Eid al-Adha
Part of the Traditions & Celebrations series
Eid al-Adha is about celebrating! It is a Muslim festival remembering the sacrifice made long ago by Ibrahim for his son. People mark the festival with prayer, visiting family, and gifts. Some people sacrifice an animal and share the meat with their community. Readers will discover how a shared holiday can have multiple traditions and be celebrated in all sorts of ways.
Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Part of the Traditions & Celebrations series
Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebrates the life of the civil rights movement leader. Some people observe the day by singing, reading, or watching movies about him. Others volunteer in their community or make peace-inspired crafts. Readers will discover how a shared holiday can have multiple traditions and be celebrated in all sorts of ways.
Groundhog Day
Part of the Traditions & Celebrations series
Groundhog Day puts weather prediction in the paws of a rodent! To celebrate this holiday, some people watch Punxsutawney Phil in person, on TV, or online. Others make springtime crafts or have groundhog parties. Readers will discover how a shared special day can have multiple traditions and be celebrated in all sorts of ways.
Vaisakhi
Part of the Traditions & Celebrations series
Vaisakhi is a spring harvest festival and the Sikh new year. On this important holiday, Sikhs celebrate the founding of their community, the Khalsa, by Guru Gobind Singh. Wearing their most colorful clothes, they listen to holy readings and welcome new people to the faith. Sikhs share a big meal with people of all faiths. Many attend exciting parades with music, sword-fighting displays, and singing. Lively photos and easy-to-read text help readers learn about contemporary celebrations of this community-focused holiday. Readers will discover how the Sikh community celebrates its history with joy and generosity.
Wesak
Part of the Traditions & Celebrations series
Wesak is about celebrating Buddha. It is a Buddhist holiday. People clean and decorate temples for the celebration. Then, they honor Buddha at temples by making offerings and reciting holy texts. People also do good deeds during Wesak. Readers will discover how a shared holiday can have multiple traditions and be celebrated in all sorts of ways.
Rosh Hashanah
Part of the Traditions & Celebrations series
Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, is the first of the Jewish Holy High Days and one of Judaism's holiest days. Often called the birthday of the world, it is celebrated on the first day of Tishrei, the seventh month of the Hebrew calendar. People celebrate this happy holiday with family and friends by praying, lighting candles, and eating special meals and sweet treats. Learn more about the history behind this important day and how it's observed today.
Powwows
Part of the Traditions & Celebrations series
Powwows are about dancing! Indigenous people in America come together at powwows to celebrate their culture and traditions with drumming, singing, and dancing. Together they remember their history and honor their ancestors. Dancers show off their best moves and fancy regalia in dances that tell stories or remember important moments in history. Lively photos and easy-to-read text help readers learn about contemporary powwow dances and traditions and their roots in the past. Readers will discover how Indigenous traditions honor the past and celebrate the present.
Earth Day
Part of the Traditions & Celebrations series
Earth Day celebrates our beautiful planet and calls us to act on its behalf. Some people spend the day planting flowers or trees. Others organize neighborhood clean-ups, go on nature walks, or make recycled crafts. Readers will discover how a shared holiday can have multiple traditions and be celebrated in all sorts of ways.
Presidents' Day
Part of the Traditions & Celebrations series
Presidents' Day celebrates the birthdays of George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, and all U.S. presidents. Some people go to parades, visit historical sites, or read books about presidents. Others dress up in costumes. Readers will discover how a shared holiday can have multiple traditions and be celebrated in all sorts of ways.
100th Day of School
Part of the Traditions & Celebrations series
Kids love to celebrate the 100th Day of School! Some elementary school students make crafts, play games, or eat treats to mark the holiday. Others have a dress-up day or hold counting contests. Readers will discover how a shared special day can have multiple traditions and be celebrated in all sorts of ways.
