So, what are all your favorite holidays around the world? And I mean proper holidays...people get the day off and such.

Mine is Knabenschiessen, which translates fairly directly to 'young boys shooting' day and is local to Zürich. We get half a day in early September for this grand occasion. In the afternoon, there is a shooting competition between boys and now girls age 12 to 16. It is a very establishment thing to do. The winner gets to have dinner with city leaders and heads of the military. Through out much of Zürich one can hear the sound of riffle shots, which is a bit spooky.

I'm afraid I'm going to be boring and say the Easter Holiday...

Mainly because you get the Friday AND the Monday off work AND you get Chocolate!! What could be better?

So far, it's still Thanksgiving - a holiday devoted to food that doesn't require giving gifts is so effing rare in the US anymore that I absolutely cherish this one.

quote:

Originally posted by JessieS:
So far, it's still Thanksgiving - a holiday devoted to food that doesn't require giving gifts is so effing rare in the US anymore that I absolutely cherish this one.

Amen! I second Thanksgiving. I just celebrated Thanksgiving for the first time as an expat, and gave my partners mom her first Thanksgiving experience (including first taste of sweet potato pie). I love anything that celebrates family and food.

Where in the World is Saura

I want to hear about exotic, little know holidays! Gosh! Some people...

Sri Lanka, I hear, has more public holidays than any other nation. Any Sri Lanka experts around here?

Singapore is another great holiday country. Imagine an exciting mix of Western, Chinese and Malaysian traditions and holidays all in one city!

Hi Stoo

Found this on the Web for Sri Lanka's Holidays:

Jan 1 2006 New Year's Day
Jan 10 Eid al-Adha (Hadji Festival Day)
Jan 14 Tamil Thai Pongal Day
Feb 4 Independence Commemoration Day
Feb 26 Mahasivaratri
Apr 13-14 Tamil and Sinhala New Year
Apr 14 Good Friday
Apr 11 Milad un-Nabi (Birth of the Prophet)
May 1 May Day
May 12-13 Vesak Poya Days
Oct 21 Deepavali
Oct 22-24 Eid al-Fitr (End of Ramadan)
Dec 25 Christmas Day
Dec 31 Eid al-Adha (Hadji Festival Day).

Note
(a) Although not official public holidays, Poya holidays are often observed on the day of each full moon. In general, Hindu and Buddhist festivals are declared according to local astronomical observations and it is often only possible to forecast the approximate time of their occurrence. (b) Muslim festivals are timed according to local sightings of various phases of the moon and the dates given above are approximations. During the lunar month of Ramadan that precedes Eid al-Fitr, Muslims fast during the day and feast at night and normal business patterns may be interrupted; however, since Sri Lanka is not a predominantly Muslim country restrictions (which travellers may experience elsewhere) are unlikely to cause problems.

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Hope that helps hun