📅 holiday

Dragon Boat Festival

Friday, June 19, 2026

— days to go

The Dragon Boat Festival, or Duanwu Festival, is celebrated every year on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month. In 2026, Dragon Boat Festival falls on Friday 19 June. The holiday will be on Wednesday 9 June in 2027. While seeing family and friends, watching the dragon boat races and eating rice dumplings make for fond memories, the holiday actually celebrates a very somber occasion. Qu Yuan, a famous Chinese scholar, who lived in the third century BCE and served the king of Chu, was smart – perhaps too smart. His peers, tired of his wisdom, accused him of crimes that he didn’t commit. Exiled and distraught, Qu Yuan composed many hateful and sorrowful poems before drowning himself at the age of 61. Chu citizens jumped in their boats to search for him, but it was to no avail. Dragon boat races are held to this day in order to remember this failed attempt. Teams go against one another and try to reach a flag first, but before the race begins, each boat must have its dragon’s eyes painted in order to bring the boat to life. After failing to save Qu Yuan, citizens took to throwing rice into the river in which he had drowned. They wrapped the rice in leaves with hopes that it might keep the fish from eating his body. While no one today still hopes of saving Qu Yuan’s body, the rice wrapped in leaves has become a tradition and is eaten during the festival. The food is called Zongzi. The Dragon Boat Festival, meant to honor the dead and be enjoyed by the living, has other fun traditions that are observed. For instance, it has been said that if you can balance a raw egg on its end at noon on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month, you will have good fortune for the remainder of the year.

History

The Dragon Boat Festival, or Duanwu Festival, is celebrated every year on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month. While seeing family and friends, watching the dragon boat races and eating rice dumplings make for fond memories, the holiday actually celebrates a very somber occasion. Qu Yuan, a famous Chinese scholar, who lived in the third century BCE and served the king of Chu, was smart – perhaps too smart. Teams go against one another and try to reach a flag first, but before the race begins,

How It's Celebrated

Other Years

2024 Mon

10 Jun

2025 Fri

30 May

2025 Sat to Mon

31 May to 2 Jun

2027 Mon to Wed

7 Jun to 9 Jun

2027 Wed

9 Jun

2028 Sun

28 May

Countries

🇹🇼 TW 🇨🇳 CN

Dates by country (2026)

🇨🇳 China 19 Jun
🇹🇼 Taiwan 19 Jun

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📅 holiday Dec 26

2nd Day of Christmas

The people of the Netherlands do not just celebrate Christmas on December 25. Christmas celebrations here begin on December 5, the eve of the feast of St. Nicholas In 2026, Christmas falls on Friday 25 December. The holiday will be on Saturday 25 December in 2027. The saint was a bishop in the fourth century. One story about him claims he inherited money from his wealthy parents and used his wealth to help the poor. One legend tells how he helped a needy family. The three young girls in the family were unable to get married because their parents were too poor to provide dowries. St. Nicholas heard of their misfortune and dropped a bag of gold down their chimney to pay for the girls’ dowries. St. Nicholas’ generosity is commemorated in the Netherlands today. He is known as Sinterklaas, and he is credited with giving presents to children on December 5. Sinterklaas lives in Spain, and he arrives in Amsterdam by boat on December 5. He rides a white horse in a parade through the streets. Children put carrots and hay for the horse in their shoes. They leave their shoes near a fireplace or on a windowsill. Sinterklaas leaves presents in their shoes. December 5 is also a night for parties to celebrate St. Nicholas Day. Children receive presents from Sinterklaas at these parties. Other activities at the parties include games and treasure hunts. Biscuits made with marzipan or cinnamon are served for refreshments. The Netherlands’ Christmas celebration continues through the month of December. Houses are decorated with evergreens. People put up trees in their homes decorated with candles, bells and ribbons. Trees are put up in the city squares and decorated. Streets are adorned with strings of lights shaped like stars or bells. Food stalls in the streets sell seasonal sweet treats such as oliebollen and appelflappen. Oliebollen are similar to donuts, and appelflappen are apple beignets. People can hear Christmas music played in the streets. Red and green decorations are used in department stores. Children receive most of their presents during the celebrations of St. Nicholas Day, so Christmas Day is usually spent enjoying the company of family and eating. Children might hang up stockings and receive a few more presents. Some people attend church on Christmas Eve or Christmas. Christmas Day may begin with a brunch of smoked salmon and fancy rolls. The last meal of the day is a dinner that may include pork, goose or game meats. Special dishes served for these meals include kerststol for brunch and gourmetten for dinner. Kerststol is a loaf with fruits. Gourmetten is made by placing a small grill on the table. People can grill small pieces of meat and vegetables. The day ends with people gathering around the fireplace to sing carols and tell stories. This day is known as First Christmas Day in the Netherlands. December 26 is Second Christmas Day. People dine on leftovers or go out to eat. They may attend concerts. If the weather permits, they might spend time in an outdoor activity such as ice skating.

