Articles Tagged Holidays and Observances - Page 4

Every holiday has its symbol. Halloween’s is the pumpkin. Thanksgiving’s is the turkey. Christmas is characterized by Santa Claus. Valentine’s Day has the heart. And then there’s Easter. For Easter, people throug ...

Category: Holidays and Observances Religion Christianity

For many devout followers, Easter entails much more than a single day on which individuals find baskets, hunt for eggs and gather with family. Rather, Easter really begins on Ash Wednesday, continues through Lent and com ...

Category: Holidays and Observances Christianity

For the majority of the world, the 46 days leading up to Easter are just like any other. For devout Christians and Catholics, however, the period is characterized by little indulgence and unwilling sacrifice. It is the p ...

Category: Holidays and Observances Christianity

Whether you’re exploring a new religion or just curious as to why half your coworkers and acquaintances decide to fast at the same time every year, you may want to learn more about Lent. What is it, what is Ash Wednesd ...

Category: Holidays and Observances Christianity

In America, the “holiday season” consists of all the major holidays beginning with Halloween and ending with New Year’s Day. However, in today’s diverse society, it’s worth noting that not everybody celebrates ...

Category: Holidays and Observances

We’re almost there! Part III of our series takes us the rest of the way through December. December 16–24, Posadas Navideñas: Hispanic Catholic, Protestant The Spanish word posada translates to &ldquo ...

Category: Holidays and Observances

Continuing on with the holidays occurring during “the most wonderful time of the year,” we now get to the month of December. December 1–24, Advent: Catholic, Protestant, Secular The dictionary defines ...

Category: Holidays and Observances

Back in the day, crooner Andy Williams had a mega-hit record called “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year.” In this upbeat Christmas song filled with warm fuzzies, he sang about all the joys of the ...

Category: Holidays and Observances Religion

Ah, Thanksgiving. This most American of holidays started well over 300 years ago when righteous Pilgrims and friendly Wampanoag Indians came together to thank their respective gods for a bountiful harvest. Thanksgiving ...

Category: Holidays and Observances Religion

Halloween is a time for ghosts, goblins, and all things scary, right? Yes! But did you know that many scary things have their origins in religion and folklore? It’s true. Virtually all religions and cultures have ...

Category: Religion Spirituality Superstitions