December 2024 Multi-Faith Dates

At intec, we love to celebrate our differences and promote equality & diversity. Every month we compile a list of all the special dates & events from all different religions and faiths around the world, so you can learn more about other cultures and what's improtant to them.

 

1st December - Advent Sunday - Christian
Advent, particularly the four Sundays before Christmas Day, has been a period of preparation for Christmas for many centuries. Some people put up their decorations on Advent Sunday.

 

6th December - Saint Nicholas Day - Christian
Also called the Feast of Saint Nicholas, this day is observed on 6th December or the eve of 5th December in Western Christian countries. It honours Saint Nicholas of Myra, particularly for his reputation as a bringer of gifts.

 

8th December - Rohatsu (Bodhi Day) - Buddhist
Bodhi Day is the Buddhist holiday that commemorates the day the historical Buddha, Siddhartha Gautama, achieved enlightenment, also known as bodhi in Sanskrit and Pali.

 

8th December - Feast of the Immaculate Conception - Catholic
This feast day, celebrated by Roman Catholics, honours Mary’s conception without original sin.

 

11th December - Gita Jayanti - Hindu
Gita Jayanti marks the birthday of the Bhagavad Gita, one of the most sacred and significant Hindu scriptures. This day, which falls during Shukla Ekadashi, commemorates the moment Lord Krishna delivered his teachings to Arjuna on the battlefield of Kurukshetra. The day is celebrated globally by followers of Lord Krishna.

 

12th December - Feast Day of Our Lady of Guadalupe - Catholic Christian
Our Lady of Guadalupe, also known as the Virgin of Guadalupe, is a Roman Catholic title for the Blessed Virgin Mary. Her image is enshrined in the Minor Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City.

 

15th December - Dhanu Sankranti - Hindu
Dhanu Sankranti marks the sun's transition into the zodiac sign Sagittarius. On this day, Hindus worship Lord Surya, the god of light, and Lord Jagannath, a form of Vishnu. The day often features theatrical street plays depicting Lord Krishna's life, including the defeat of the tyrant ruler Kamsa, and events from the Bhagavata Purana.

 

19th-23rd December - Yule - Wicca/Pagan/Christian
Yule, or Yuletide, was historically celebrated by Germanic peoples. Scholars link it to the Wild Hunt, the god Odin, and the Anglo-Saxon Modraniht. It later evolved into Christmastide through Christianisation.

 

24th December - Christmas Eve - Christian
Christmas Eve is the evening or entire day before Christmas Day, commemorating the birth of Jesus of Nazareth.

 

25th December - Christmas Day - Christian (Bank Holiday)
Feast of the Nativity - Orthodox Christian
Christmas Day celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ. The Feast of the Nativity also honours the birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

 

25th December-2nd January - Hanukkah - Jewish
Also known as Chanukah or the Festival of Lights, Hanukkah is a major Jewish festival. Although not a national holiday in Israel, schools close during this period.

 

26th December - Saint Stephen’s Day - Christian (Boxing Day)
Saint Stephen’s Day commemorates Saint Stephen, the first Christian martyr (protomartyr), and is observed on 26th December in the Latin Church and 27th December in Eastern Christianity.

 

26th December - Zarathosht Diso (Death of Prophet Zarathushtra) - Zoroastrian
Zarathosht Diso, also known as Zarthost no-diso, is an important day of remembrance in the Zoroastrian faith. It marks the death anniversary of the prophet Zoroaster and is observed on the 11th day of the 10th month.

 

28th December - Holy Innocents’ Day - Christian
This day commemorates the deaths of young children deemed the first martyrs by the early church, killed during King Herod the Great's attempt to murder the infant Jesus. The day was observed alongside Epiphany until the fifth century when it became a separate event marked by lamentation and fasting.

 

31st December – New Year’s Eve – Christian
Feast of the Holy Family – Catholic Christian
Hogmanay
The Feast of the Holy Family honours Jesus, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and Saint Joseph as a family. It presents the Holy Family as a model for Christian families. Hogmanay is the Scottish celebration of New Year’s Eve, with its own unique traditions.