lunisolar calendar, it may be referred to simply as Lunar New Year. In Korean culture, for example, the holiday is called Seollal or simply Korean New Year and falls on the same date as Chinese New Year, and likewise with the Vietnamese Tet holiday, or Vietnamese New Year. (Since 1873, Japan has followed the same Gregorian calendar followed by the United States, and Japanese New Year, or Oshogatsu, falls on January 1 each year.) Lunar New Year Dates The lunisolar calendar is based on astronomical observations of Chinese Zodiac Year Date the sun's longitude and the moon's phases. Though shrouded in Animal Sign history, some scholars believe that the Chinese emperor Huangdi 2019 February 5 Pig introduced the calendar somewhere between 2500 to 3000 BCE. 2020 January 25 Rat 2021 February 12 Ox Other Asian cultures have used the lunisolar calendar nearly as long as in China. The calendar is used to determine festivals, so the dates of these festivals vary each year. At home, many Chinese Americans celebrate by burning incense, doing special prayers, and making offerings to ancestors and traditional gods. The celebrations of Chinese New Year are diverse, reflecting various ethnic customs and the combined influences of Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism, and Chinese folk religions.
    [Show full text]
  • Teaching About Chinese New Year
    Teaching About Chinese New Year Dr. Margaret Hill Chinese New Year, or Spring Festival, falls on the first day of the first month of the new lunisolar calendar each year. The Lantern Festival that falls on the fifteenth day brings an end to the New Year season, though for China and other Asian countries, Spring Festival is a week-long holiday. The Chinese lunisolar calendar is based on astronomical observations of the sun's longitude and the moon's phases. Though shrouded in history, some scholars believe that Chinese New Year Dates Emperor Huangdi introduced the calendar between 2500 to 3000 Chinese Zodiac Year Date BCE. The Chinese lunar calendar is used to determine festivals, so Animal Sign the dates of these festivals vary each year. 2016 February 8 Monkey 2017 January 28 Rooster At home, many Chinese Americans celebrate by burning incense, 2018 February 16 Dog doing special prayers, and making offerings to ancestors and traditional gods. The celebrations of Chinese New Year are diverse, reflecting various ethnic customs and the combined influences of Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism, and Chinese folk religions. Like western Christmas, contemporary Chinese New Year's celebrations include decorations, family gatherings, and big meals. Chinese New Year has become a colorful fusion of cultural traditions. The symbols of the Chinese calendar are believed to stretch back to the Buddha himself. According to one tradition, Buddha summoned all the animals to visit him just before his death, but only 12 appeared. In appreciation, Buddha named a year after each of them. In time, people born in a particular year were described by the characteristics ascribed to the animal representing that year.
    [Show full text]
  • Journey with Newspapers in Education and Wing Luke Museum to Celebrate the New Year!
    Journey with Newspapers In Education and Wing Luke Museum to Celebrate the New Year! Asian Americans bring with them many holidays from their ancestral homelands. One of the most important celebrations is the New Year. Learn about Chinese New Year from Jimmy Men Yem Wong, who came to Seattle in 1939 at the age of 19. Jimmy served in World War II and raised his family in the U.S., including his daughter Chris Chinn, who relates his stories about his Year of childhood in China. NEW YEAR TRADITIONS the Horse As a kid, Jimmy remembers feasts on New Year’s Eve which included special foods like goose, taro, tofu soup, oysters, lettuce and tay (sweet pastry.) New Year’s Day started with a bang. “They have fireworks,” Jimmy recalls, “at 5 or 6 o’clock in the morning!” Jimmy Wong. Photo by Dean Wong, Wing Luke Museum Collection. Parents and grandparents also gave children red envelopes with money inside, along with a traditional greeting of good luck and prosperity: gung hay faat choy. ANIMALS OF THE CHINESE ZODIAC In China, the new year is based on the lunar calendar, which follows the phases of the moon. Chinese New Year falls on the second new The Chinese lunar calendar is divided into moon after the winter solstice, which occurs between mid-January 12-year cycles, with an animal representing and mid-February. each year in a cycle. Find the year you were born and the animal that matches that year. In Jimmy’s village, the celebration lasted for days. Family members took time off work to be home for the holidays.
