Traditions & Celebrations – serie

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.

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.

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.

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 neighbourhood 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.

Halloween is a holiday that features all things creepy and scary! Also known as All Hallows’ Eve, people enjoy decorating their homes with carved pumpkins, spider webs, skeletons and other creepy items. Many kids love to dress up in costumes and go trick-or-treating. Some people enjoy watching scary movies. Discover how this holiday began and the spooky ways people have fun with it.

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.

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 in the USA. 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.

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 treats. Readers will discover how a shared holiday can have multiple traditions and be celebrated in all sorts of ways.

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.

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.

Wesak is about celebrating Buddha. It is a Buddhist holiday. People clean and decorate temples for the celebration. Then, they honour 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.

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.

Hanukkah is about celebrating! Often called the Festival of Lights, the eight-day celebration honours a war Jewish people won. This allowed them to freely practise 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.

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.

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.

Diwali is about celebrating! It honours the Hindu story of Rama and Sita. To celebrate this Festival of Lights, people light lamps, watch fireworks and dance. Others might exchange cards and presents. Readers will discover how a shared holiday can have multiple traditions and be celebrated in all sorts of ways.