Valentine's Day
Part of the Traditions & Celebrations series
Valentine's Day is about celebrating love. Around the world, people show their affection for others on this special day. Some people exchange cards or paper hearts. Others give chocolate pigs or other candy. Readers will discover how a shared holiday can have multiple traditions and be celebrated in all sorts of ways.
Halloween
Part of the Traditions & Celebrations series
Halloween is a holiday that features all things creepy and scary! Also known as All Hallows' Eve, people enjoy decorating their homes with jack-o'-lanterns, spider webs, skeletons, and other creepy items. Many kids love to dress up in costumes and go trick-or-treating for candy. Some people enjoy watching scary movies. Discover how this holiday began and the spooky ways people have fun with it.
Veterans Day
Part of the Traditions & Celebrations series
Veterans Day is a holiday celebrated every November 11 in the United States. It honors military veterans who served in the U.S. Armed Forces. People often participate in a moment of silence to honor veterans and their service to the country. People also decorate with American flags and watch parades honoring the Armed Forces. Learn the ways people celebrate this special day and similar holidays in countries around the world.
Easter
Part of the Traditions & Celebrations series
Easter is about celebrating Jesus Christ dying and coming back to life. It is a Christian holiday. People attend church. They also gather for a big meal and activities like egg hunts. Readers will discover how a shared holiday can have multiple traditions and be celebrated in all sorts of ways.
Yom Kippur
Part of the Traditions & Celebrations series
Yom Kippur is about becoming a better person! This fall holiday marks the end of the High Holy Days, which begin with Rosh Hashanah. These ten days are the holiest time of year for Jewish people. If they have hurt anyone in the past year, they ask forgiveness. They fast, study the Torah, and attend prayer services together at synagogue. When the shofar sounds to mark the end of the holiday, they heed the call to go out and make the world a better place. Vibrant photos and easy-to-read text help readers learn about contemporary celebrations of the Day of Atonement. Readers will discover how a day of thinking about the past and asking for forgiveness can create a fresh start.
Hajj
Part of the Traditions & Celebrations series
Hajj is a holy journey that every adult Muslim tries to make at least once. Readers can follow the millions of Muslims who gather each summer in Saudi Arabia to visit the Holy Mosque and the Kaaba shrine. Pilgrims pray, fast, and celebrate Eid al-Adha together. Lively photos and easy-to-read text help readers learn about contemporary celebrations of this ancient pilgrimage. Discover how the shared journey of Hajj brings Muslim people together in solemn promises and joyful celebration.
Thanksgiving
Part of the Traditions & Celebrations series
Thanksgiving is the day people give thanks for the blessings in their lives. It's also a time to gather with family and friends to enjoy traditional foods like turkey, stuffing, and pumpkin pie. Celebrated on the fourth Thursday in November, this American holiday has been around since the 1620s. From the very first celebration to today's parades, food, and football, learn about this festive holiday's traditions and history.
New Year
Part of the Traditions & Celebrations series
People all over the world celebrate the New Year. It's a holiday that celebrates new beginnings and the hope for a prosperous year ahead. People love gathering at parties to usher in the new year with fireworks, music, New Year's resolutions, and more. Learn about the many ways people around the world count down the final moments of the old year, and how they celebrate the birth of a brand-new year.
Mid-Autumn Festival
Part of the Traditions & Celebrations series
The Mid-Autumn Festival is a traditional holiday celebrated in Chinese culture. Also called the Moon Festival or Mooncake Festival, this celebration is all about appreciating the moon and the harvest. Although the date of the festival changes each year, it always falls around the time of the harvest moon. From family gatherings to paper lanterns to eating mooncakes, different Asian countries have different celebrations. Learn how people honor this special day in countries and cultures around the world.
Passover
Part of the Traditions & Celebrations series
Passover is about celebrating the story of the Israelites escaping from Egypt and returning home. It is a Jewish holiday. People take extra care in preparing their homes. They also gather with family and friends for a big meal and activities that represent the story. Readers will discover how a shared holiday can have multiple traditions and be celebrated in all sorts of ways.