    [Show full text]
  • Indian Calendrical Calculations
    Indian Calendrical Calculations Nachum Dershowitz Edward M. Reingold† Abstract We analyze various Indian calendars. We discuss the Indian day count, a generic solar calendar that generalizes various calendars including the mean Indian solar calendar, the true and astronomical Indian solar calendars, a generic lunisolar calendar that generalizes the Indian version, and the true and astronomical Indian lunisolar calendars. We also discuss aspects of the traditional Indian calculation of the time of sunrise and the determination of lunisolar holidays. The months of the Hindus are lunar, their years are solar; therefore their new year's day must in each solar year fall by so much earlier as the lunar year is shorter than the solar.. If this precession makes up one complete month, they act in the same way as the Jews, who make the year a leap year of thirteen months. , and in a similar way to the heathen Arabs. —Alberuni's India. 1 Introduction The world's many calendars are of three primary types: diurnal, solar, and lunar—see our Calendrical Calculations: Millennium Edition [5] (henceforth CCME). All three are represented among the many calendars of the Indian sub- continent. ¡ A diurnal calendar is a day count, either a simple count, like the Julian day number, or a complex, mixed-radix count, like the Mayan long count. The classical Indian day count (ahargana) is used for calendrical purposes. ¡ Solar calendars have a year length that corresponds to the solar year. All modern solar calendars add leap days at regular intervals to adjust the mean length of the calendar year to better approximate the true solar year.
    [Show full text]
  • Holidays & Equity
    Holidays & Equity November 16, 2020 Agenda Mission & Goals Federal Holidays What is the ‘Holiday Season’? New Years Day Privilege Discussion Listen ~ Educate ~ Empower ~ Inspire 2 Mission & Goals Mission & Goals • The mission of EquityCT is to create learning opportunities to build an actionable understanding of equity, and to empower action and civic engagement in order to consciously dismantle systemic inequity. • Our goals are: • To provide teaching and learning opportunities for people to deepen their understanding of equity... • To provide opportunities to effect systemic change at the local, state, and regional level. • To be a resource, both virtual and through a vast network of connected individuals, organizations, and communities, which unifies equity efforts in Connecticut... • To build capacity in communities for the ongoing prioritization of equity in all community decision-making. • To celebrate the work of individuals, organizations, and communities impacting systemic change. 4 Federal Holidays What are the federal holidays in the US? The US Government recognizes ten federal holidays. Government offices and many private companies are closed on these days: New Year’s Day Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr. Washington’s Birthday Memorial Day Independence Day Labor Day Columbus Day Veterans Day Thanksgiving Day Christmas Day 6 Holiday Pay Employers are not legally required to observe holidays, pay employees for holidays, or pay premium wage rates to employees who work on those days. Note that… • If employees are given the day off, employers must pay salaried workers. However, an employer only has to pay hourly employees for the time they actually worked. • Hourly workers represent 59% of the US workforce.
    [Show full text]
  • 2020-21 Calendar
    2020 2020 IMPORTANT DATES SEPTEMBER OCTOBER SEPTEMBER S M T W T F S S M T W T F S 2 TEACHERS FIRST DAY 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 7 LABOR DAY 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 8 FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL (K-12) 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 10 FIRST DAY FOR NECP/PRESCHOOL 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 19 ROSH HASHANAH (Saturday) 27 28 29 30 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 28 YOM KIPPUR (16 dayS) (21 dayS) OCTOBER 12 COLUMBUS DAY NOVEMBER DECEMBER NOVEMBER S M T W T F S S M T W T F S 11 VETERANS DAY 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2 3 4 5 14 DIWALI (Recognized ObServance-Saturday ) 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 25 Early DiSmiSSal for ThankSgiving ReceSS 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 26-27 THANKSGIVING RECESS 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 29 30 27 28 29 30 31 DECEMBER 24-31 DECEMBER RECESS (18 dayS) (17 dayS) 2021 2021 IMPORTANT DATES JANUARY FEBRUARY JANUARY S M T W T F S S M T W T F S 1 NEW YEAR'S DAY 1 2 1 2 3 4 5 6 4 SCHOOL IS BACK IN SESSION 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 18 MARTIN LUTHER KING DAY 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 FEBRUARY 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 28 12 LUNAR NEW YEAR (Recognized ObServance) 31 15-19 WINTER VACATION (19 dayS) (15 dayS) APRIL 2 GOOD FRIDAY MARCH APRIL 19-23 SPRING VACATION S M T W T F S S M T W T F S 1 2 3 4 5 6 1 2 3 MAY 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 13 EID AL-FITR (Recognized ObServance) 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 31 MEMORIAL DAY 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 28 29 30 31 25 26 27 28 29 30 JUNE (K-12) 28 STUDENTS LAST
