May 2 is Flag Day in Poland. Established in 2004, the day falls between Labor Day (May 1), a former Soviet holiday and now a Polish state holiday, and Constitution Day (May 3). Traditionally, Poles fly the white and red flag all three days and enjoy a nice three-day break from work.
(photo © Janek Skarzynski/Getty […]
Thanks to Chris over at “Brew Ha Ha” for reminding us that March 1 is Beer Day in Iceland. Although not particulary well known in the United States, Iceland is home to a number of breweries. Among them are Egils, Viking, Thule, and Kaldi. Not bad for a country where beer was banned […]
February 28 is Kalevala Day in Finland. The day marks the anniversary of the publication of the “Kalevala,” Finland’s epic, national poem, in 1835. Written by Elias Lönnrot (above), the 20,000 verse poem recants Finnish folk tales collected by Lönnrot as he traveled on foot around the countryside. The work’s publication marked a turning point […]
February 16 is Lithuanian Independence Day. The small, Baltic country of Lithuania first became a nation on this date in 1918. Their independence would be relatively short-lived, however, as the USSR invaded the country in 1940 and stayed there until 1990.
Today, Lithuanian Independence Day is celebrated in Lithuanian communities all over the world, […]
February 8 is Preseren Day in the country of Slovenia, located along the Adriatic coast in South-Central Europe. The national holiday marks the anniversary of the death in 1849 of Solvenian poet, France Preseren, the author of the Slovenian national anthem, among other things. Most Slovenian offices and businesses are closed and the country […]
February 1 is St. Brigid’s Day in Ireland. St. Brigid, who lived in Ireland during the 5th and 6th centuries, is one of three patron saints of Ireland (with St. Patrick and St. Columba). She is also the patron saint of babies, blacksmiths, boatmen, cattle, dairymen, fugitives, travelers, nuns, poets, sailors, and scholars. (busy […]
The Thursday before Ash Wednesday is Paczki Day in Eastern European communities around the globe. In 2008, that day is January 31.
Paczki (pronounced “Poonch-key”) are round, jelly-filled doughnuts, prevalent in Polish and Czech bakeries two to three weeks prior to lent. The decadent sugar-dusted pastries were traditionally a last indulgence prior to the strict Polish […]
January 31 is Valkyries Day in the Norse countries. It celebrates the Valkyries, the warrior maidens of Norse mythology. These spritely, yet powerful ladies were the warrior maidens of the god, Odin. They precided over battles and gently led the fallen to the Norse afterlife in Valhalla.
The Valkyries are perhaps best know for […]
The anniversary of 18th century Scots poet, Robert Burns’ birthday, January 25, is marked with Burns Suppers all over the English-speaking world. These events may be formal or informal, but generally follow a strict order.
The proceedings begin with a welcoming speech and then a grace, usually the Scottish “Selkirk Grace,” written by Burns.
The menu […]
The Carnival in Venice originated in the 13th century. Celebrations and large gatherings were frequently outlawed by the city’s changing leadership. Hence, masks–many of them very elaborate–became an integral part of Carnival.
Banned during the fascist regimes of the mid-20th century, Carnival of Venice resurfaced in the early 1980s and today draws hundreds of thousands of […]
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