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CultureGrams Global Roundup
Holidays provide a great way to introduce students to the culture and history of a country. Observe a world holiday in your classroom by asking students to research the holiday's origins or learn more about a particular aspect of the country.
Featured Observance:
Twelfth Night
Twelfth Night is celebrated in England and other parts of Europe the night before Epiphany (January 6, a holiday that commemorates two events in the life of Christ: the visit of the three wise men and Christ's baptism) and marks the end of the Christmas season. Festivities reflect anticipation for the new year. Twelfth Night cake is usually served. A bean and a pea are baked into the cake, and the two guests who find them in their slices of cake are considered the king and queen of the night.
World Holidays Featured This Month
Cuba - Cuba Liberation Day - January 1
Commemorates the overthrow of Fulgencio Batista's military government in 1959.
Switzerland - Berchtold's Day - January 2
Celebrated mainly by children, this holiday centers around nuts, which are collected, played with, and eaten as part of the festivities.
India - Lohri - January 14
Celebrates the end of winter and the return of longer days in the Northern Hemisphere.
United States - Martin Luther King, Jr. Birthday - January 15
Commemorates the birthday of civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr. A day that highlights African-American history and the civil rights movement.
Japan - Seijin-no-Hi (Adults Day, or Coming of Age Day) - Second Monday in January
A national holiday to honor people who turned 20 during the previous year.
Australia - Australia Day - January 26
Commemorates the founding of the first British settlement in Australia, in 1788.
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