Table of Contents Preface. xv Aboakyer Festival . .1 Academy Awards . .3 Advent . .7 Akshaya Tritiya . 12 Akwambo . 16 Al-Hijra . 18 Alasitas Fair . 21 Alaska Day . 24 All Souls’ Day . 26 America’s Cup . 29 Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Feast of the . 33 Anzac Day . 36 Aoi Matsuri . 38 Apache Girls’ Sunrise Ceremony. 41 April Fools’ Day . 45 Arbor Day. 48 Arctic Winter Games. 51 Army-Navy Football Game. 54 Asalha Puja . 57 Ascension Day . 60 Ash Wednesday . 65 Ashura . 67 Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Feast of the . 71 Athabascan Stickdance . 75 Autumn Equinox. 78 Awoojoh. 82 Awuru Odo Festival . 84 Aztec New Fire Ceremony . 86 Basket Dance . 89 Bastille Day . 92 Bayou Classic. 94 Bella Coola (Nuxalk) Midwinter Rites. 96 Beltane . 100 Berber Bride Fair . 103 Blessing of the Waters . 106 v Holiday Symbols and Customs, 5th Edition e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e ee Bodhi Day . 109 Boston Marathon. 111 Bouphonia . 114 Braemar Highland Gathering. 116 British Open . 118 Burial of the Sardine . 121 Burning Man Festival . 123 Burns Night . 126 Candlemas . 129 Cannes Film Festival. 132 Carnival . 134 Chalma Pilgrimage . 139 Chandan Yatra . 142 Chinese New Year . 145 Ching Ming . 151 Christmas . 156 Christmas Eve . 168 Chrysanthemum Festival . 174 Chung Yeung . 177 Chusok . 180 Cinco de Mayo . 182 Columbus Day . 187 Coming of Age Day . 191 Compitalia . 193 Confederate Memorial Day . 195 Coptic New Year . 198 Corpus Christi, Feast of . 201 Crow Fair . 205 Cup Match . 208 Darwin Day. 211 Daytona 500 . 213 Dewali . 216 Día de los Muertos . 220 Dionysia . 226 Distaff Day . 229 Dosmoche. 231 Double Fifth . 234 Double Seventh Festival . 239 Durga Puja . 241 Eagle Dance. 245 Earth Day . 247 vi Table of Contents e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e ee Easter . 251 Easter Monday . 258 Ebisu Festival . 262 Egungun Festival . 265 Ember Days. 268 Epiphany, Feast of the . 271 Esala Perahera . ..