Events
| October 2 |
Gandha Jayanti (Hinduism) – Gandhi Jayanti is an event celebrated in India to mark the birthday of Mahatma Gandhi; he is also known as the 'Father of the Nation'. |
| October 5 - 12 |
Sukkot (Judaism) – This is an eight-day long harvest festival which commemorates the 40 years the Jews spent in the wilderness on the way from slavery in Egypt to freedom in the Promised Land. |
| October 9 |
National Braille Week – National Braille Week aims to raise awareness of the importance of Braille and other alternative formats that open up the written world to people with visual impairments. |
| October 13 |
Simchat Torah (Judaism) – A Jewish holiday that celebrates and marks the conclusion of the annual cycle of public Torah readings, and the beginning of a new cycle. |
| October 16 - 23 |
Week for Prayer for World Peace – Prayers from the literature of several different world religions are published each year in a special leaflet for use in temples, churches, synagogues, and mosques in this week. |
| October 19 - 23 |
Diwali / Deepavali (Hinduism) – For Hindus this is a New Year festival lasting from one to five days, during which fireworks are set off and lights are hung out. |
| October 19 |
Diwali (Sikh) – This holiday commemorates the story of the sixth Guru, Guru Hargobind Sahib, and his release from prison. |
| October 22 |
Bahá'u'lláh (Baha'i) Birthday – The holy day celebrates the birth of Baháʼu'lláh, the founder of the Baháʼí Faith. |
| October 31 |
Halloween (Pagans) – Halloween is a holiday celebration on Tuesday 31st of October. |
| November 1 |
All Saint’s Day (All Saints Festival (Christianity - Western Churches) – The Catholic Church in England and Wales moves this festival to the nearest Sunday if it falls on a Saturday or Monday. A day to remember all the saints. |
| November 4 |
Celebrating the birth of Guru Nanak (Sikhism) – the founder of the Sikh religion, and the first of the Ten Sikh Guru. He was born in 1469. – http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/religion/sikhism/gurunanak.shtml |
| November 12 |
Remembrance Sunday - the day dedicated to remembering those killed during the two World War and subsequent wars. |
| November 21 |
World Hello Day – The purpose of hello day is simply to promote peace around the world. |
| November 30 |
St Andreas Day (Christianity) – Andreas, the apostle, was the brother of St. Peter, and the first disciple of Jesus. He has been the patron saint of Scotland since the 8th century. |
| 1 December |
Birthday of the Prophet Muhammad / Milad un Nabi (Islam) - The festival focuses on the life, character and teachings of the Prophet. Some Muslims hold the festival on a different day (on December 6th this year, others do not celebrate it at all). – http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/islam/holydays/miladunnabi.shtml |
| December 3 |
Advent (Christianity) - The beginning of the Christian year, four Sundays before Christmas. |
| December 8 |
Bodhi Day (Buddhism) - Buddhists celebrate the day that Siddhartha Gautama achieved enlightenment through meditation. The word Bodhi means awakening or enlightenment. |
| December 10 |
Human Rights Day - On 10 December 1948, the General Assembly of the United Nations announced the Universal Declaration of Human Rights ‘All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights’. – http://www.ohchr.org/en/issues/pages/whatarehumanrights.aspx |
| December 13 - 20 |
Hanukkah (Judaism) - Hanukkah is the Jewish Festival of Lights |
| December 24 |
Christmas eve (Christinaity) - There are evening carol services. Santa is a legendary figure, based on St. Nicholas of Myra, and he brings presents to children on Christmas Eve to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. |
| December 25 |
Christmas Day (Christinaity) – The holiday commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ. |
| December 31 |
Hogmanay – Widely celebrated throughout the UK, and especially in Scotland. Debt clearing, house cleaning, welcoming guests and strangers are some of the traditions that are typical at this time. |