    [Show full text]
  • Lunar New Year's Celebrations, Traditions, and Superstitions
    Lunar New Year's Celebrations, Traditions, and Superstitions This holiday season also includes celebrating Lunar New Year. For many families in the United States and in several Asian countries, this special time of year brings family and friends together. The Lunar New Year, most commonly associated with the Chinese New Year or Spring Festival, typically falls sometime between late January and mid February on the Gregarian calendar. In 2021, the Lunar New Year is on February 12, and it's the Year of the Metal Ox. It is called the Lunar New Year because it marks the first new moon of the lunisolar calendars that are traditional to many East Asian countries, including China and Vietnam, which are regulated by the cycles of the moon and sun. In China, the Lunar New Year celebration kicks off on New Year's Eve with a family feast called a “reunion dinner,” which is full of traditional Lunar New Year foods. During the 15-day celebration starting with January 1 of the lunisolar calendar, a symbolic ritual will take place. The ritual varies somewhat from region to region, and ranges from appealing to the deities to paying respect to the ancestors. Then, the welcoming of the New Year or Spring Festival culminates on January 15 of the lunisolar calendar with the Lantern Festival, and eating of dumplings in the North and sticky rice balls in the South. The Lunar New Year isn't only observed in China. It is also celebrated across several countries and other territories in Asia, including South Korea and Singapore.
    [Show full text]
  • LUNAR NEW YEAR/SPRING FESTIVAL CELEBRATION PROCLAMATION Council Sponsors: Councilors Mandi Jo Hanneke and Dorothy Pam Community Sponsor: Human Rights Commission
    LUNAR NEW YEAR/SPRING FESTIVAL CELEBRATION PROCLAMATION Council Sponsors: Councilors Mandi Jo Hanneke and Dorothy Pam Community Sponsor: Human Rights Commission WHEREAS, Oracle bones inscribed with astronomical records indicate that the Chinese calendar existed as early as 14th century B.C., during the Shang Dynasty and reset according to which emperor held power; and WHEREAS, the traditional Lunar New Year also known as the Spring Festival falls on the second new moon after the winter solstice based on the lunisolar calendar, a complex combination timekeeping method that includes the moon’s orbit around the earth and the earth’s 365-day orbit around the sun and accomplished by adding a 13th month to the traditional calendar about once every three years; and WHEREAS, the traditional commonly known Lunar New Year Calendar celebrations begin Lunar New Year's Eve and end the 15th day of the first lunar month, also known as the Lantern Festival, while the Public Holiday is celebrated this year from Lunar New Year’s Eve, February 11th to February 17th; and WHEREAS, the New Year is celebrated uniquely within the many different Asian countries, but regardless of the country, culture, religion or race, New Year’s Day is a time for Family -- family reunions, gatherings, reflection, and reaffirming bonds; and WHEREAS, the Chinese calendar includes the Chinese zodiac, or Sheng Xiao (生肖), a repeating 12-year cycle of animal signs and their ascribed attributes, based on the lunar calendar; and WHEREAS, Chinese legend has it that the Jade Emperor summoned
    [Show full text]
  • Lunar New Year - 2021
    Lunar New Year - 2021 Year of the Ox The Lunar New Year isn't only observed in China, it's celebrated across several countries and other territories in Asia, including South Korea, Vietnam, Tibet and Singapore. In the U.S., it is most commonly associated with what is often called Chinese New Year, an American version of China's 15- day-long festivities. It's called the Lunar New Year because it marks the first new moon of the lunisolar calendars traditional to many east Asian countries which are regulated by the cycles of the moon and sun. Spring Festival, Lunar • “Jiu Niang Tang” – sweet Traditions of Lunar New Years New Year or Chinese wine-rice soup Attracting and carrying over good fortune into the next • New Year? Dumplings symbolize year is a major theme of the holiday, and so is protecting wealth against bad fortune. Chinese New Year • Long Noodles represent Spring Festival longevity • Dances: The Dragon Dance features visible chunjie (春节) puppeteers holding poles as they make the dragon move in a flowing motion. A Lion Dance typically Things to Do and Not Do Korean New Year features two performers inside the costume, Seolla Do: operating as the creature's front and back legs. It's supposed to send away any evil spirits. It's an Vietnamese New Year • Only talk about good, happy things opportunity to feed the lion with red envelopes. While Tết nguyên Đán these two dances are among the best known, • Pay back your debts before Taiwaneses New Year the new year starts or it is Maasbach says they're just a few examples native to Spring Festival bad luck.
