Category: Today’s Holiday

Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, is a national holiday in Mexico and is observed in Hispanic communities throughout the U.S. Long before sunrise, people stream into the cemeteries laden with candles, flowers, and food that is often shaped and decorated to resemble the symbols of death. Children eat tiny chocolate hearses, sugar funeral wreaths, and candy skulls and coffins. But the atmosphere is festive. In many homes, people set up ofrendas, or altars, to the departed. These are decked with candles, special foods, and whatever the dead enjoyed when they were alive. Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

The idea of setting aside a day to celebrate American authors came from Nellie Verne Burt McPherson, president of the Bement (Illinois) Women’s Club in 1928. In 1949, the day was recognized by the U.S. Department of Commerce. Sue Cole, McPherson’s granddaughter, was largely responsible for promoting the observation of National Author’s Day after her grandmother’s death in 1968. She urged people to write a note to their favorite author on this day to “brighten up the sometimes lonely business of being a writer.” Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Guavaween is a parade and block party with a Latin flavor in Ybor City, a two-square-mile area in Tampa, Florida. The “guava” stands for the tropical American fruit, while the “ween” alludes to the festival’s resemblance to Halloween, also observed around this time of year. The parade, with 20 to 50 bands, is led by a woman portraying the mythical “Mama Guava” doing the “Mama Guava Stumble.” Many paraders wear costumes lampooning national figures. After the early evening parade, there is partying until the wee hours. Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Also known as the American Royal, or simply the Royal, this is the oldest, and one of the largest, livestock shows and rodeos in the United States, dating back to the period just after the Civil War. The main events occur in October and November. The American Royal Rodeo is the final rodeo of the season on the professional circuit, featuring over 700 professional riders and offering more than $100,000 in prize money. There are also livestock auctions, horse and livestock shows, country music concerts, barbecue competitions, and a parade through downtown Kansas City. Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

The celebration of former King Norodom Sihanouk‘s birthday on October 31 has been combined with the October 29 anniversary of the coronation of his son, King Norodom Sihamoni. Sihanouk abdicated in favor of his son in 2004. The three-day celebration is centered in Phnom Penh, around the Royal Palace. People from all over the country come to the capital city to watch parades, partake in cultural events, and see the elaborate fireworks display along the riverbank near the palace. Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Because St. Jude is believed to have been martyred with St. Simon in Persia, where they had gone to preach Christianity, their feast is celebrated jointly on October 28, thought to be the date on which their relics were moved to old St. Peter’s basilica. Since St. Jude is the patron saint of hopeless causes, the saint’s day is observed particularly by students. St. Jude and St. Joseph traditionally are the most important saints to Roman Catholics in Buffalo, New York, where people buy St. Jude medals to help them win over impossible odds or achieve the unachievable. Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

This national holiday commemorates Turkmenistan‘s independence from the U.S.S.R. on October 27, 1991. Turkmenistan and other republics were gradually able to establish their own autonomous states due to the relaxation of Soviet rule influenced by the policy of perestroika. When the Soviet Union ceased to exist in December 1991, their independence was assured. Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

National Day commemorates the day in 1955 when Soviet occupation forces left Austria after taking control in 1945. The Austrian State Treaty of May 15, 1955, ensured that Austrians would regain sovereignty over their country on July 27. By October 26, it was once again a free, independent country. Although it is a national holiday in Austria, people do not get the day off from school or work, mainly because of the idea that one’s country is best served by working. Schools hold special presentations, and the president delivers a speech. Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Saffron, the world’s most expensive spice, is harvested from the stigmas of the autumn-flowering Crocus sativus. Much of the world’s saffron comes from Spain’s La Mancha region. The Saffron Rose Festival held in the town of Consuegra each year celebrates this exotic crop, which must be harvested by hand so that the valuable stigmas are not crumpled. The celebrations include parades and contests, folk dancing, and the crowning of a pageant queen. Costumed characters from Cervantes’s 17th-century novel Don Quixote stroll among the crowds who flock to Consuegra for the fiesta. Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

The United Nations‘ Disarmament Week, observed between October 24 and October 30, was established in 1978. It begins on October 24, the anniversary of the founding of the United Nations, now observed as United Nations Day. Observance revolves around raising public awareness of the dangers of the arms race and the need for international disarmament. Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary