1
POPSMar 13: It's Friday the 13th! The second Friday the 13th in 2009. Don't walk under any ladders... or let any black cats cross your path... or step on any cracks in the sidewalk... or break a mirror!
0
POPSMarch: Women's History Month http://snurl.com/cv7ts National Women’s History Month began as a single week and as a local event. In 1978, Sonoma County, California, sponsored a women’s history week to promote the teaching of women’s history. The week of March 8th was selected to include ’International Women’s Day.’ This day is rooted in such ideas and events as a woman’s right to vote and a woman’s right to work, women’s strikes for bread, women’s strikes for peace at the end of World War I, and the U.N. Charter declaration of gender equality at the end of World War II. This day is an occasion to review how far women have come in their struggle for equality, peace and development. In 1981, Congress passed a resolution making the week a national celebration, and in 1987 expanded it to the full month of March. In Canada, Women’s History month is celebrated in October.
1
POPSFeb 25: Ash Wednesday - Lent begins (Christian) In 2009, Lent is 46 days, ending on the Saturday before Easter, April 11th. This day marks the beginning of Lent. Ash symbolizes sorrow for wrong doings and foreheads of churchgoers are marked with the shape of the cross with ashes as a sign of penitence.
0
POPSFeb 22: Abu Simbel Festival (Egypt) Built by Ramses II, his temple is angled so that the inner sanctum lights up twice a year on the: once on the anniversary of his rise to the throne and, once on his birthday. Crowds pack in the temple before sunrise to watch the shafts of light illuminate the statues of Ramses, Ra and Amon. The other date for this event is Oct. 22.
0
POPSFebruary 14: St. Valentine's Day 2009 What do you know about SAINT Valentine's Day? Red, roses, love, chocolate.... That's about it! It's another one of those events that passes sort of subliminally in and out of our consciousness? Here today... gone tomorrow. But there is, of course, a basis for the day. It didn't just start up by itself. Check it out here!
0
POPSFeb 9: Tu B'Shevat - Jewish ARBOR DAY This day celebrates Judaism's roots in the Natural world. It is a holiday and known as the New Year for Trees. Special meals include eating the seven fruits of the land - wheat, barley, figs, grapes, pomegranates, olives and dates. Trees are also planted.
0
POPSFeb 9: Full Moon
Folklore Full Moons are traditionally associated with temporal insomnia, insanity (hence the terms lunacy and lunatic) and various "magical phenomena" such as lycanthropy. Psychologists, however, have found that there is no strong evidence for effects on human behavior around the time of a full moon. They find that studies are generally not consistent, with some showing a positive effect and others showing a negative effect. In one instance, the December 23, 2000 issue of the British Medical Journal published two studies on dog bite admission to hospitals in England and Australia. The study of the Bradford Royal Infirmary found that dog bites were twice as common during a full moon, whereas the study conducted by the public hospitals in Australia found that they were less likely. Many neopagans hold a monthly ritual called an Esbat at each full moon, while some people practicing traditional Chinese religions prepare their ritual offerings to their ancestors and deities on every
0
POPSJan 26: New Year - 2009 Year of the Earth Ox The year of the Ox. This is the year 4707 in the Chinese Lunar calendar and the most important holiday. It is a three-day holiday in China and Hong Kong. The Chinese clean and decorate their homes with the 5 lucky signs of happiness; new clothes are worn and even the poorest buy new shoes, for it is considered bad luck to step down on the ground into old shoes. Vietnamese call it the 'Tet' Festival.
0
POPSJan 19: Kitchen God Celebration (China) The custom is based on the traditional farewell ceremony for T'sao Wang, Prince of the Oven, before he leaves for his annual trip to heaven to report on families' good behavior during the year.
0
POPSJan 11: Full Moon Full Moon occurs at 0348 EST. https://media5.magma.ca/www.diversitynet.org/secureorder.htm
0
POPSJan 2: Berchtold's Day (Switzerland) This day honours Duke Berchtold V, who founded Bern, the capital of Switzerland. He promised to name the city after the first animal he killed on a hunt. The bear (bern in German) then provided the city's name.
1
POPSDec 31: Hogmanay (Scotland) The Scottish New Year, Hogmanay is derived from the French phrase meaning 'Lead to the mistletoe'. Fire ceremonies, banging of pots and pans at midnight and bringing bread, salt and coal to their hosts to symbolize life, hospitality and warmth mark this exuberant occasion.
0
POPSDec 31: Omisoka (Japan) Omisoka To usher in the new year, families clean their homes, eat toshi-koshi buckwheat noodles in the hope that one's life will be stretched out as long as these noodles. As midnight approaches, Buddhist temples around the country begin ringing out the old year, sounding the temple bell 108 times because according to them, human beings have 108 worldly desires which are removed by striking the bell.
1
POPSDec 26 to Jan 1: Kwanza (African-American/Canadian) A professor who wanted to encourage blacks to celebrate their heritage started Kwanzaa's in California in 1966. Kwanzaa means first fruit in Swahili and is a harvest festival. Families exchange gifts and have African-style feasts. Seven-pronged candleholders are lit on each consecutive night for the seven principles: unity, self-determination, working together, sharing, purpose, creativity and faith. The celebration continues till January 1.
2
POPSDec 26: Boxing Day Celebrated in Bahamas, Canada, Jamaica, U.K., Ireland. It was once a day when the church's poor boxes were opened. In Britain, originally a day when gifts (boxes) are given to servants, tradespeople, or others who provide services.
1
POPSDec 23, Festival of the Radishes (Mexico) Known as 'Fiesta de los Rabanos' in Mexican, this unusual event in Oaxaca celebrates the wonderful world of radish sculptures. The humble vegetable is nipped, tucked, shaved and carved into all manner of things ranging from flowers and animals to saints and full-blown nativity scenes. Prizes for the most original piece ensure that standards are high with all works going on display in the Zocalo. And if the sculpted radishes are not enough for you, there is also live music and traditional dancing displays. And there are plenty of food stalls selling authentic Mexican dishes including bunuelos deliciously sweet syrup-coated doughnuts. http://gomexico.about.com/od/festivalsholidays/ig/Radish-Festival-Photos/