Week 30 (July 23-29) Religious Traditions

For many families across the world, religious traditions are a cornerstone of life, no matter what faith you follow.

New Year's celebrations, for example, vary widely around the globe, with many cultures observing the Gregorian New Year on January 1st, while others celebrate based on lunar or lunisolar calendars. Beyond January 1st, numerous countries and cultures observe their New Year's Day on different dates and with unique traditions 

Gregorian New Year (January 1st)

 

Many countries and cultures celebrate the Gregorian New Year, with traditions often including fireworks, countdowns, and festive gatherings. New York City's Times Square, Sydney's fireworks display, and London's celebrations around the Thames are well-known examples.

 

Kiribati is one of the first places to see the New Year due to its location on the International Date Line, while some uninhabited territories in the UTC-12 time zone are among the last.

LuniSolar New Years

The Chinese New Year, also known as Spring Festival or Lunar New Year, occurs every year on the new moon of the first lunar month, about the beginning of spring (Lichun). The exact date can fall any time between January 21 and February 21 (inclusive) of the Gregorian Calendar. 

 

Songkran is the Thai New Year, celebrated in mid-April. It is renowned for its water festival, during which people splash water on each other as a symbol of cleansing and purification. Songkran is a time for paying respects to elders, visiting temples, and participating in traditional ceremonies. 

 

The Lunar New Year is celebrated in East Asia (China, Vietnam, Korea, etc.) and other regions, often overlapping with the Chinese New Year.

 

Other New Years 

 

The Islamic New Year, also known as the Hijri New Year, is observed by Muslims worldwide. It marks the beginning of the Islamic lunar calendar year and typically occurs in the first month of the Islamic calendar, Muharram. The exact date varies each year based on the lunar calendar, so it falls on different dates in the Gregorian calendar. 

 

The Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashanah, is observed on the first two days of the Hebrew month of Tishrei (September or October), focusing on reflection and atonement.

 

Nowruz, the Persian New Year, celebrated on the spring equinox (around March 20th), marking the beginning of spring in Iran and Central Asia.

 

Ethiopian New Year, known as Enkutatash, it is celebrated on September 11th.

 

The Balinese New Year, based on the Saka Calendar (Balinese-Javanese Calendar), is called Nyepi, and it falls on Bali's Lunar New Year (around March). It is a day of silence, fasting, and meditation: observed from 6 am until 6 am the next morning, Nyepi is a day reserved for self-reflection.

 

Diwali, also known as Deepavali or the Festival of Lights, is a Hindu festival celebrated across India and by Hindu communities worldwide. While it is not the official Hindu New Year, it marks the victory of light over darkness and is a time for spiritual reflection and new beginnings.