Celebrations

Saint Nicholas Day Saint Nicholas, the common name for Nicholas of Myra, a saint and Bishop of Myra (in Lycia, part of modern-day Turkey). Because of the many miracles attributed to his intercession, he is also known as Nicholas the Wonderworker. He had a reputation for secret gift-giving, such as putting coins in the shoes of those who left them out for him, and thus became the model for Santa Claus, The historical Saint Nicholas is remembered and revered among Catholic and Orthodox Christians. He is also honoured by various Anglican and Lutheran churches. Saint Nicholas is the patron saint of sailors, merchants, archers, and children, and students in Greece, Belgium, Romania, Bulgaria, Georgia, Russia, the Republic of Macedonia, Slovakia, Serbia and Montenegro.

The tradition of Saint Nicholas Day, usually on 6 December, is a festival for children in many countries in Europe related to surviving legends of the saint, and particularly his reputation as a bringer of gifts.

Name day

A calendar page from 1712 with name days A name day is a tradition in many countries in Europe and Latin America of celebrating on a particular day of the year associated with the one's given name. The custom originated with the Catholic and Orthodox calendar of saints, where believers, named after a particular saint, would celebrate that saint's feast day. In many countries, however, there is no longer any explicit connection to Christianity

Spain and Latin America Until recently, name days in Spain and Latin America (called onomásticas or día de mi/su santo) were widely celebrated and had more importance than birthday celebrations. Onomásticas are not limited to saints but also include the celebration days of the different representations of the Virgin Mary. For example, the name day of a woman named Carmen would be July 16, day of our Lady of Mount Carmel. Currently, onomásticas are still remembered in more traditional families but are not generally celebrated with festive parties and presents as they were in the past. To celebrate name

days, practicing Catholics typically attend mass and have some intimate family celebration.

Día de los Santos Inocentes El origen de esta fiesta se debe a una masacre de los niños perpetrada por el rey Herodes I el Grande. El Día de los Santos Inocentes es la conmemoración de un episodio histórico o hagiográfico del cristianismo: la matanza de todos los niños menores de dos años nacidos en Belén (Judea), ordenada por el rey Herodes con el fin de deshacerse del recién nacido Jesús de Nazaret.

América En algunas zonas de América es importante no prestar ningún bien, sea objeto o dinero, pues el prestatario es libre de apropiarse de los bienes. Este tipo de festejo ha venido a menos en años recientes y ya no es usual que la gente pida prestado con la esperanza de que el prestador no recuerde la fecha y se le pueda hacer mofa con la muy popular frase: «Inocente palomita que te dejaste engañar» o su versión ampliada: «Inocente palomita que te dejaste engañar, sabiendo que en este día nada se puede prestar» o «Inocente palomita que te dejaste engañar, hoy día de los inocentes te dejaste engañar», «Que la inocencia te valga» o «Herodes mandó a Pilatos, Pilatos mandó a su gente; el que presta en este día pasará por inocente».

Mother's Day Mother's Day

A homemade cake, one of many ways a family might celebrate Mother's Day, or Mothering Sunday

The modern Mother's Day holiday was created by Anna Jarvis in Grafton, West Virginia, as a day to honour mothers and motherhood; especially within the context of families, and family relationships.[1] It is now celebrated on various days in many parts of the world, some of which have a much older tradition than the modern holiday (e.g. dating to the 16th century in the UK). Father's Day is a corresponding holiday honouring fathers. Anna Jarvis was born in the tiny town of Webster in Taylor County, West Virginia. She was the daughter of Ann Maria Reeves Jarvis. The family moved to nearby Grafton, West Virginia in her childhood. On May 12, 1907, two years after her mother's death, she held a memorial to her mother and thereafter embarked upon a campaign to make

"Mother's Day" a recognized holiday. She succeeded in making this nationally recognized in 1914. The International Mother's Day Shrine was established in Grafton to commemorate her accomplishment.

INTERNATIONAL WORKER’S DAY International Workers' Day is the commemoration of the Haymarket Massacre in Chicago in 1886, when Chicago police fired on workers during a general strike for the eight hour day, killing a dozen demonstrators. May Day has long been a focal point for demonstrations by various socialist, communist, and anarchist groups. In some circles, bonfires are lit in commemoration of the Haymarket martyrs, usually right as the first day of May begins