NL AW SX +15

📅 holiday Apr 27

Abolition Day

The island of Réunion celebrates Abolition Day on 20 December each year. This holiday commemorates the day in 1848 when slavery was made illegal in the colony of Réunion by the French colonial government. In 2026, Abolition Day falls on Sunday 20 December. The holiday will be on Monday 20 December in 2027. Ever since Réunion was taken by France in 1642, it had become a major trade stop en route to India and the East Indies. It soon also became the site of many coffee plantations, and slaves were brought in to work those plantations. Although some came from Africa, China, and India under better terms than slavery, all non-European inhabitants were made slaves in 1690. When slavery was ended on the island in 1848, it created a labour shortage, which then led to indentured servants immigrating from other lands. This further increased the ethnic diversity of an island already quite diverse. Today, all citizens of Réunion look back to abolition as a key moment in the country’s history, and there are many cultural celebrations held all over the island on Abolition Day.

RE MQ GF +2

📅 holiday Nov 1

All Saints' Day

All Saints’ Day is a holiday in New Caledonia every 1 November. On this day, Christian believers remember known and unknown saints of past centuries. All Saints’ Day is a significant occasion on the traditional Christian calendar, and is observed by millions of Christians around the world. In 2026, All Saints’ Day falls on Sunday 1 November. The holiday will be on Monday 1 November in 2027. About half the population of New Caledonia are Roman Catholics, while most of the rest of Protestants. The Protestants are largely Evangelical and generally they do not significantly celebrate All Saints’ Day. All Saints’ Day is a somewhat low-key holiday in New Caledonia. But people often do get the day off work, and they will typically attend special mass services. Many also take the time to decorate the graves of loved ones with flowers and to pray for and think of their deceased relatives.

NC MQ HT +42

📅 holiday Nov 2

All Saints' Day Holiday

All Saints’ Day is a holiday in Burundi every 1 November. On this day, Christian believers remember known and unknown saints of past centuries. All Saints’ Day is a significant occasion on the traditional Christian calendar, and is observed by millions of Christians around the world. In 2026, All Saints' Day falls on Sunday 1 November. The holiday will be on Monday 1 November in 2027. Around two-thirds of Burundians are Roman Catholic, and most of the rest are Anglican or affiliated with another Protestant denomination. That means that the large majority of Burundi’s population celebrates All Saints’ Day, which is also a public holiday. The first day of November has been a Catholic feast day for centuries, having been set aside as a day to honour Christian saints and martyrs who lacked their own separate feast day by Pope Gregory IV in A.D. 837. German, Belgian, and English influences ultimately brought these traditions to Burundi during the 1800’s and 1900’s. Special church services are held on All Saints’ Day, during which the Beatitudes are traditionally read. Many also leave flowers on the graves of deceased relatives or light candles in their windows.

BI CO BF +4