Category: Today’s Holiday

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

In Hungary, Republic Day and the 1956 Revolution are celebrated on October 23. They originally commemorated the 1956 uprising against Soviet control. On October 23, 1989, in honor of the previous revolution, Hungarians established a new republic, amending the constitution to allow multiparty politics, public assembly, and create separation of power in the government. Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Jidai Matsuri is one of the three great festivals of Kyoto, Japan, commemorating the founding of the city as capital in the year 794. A procession of more than 2,000 costumed people depict the epochs or ages in Kyoto’s history. They parade from the Imperial Palace to the Heian Shrine, which was built in the 18th century as a dedication to the emperors who established Kyoto as the capital. The capital was moved in 1868 to Tokyo, and the festival stems from that time. Among the paraders is one representing Gen. Toyotomi Hideyoshi, a patron of the arts under whom Kyoto flourished. Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

A Chinese holiday, Chung Yeung is the second family-remembrance day of the year. It’s customary, as on the festival of Qing Ming, for families to visit the graves of ancestors, tend their gravestones, and make offerings of food, which are eaten after the ceremonies are completed. It’s also traditional on this day for people to go to the hills for picnics and kite-flying, which stems from traditional lore that holds that kites can convey bad luck up into the sky. It is a public holiday in some places, including Hong Kong and Macau. Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

This Japanese festival is named after Ebisu, one of the seven Japanese gods of luck, who is the protector of businessmen and fishermen. According to legend, all the other gods leave their shrines during October, which is known as “the godless month,” and gather at the temple of Izumo to discuss issues of great importance. Because he is deaf, Ebisu cannot hear the summons and does not accompany them. The Ebisu Festival is a time for members of trade associations and political and literary societies to socialize. The festival is also a time to pray for prosperity. Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

In Kingston, Jamaica, National Heroes Park contains a series of statues devoted to key figures in the country’s history, including independence leader Alexander Bustamente and pan-African crusader Marcus Garvey. As a way to honor the figures commemorated in this park, the Jamaican government has established National Heroes Day. Local parishes all over the island hold award ceremonies to honor community figures, while at National Heroes Park a main ceremony takes place that features a speech by a national leader, typically the prime minister. Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Alaska Day commemorates the formal transfer of Alaska from Russia to the United States on October 18, 1867. The event, which took place at Sitka, was a sad one for the Russian colonists who had already made Alaska their home. After the transfer, Alaska was eventually organized as a territory and maintained this status until it became a state on January 3, 1959. Today, the lowering of the Russian flag and the raising of the Stars and Stripes is reenacted every year as part of this festival in Sitka. Other events include a parade and a period costume ball. Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

More than 40 years ago, a man from Cleveland came up with the idea of showing the city’s orphans and shut-ins that they hadn’t been forgotten by distributing small gifts to them on a Saturday in October. The celebration of what came to be called Sweetest Day soon spread to Detroit and other American cities. Although it is still supposed to be an occasion to remember others with a kind act, a word of encouragement, or a long-overdue letter, local merchants in cities where Sweetest Day is observed usually get together and promote the day as a time to purchase gifts. Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary