Global Holidays, Celebrations, & Awareness Days for International Teams

Welcome! Use this list to familiarize yourself with the wide variety of celebrations that take place across the year. While not an exhaustive list, the following is a compilation of global holidays, awareness days, and celebrations that your global friends, family, or colleagues might be honoring. As you educate yourself and learn more about other cultures’ holidays and celebrations that may be new to you, be sure to do so respectfully.

World AIDS Day

(International Awareness Day) Resources: WHAT IS WORLD AIDS DAY?

St. Nicholas Day

Religious Holiday (Christianity), Europe Resources: Here’s How To Celebrate St. Nicholas Day On December 6th

Bohdi Day

Bodhi Day - Religious Holiday (Buddhism) Resources: What is Bodhi Day? Bodhi Day: A Journey of Enlightenment

Human Rights Day

(International Awareness Day) Resources: The United Nations - Human Rights Day

St. Lucia Day

Religious Holiday (Christianity), Europe Resources: Brittanica - St. Lucia’s Day Lucia – bearer of light, hymns and Swedish treats

Las Posadas

Religious Holiday (Christianity), Latin America Resources: Brittanica - Las Posadas religious festival

Winter Solstice

(Global, Northern Hemisphere) Resources: What’s the winter solstice? Winter solstice traditions from around the globe

Christmas

Religious Holiday (Christianity), Global Resources: Brittanica - Christmas How To (Respectfully) Celebrate Other Holiday Traditions & Cultures  

Hanukkah

Religious Holiday (Judaism), Global Resources: What Is Hanukkah?  

Boxing Day

UK, Canada, South Africa, Australia, Bahamas and New Zealand Resources: Boxing Day: How People around the World Celebrate December 26

Kwanzaa

(USA) Resources: History.com - Kwanzaa What is Kwanzaa? ASU professor explains tenets of annual celebration

New Years Day

Resources: 50 Ways to Celebrate New Year Traditions Around the World

World Religion Day

Resources: World Religion Day - Teaching Resources World Religion Day Poster

Martin Luther King Jr Day

(USA) Resources: 19 Resources and Ideas to Celebrate the MLK Day of Service To share with kids: BrainPOP - Martin Luther King, Jr.

Lunar New Year

(USA) Resources: Smithsonian's Lunar New Year Celebration

Black History Month

(USA) Resources: Smithsonian's Celebrating Black History Month