Religious Fall Holidays Around the Globe!

Fall is a season where many religious and federal holidays take place around the world. Keep reading to learn about these holidays and how and where they are celebrated!

1. Rosh Hashanah

Rosh Hashanah is the Jewish New Year festival held on the first day of the Jewish month of Tishrei. It lasts for two days, in which Jewish people from around the world come together to pray and be with family. The blowing of the shofar ,which is an ancient musical, is marked by a horn. A tradition is dipping apples in honey to hope for a sweet new year!

1. Yom Kippur

Yom Kippur, another Jewish holiday, occurs ten days after Rosh Hashanah and the two holidays make up the High Holy Days. It occurs on the tenth day of Tishrei. On this day, Jews fast (if able), atone for sins, and pray. An essential part is apologizing to people you have wronged and planning on becoming a better person so that they can inscribe you in the Book of Life. Being written in the Book of Life means you will live another year.

1. Indigenous Peoples’ Day

Indigenous Peoples’ Day is celebrated on Oct 11 in select states of the United States. This holiday celebrates the cultures and resilience of Native peoples. It honors the people who cultivated this land long before Christopher Columbus arrived and murdered their people in masses. A way to celebrate and respect this day is to learn more about the culture and

to identify the Native land you live on. You can also attend a celebration that honors Indigenous peoples!

1. Diwali

Diwali is a festival of lights celebrated by Hindu, Jains, Sikhus, and some Buddhists. It is India’s biggest and most important holiday of the year! Many people in India light clay lamps outside of their homes to symbolize the inner light that protects them from spiritual darkness. The festival lasts five days and is celebrated during the Hindu lunisolar month Kartika. A tradition for this holiday is the custom of lighting one’s house, lighting fireworks, being with family, and sharing. gifts and sweets.

1. Halloween

Halloween, or All Hallows’s Eve, is a celebration observed in multiple countries on the 31st of October. It is inspired by Celtic Harvest Festivals, and despite the religious roots it is widely celebrated in secular ways. Common celebrations include trick-or-treating, costume parties, carving jack-o’-lanterns, lighting bonfires, bobbing for apples, watching scary movies, and much more.

1. Día de los Muertos

Also known as Day of the Dead, this Mexican holiday is celebrated on November 1 and 2. On this holiday, people create ofrendas which are home altars decorated with favorite foods and beverages of the deceased, hoping their ancestors rest easy. Prayers are said and family is remembered. It also is celebrated in more joyous ways such as eating pan de muerto, eating sugar skulls, and watching fireworks and music. The calavera, or skull, is a symbol of the holiday which is represented in masks and foods.

1. Veterans Day

Veterans Day is a federal holiday in the United States every year on November 11. The holiday honors military veterans, soldiers who have served honorably for our country. Its origin comes from the anniversary of the end of World War I, considered the end of the war to end all wars. This day is observed by parades and religious services. There is also a two-minute period of silence and the American flags are hung at half mast.

1. Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is a national American holiday celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November. Similar to Halloween, it has religious origins but is commonly celebrated secularly. It is a celebration of the blessings of the year, including the harvest. Fun American traditions include watching football, watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade, and eating delicious food. A traditional Thanksgiving dinner includes turkey, stuffing, gravy, vegetables, cranberry sauce, and pumpkin pie.