15 Dec: Around this time of year, we hustle and bustle, cut each other off, swear at each other more than the rest of the year. Everyone is trying to beat everyone else to the best parking space, best present, fastest check out line. But what if we didn't? What if, we didn't run around buying the love of family and friends for one holiday. What if we weren't running around crazy after work, to beat everyone to the punch? We've taken on so much, that we've lost sight of what all of these holidays are about. Here are just a few holidays from November through to February that I got from Princeton's website. Take a look. I'll wait...
NOVEMBER 2018
1 All Saints Day -
Christian
Samhain - Beltane -
Wicca/Pagan
2 All Souls Day -
Catholic Christian
7 Diwali - Sikh -
Jain - Hindu
8 Jain New Year –
Jain
Vikram New Year -
Hindu
12 Birth of Baha'u'llah -
Baha'i
15 Nativity Fast begins -
Orthodox Christian
21 Mawlid an Nabi -
Islam
22 Thanksgiving USA -
Interfaith
23 Guru Nanak Dev Sahib birthday -
Sikh
25 Christ the King -
Christian
26 Day of the Covenant -
Baha'i
28 Ascension of 'Abdu'l-Baha -
Baha'i
30 St. Andrew's Day -
Christian
DECEMBER 2018
2-24 Advent -
Christian
3-10 Hanukkah -
Jewish
6 Saint Nicholas Day -
Christian
8 Bodhi Day (Rohatsu) -
Buddhist
Immaculate Conception of Mary -
Catholic Christian
12 Feast day - Our Lady of Guadalupe -
Catholic Christian
16-25 Posadas Navidenas -
Hispanic Christian
21 Yule -
Christian
21 Solstice
Yule - Litha -
Wicca/Pagan
Saint Thomas the Apostle –
Christian
Yule -
Christian
24 Christmas Eve -
Christian
25 Christmas -
Christian
Feast of the Nativity -
Orthodox Christian
26 Zarathosht Diso (Death of Prophet Zarathushtra) -
Zoroastrian
St Stephen's Day -
Christian
28 Holy Innocents -
Christian
30 Holy Family -
Catholic Christian
31 Watch Night -
Christian
JANUARY 2019
1 Mary, Mother of God -
Catholic Christian
Feast Day of St Basil -
Orthodox Christian
Gantan-sai (New Year) -
Shinto
Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus -
Orthodox Christian
5 Twelfth Night -
Christian
Guru Gobindh Singh birthday -
Sikh
6 Epiphany -
Christian
Feast of the Epiphany (Theophany) -
Orthodox Christian
Dia de los Reyes (Three Kings Day) -
Christian
Nativity of Christ -
Armenian Orthodox
7 Feast of the Nativity -
Orthodox Christian
8 Feast of the Holy Family -
Catholic Christian
13 Maghi -
Sikh
Baptism of the Lord Jesus -
Christian
17 Blessing of the Animals -
Hispanic Catholic Christian
18-25 Week of Prayer for Christian Unity -
Christian
19 Timkat -
Ethiopian Orthodox Christian
20 World Religion Day -
Baha'i
Tu BiShavat -
Jewish
21-23 Mahayana New Year -
Buddhist
25 Conversion of St. Paul -
Christian
FEBRUARY 2019
2 Candlemas - Presentation of Christ in the Temple -
Christian
Imbolc - Lughassad -
Wicca/Pagan
Saint Brighid of Kildare -
Celtic Christian
3 St. Blaze Day -
Christian
Setsebun-sai (beginning of spring) -
Shinto
3 Four Chaplains Sunday -
Interfaith
5 Chinese New Year -
Confucian, Daoist, Buddhist
8 Nirvana Day -
Buddhism
10 Cheesefare Sunday -
Orthodox Christian
12 Triodion -
Orthodox Christian
14 St. Valentine's Day -
Christian
15 Nirvana Day -
Buddhist - Jain
17 Triodion begins -
Orthdox Christian
26 Intercalary Days begin -
Baha'i
While you're running around, taking on way too much, for one holiday, maybe stop to consider what your holiday is really about. What is it that you're celebrating and why? Do you really need to take on so much, and do what we all inevitably do, for one holiday? Is that what the meaning is about your celebration?
Maybe it's time to ease up on the chaos and hostility and the hustle and bustle, and just enjoy spending time with those you care about. Forget the craze for perfect gifts. Be nice to each other. And also, while you're biting off more than you can chew, running around getting your presents, keep in mind there's more than just your holiday being celebrated.
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