Unduvap Full Moon Poya
Thursday, December 24, 2026
Arrival of Mahinda. Prince Mahinda, son of the Indian Emperor Ashoka, arrives in Sri Lanka, marking the beginning of Buddhism in the country
History
BCArrival of Mahinda. Prince Mahinda, son of the Indian Emperor Ashoka, arrives in Sri Lanka, marking the beginning of Buddhism in the country
How It's Celebrated
Unduvap Full Moon Poya is observed by recognizing the importance of the day, learning about its background and significance, and sharing awareness with others through conversation and social media. Many people take time to reflect on the meaning of the observance and participate in relevant activities or community events.
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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.
Chinese New Year
Situated at the cross roads of many cultures in the mid-Indian Ocean, Mauritius has holidays from many traditions and religions on its calendar. Included among these is Chinese New Year, an import of Chinese immigrants who came to the island as business owners and traders, especially during the 1840’s and 1850’s. In 2027, Chinese New Year falls on Saturday 6 February. The holiday will be on Wednesday 26 January in 2028. The greatest concentration of Chinese-Mauritians is in the city of Port Louis, but they live all over the island and even those not of Chinese descent get involved in the Chinese New Year celebrations. The exact date of Chinese New Year is based on the Chinese Calendar, and it changes every year on the Gregorian Calendar, but it will always come sometime in January or February. Chinese New Year is a celebration of spring, and the beauty of Mauritius’ white sand beaches, turquoise blue waters, and dramatic island contours and greenery are in full display this time of year. Many families will get together to celebrate and feast on both Mauritian and Chinese cuisine. Some will get costumed and perform the traditional Lion Dance. Others will set off firecrackers, which was traditionally done to “drive away evil spirits”. Everyone will reflect on the old year and plan for the new. Many will make new year resolutions, and it’s not uncommon for people to pay special attention to “bad and good luck” during Chinese New Year, to avoid a full 12 months of bad luck in the Chinese year ahead.
Christmas Day
Christmas in New Caledonia is celebrated with a public holiday every 25 December, as it is in a majority of countries around the world. This Christian festivity commemorates the birth of Jesus, and is part of a 22-28 day season in the Christian calendar known as Advent. In 2026, Christmas falls on Friday 25 December. The holiday will be on Saturday 25 December in 2027. Christmas Day and the Christmas season are a busy time of year in New Caledonia. This is one of the main tourist seasons on the island with many from Australia, New Zealand, and France coming here while the kids are out of school. About half in New Caledonia are Catholic and often go to mass all night on the day before Christmas. They seek to welcome Christmas morning while joyfully remembering the day that Christ was born. Many Protestants and Evangelicals in New Caledonia go to church on Christmas Day or the Sunday nearest to Christmas to celebrate the birth of the Saviour. The capital city of Noumea is lit up like a Christmas tree for the holidays each year. The city centre is the brightest spot, including Coconut Palm Square, the capital complex, and the Noumea Museum. Both palm trees and buildings are decked out with multi-coloured lights for the occasion.
Divali
For about five days straight every October or November, Surinamese of Indian descent celebrate Divali, or “the Festival of Lights”, with great enthusiasm and vigour. Divali is a public holiday across the country. In 2026, Divali falls on Sunday 8 November. The holiday will be on Friday 29 October in 2027. Divali, also called “Deepavali”, is a national public holiday in Suriname, largely due to the large number of Suriname’s people whose ancestors hail from India where Hinduism and its festivals are traditional. The towns of Nickerie, Saramacca, and Wanica have the highest concentration of Indian-Surinamese and of Hindus (by far) in Suriname. Thus, these towns are the centre points of Divali celebrations in Suriname each year. For Divali, people will adorn their houses with lights and traditional lanterns called “diyas”. They also thoroughly clean the house, don new clothes, and make intricate patterns from coloured rice, sawdust, or other materials called “rangoli”. Additionally, those celebrating Divali will set off firecrackers, feast with family and friends, visit local Hindu temples, and perform traditional rites in worship of the Hindu goddess Lakshmi in a special room of their home.