    [Show full text]
  • Fedex. Solutions Powered by People
    FedEx. Solutions Powered by People. 2014 DECEMBER 2013 FEBRUARY 2014 S M T W T F S S M T W T F S 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 1 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 JANUARY 29 30 31 23 24 25 26 27 28 PUBLIC HOLIDAYS FOR SUN MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT OTHER REGIONS: DEC 29 廿七 30 廿八 31 廿九 1 十二月 2 初二 3 初三 4 初四 5 小寒 6 初六 7 初七 8 初八 9 初九 10 初十 11 十一 Prophet Muhammad’s Birthday 12 十二 13 十三 14 十四 15 十五 16 十六 17 十七 18 十八 STATES HOLIDAYS New Year’s Day 1 (All except Johor, Kedah, Kelantan, Perlis 19 十九 20 大寒 21 廿一 22 廿二 23 廿三 24 廿四 25 廿五 & Terengganu) Yang di-Pertuan Besar 14 Chinese New Year Chinese New Year Negeri Sembilan's Birthday Thaipusam 17 (Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya, Johor, Negeri Sembilan, Perak, Penang & Selangor) Sultan of Kedah's 19 廿六 廿七 廿八 廿九 三十 農曆年初一 農曆年初二 Birthday 26 27 28 29 30 31 FEB 1 Our team members worldwide are dedicated to serving your needs. JANUARY 2014 MARCH 2014 S M T W T F S S M T W T F S 1 2 3 4 1 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 2 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 26 27 28 29 30 31 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 FEBRUARY 30 31 PUBLIC HOLIDAYS FOR SUN MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT OTHER REGIONS: Chinese New Year Chinese New Year China: 1 Hong Kong: 1 3 Japan: 11 Macau: 1–4 New Zealand: 3 JAN 26 廿六 27 廿七 28 廿八 29 廿九 30 三十 31 農曆年初一 1 農曆年初二 6 Philippines: 25 Singapore: 1 South Korea: 1 Taiwan: 1–4 28 Thailand: 14 USA: 17 2 農曆年初三 3 農曆年初四 4 立春 5 初六 6 初七 7 初八 8 初九 Vietnam: 1–3 STATES HOLIDAYS Federal Territory Day 1 (Kuala Lumpur, Labuan & Putrajaya) 9 初十 10 十一 11 十二 12 十三 13 十四 14 十五 15 十六 16 十七 17 十八 18 雨水 19 二十 20 廿一 21 廿二 22 廿三 23 廿四 24 廿五 25 廿六 26 廿七 27 廿八 28 廿九 MAR 1 二月 Say bye to handwritten air waybills! Use FedEx Quick Form for fast and accurate preparation of your shipping documents.
    [Show full text]
  • Traditional New Year Festivals
    Traditional New Year Festivals drishtiias.com/printpdf/traditional-new-year-festivals Why in News The President of India has greeted the people on the eve of Chaitra Shukla Pratipada, Ugadi, Gudi Padava, Cheti Chand, Navreh and Sajibu Cheiraoba. These festivals of the spring season mark the beginning of the traditional new year in India. Chaitra Shukla Pratipada It marks the beginning of the new year of the Vikram Samvat also known as the Vedic [Hindu] calendar. Vikram Samvat is based on the day when the emperor Vikramaditya defeated Sakas, invaded Ujjain and called for a new era. Under his supervision, astronomers formed a new calendar based on the luni-solar system that is still followed in the northern regions of India. It is the first day during the waxing phase (in which the visible side of moon is getting bigger every night) of the moon in the Chaitra (first month of Hindu calendar). Gudi Padwa and Ugadi These festivals are celebrated by the people in the Deccan region including Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra. The common practice in the celebrations of both the festivals is the festive food that is prepared with a mix of sweet and bitter. A famous concoction served is jaggery (sweet) and neem (bitter), called bevu-bella in the South, signifying that life brings both happiness and sorrows. Gudi is a doll prepared in Maharashtrian homes. A bamboo stick is adorned with green or red brocade to make the gudi. This gudi is placed prominently in the house or outside a window/ door for all to see.
    [Show full text]