Pride Month
Part of the Traditions & Celebrations series
Pride Month is about celebrating the lives and activism of LGBTQ+ people around the world. It started as a way of remembering the 1969 Stonewall Uprising in New York City. During Pride Month, communities have festivals, parades, and marches. Some organize events in places where LGBTQ+ people face discrimination to help fight for equal rights. Readers will discover how a shared holiday can have multiple traditions and be celebrated in all sorts of ways.
Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr
Part of the Traditions & Celebrations series
Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr are special times of year for Muslims. The holy month of Ramadan is filled with fasting, prayer, and good deeds. Eid al-Fitr is a celebration at the end of Ramadan! Families and friends come together to pray and feast during this important Muslim holiday.
Cinco de Mayo
Part of the Traditions & Celebrations series
Cinco de Mayo is about celebrating! It honors a Mexican Army victory during the Battle of Puebla in 1862. Some people mark the holiday with folk dancing or traditional foods such as chalupas and mole poblano. Others watch parades or attend cultural festivals. Readers will discover how a shared holiday can have multiple traditions and be celebrated in all sorts of ways.
Holi
Part of the Traditions & Celebrations series
Holi is about celebrating the triumph over good and evil. It is also a celebration of love. It is a Hindu holiday. People have a bonfire to represent the story of Prahlad and Holika. They also gather in the streets to throw colored paint on one another and have a big feast. Readers will discover how a shared holiday can have multiple traditions and be celebrated in all sorts of ways.
Hanukkah
Part of the Traditions & Celebrations series
Hanukkah is about celebrating! Often called the Festival of Lights, the eight-day celebration honors a war Jewish people won. This allowed them to freely practice their religion. During Hanukkah, people light the menorah. They sing songs. They gather with family and friends to eat special food and give gifts. Readers will discover how a shared holiday can have multiple traditions and be celebrated in all sorts of ways.
Día de los Muertos
Part of the Traditions & Celebrations series
Día de los Muertos is a special holiday to remember and celebrate loved ones. It is a Mexican tradition held to honor those who have died. Some people dress up and go to parades. Others sing, dance, and eat special food. Others decorate altars with flowers and make offerings. Readers will discover how a shared holiday can have multiple traditions and be celebrated in all sorts of ways.
Christmas
Part of the Traditions & Celebrations series
Christmas is about celebrating! It is a Christian holiday celebrating the birth of Jesus. Some people mark the holiday with Christmas trees and other decorations. People gather with family and friends to eat meals and give gifts. Readers will discover how a shared holiday can have multiple traditions and be celebrated in all sorts of ways.
Indigenous Peoples' Day
Part of the Traditions & Celebrations series
Indigenous Peoples' Day is about celebrating! The second Monday in October is a day to honor Native American people, their histories, and cultures. People mark the day with food, dancing, and songs. Readers will discover how a shared holiday can have multiple traditions and be celebrated in all sorts of ways.
Juneteenth
Part of the Traditions & Celebrations series
Juneteenth celebrates the emancipation of enslaved people in the United States. Across the country, people observe the day with speeches, poetry readings, festivals, picnics, street fairs, and family reunions. It is a day for people to come together and continue working toward equality. Readers will discover how a shared holiday can have multiple traditions and be celebrated in all sorts of ways.
Kwanzaa
Part of the Traditions & Celebrations series
Kwanzaa is about celebrating! It honors African American heritage. Some people mark the holiday by lighting the kinara. Families and friends gather to eat a big feast. Readers will discover how a shared holiday can have multiple traditions and be celebrated in all sorts of ways.
Chinese New Year
Part of the Traditions & Celebrations series
Chinese New Year is a time for new beginnings. Some people clean their homes from top to bottom or share meals with friends. Others pray, light fireworks, or give each other gifts. Readers will discover how a shared holiday can have multiple traditions and be celebrated in all sorts of ways.