Background: On the Day of the Three Kings, Christians celebrate the visit of the three kings to the baby Jesus.
The three wise men from the Orient were called Balthasar, Melchior and Casper, sometimes the names are abbreviated to B+M+C.
Customs: In memory of the three men, on 6 January children, young people and sometimes also adults parade through the communities as carol singers. There is a Kaspar, a Melchior and a Balthasar in each group. They ring doorbells, bless the houses and collect donations.
Source: Discover religions
Background: "Christmas" is the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. According to Christian belief, Jesus Christ is the Son of God, whom he sent to earth as the "Messiah" (Saviour).
Source: IDA
Background: Makarsankranti is a Hindu celebration of the solstice and thanksgiving. There is a special variant of the festival in the south of India. It is called Pongal.
Customs: Pongal means to boil over and describes an old custom. Hindus in southern India heat rice in milk at sunrise. When the milk boils over, the whole family claps their hands. Fireworks are also set off everywhere. This is how many Hindus show their exuberant joy that the sun energises the plants and that the plants then provide enough food for the people.
Culinary delights: Nuts and fruit, ginger, turmeric roots and sugar cane sticks are served with rice pudding. As soon as the sun rises, the sun god Surya receives fresh fruit as an offering. Many Hindus sing to him and thank him with prayers.
Source: Discover religions
Background: This festival celebrates the apparitions (theophanies) of the triune God.
Source: Orthodoxy in Germany
Background: A birthday is celebrated on the occasion of the 10th and last incarnate Guru of the Sikhs, Guru Gobind Singh jis.
Customs: Gathering to recite poems of Guru Gobind Singh.
Culinary: Many dishes that are unique to this occasion: Pulligore (tamarind rice dish), holige (sweet bread with ugadi pachadi), sweet and sour chutney, prasad (vegetarian sacrificial dishes without egg, garlic and onions, often fruits, sweets or cooked dishes).
Source: Berlin Forum of Religions
Background: Candlemas is one of the oldest festivals of the Christian church: since the beginning of the fifth century, it has been celebrated in Jerusalem on the 40th day after the birth of Jesus. In Rome, the church introduced the holiday around the year 650. The 2nd of February is associated with many different beliefs, many folk customs and also country proverbs.
Source: Archdiocese of Munich
Background: The night of the Prophet Mohammed's journey to heaven. The Night of the Journey to Heaven is celebrated on 27 Rajab. On this night, the Prophet is said to have been awakened by the angel Gabriel and travelled to the Temple Mount in Jerusalem on the winged mare Buraq.
Source: Hamburg Social Welfare Authority
Background: Tibetan Buddhists welcome the new year for three days with Losar: "Lo" means "year", "Sar" means "new".
Customs: Many Buddhists decorate their homes and themselves, drink butter tea with the whole family, carry offerings to the monasteries or celebrate with music, dancing and sporting competitions.
Source: Discover religions
Background: Many Alevis honour Saint Hizir with the Hızır fasting days in February. He is considered immortal among Alevis. It is said that he rushes to the aid of anyone who utters the distress call: "Hurry, Hizir!" Fasting also strengthens the confidence of many Alevis in their faith. In Alevism, the week of fasting is called Hızır orucu.
Customs: During the "week of Hızır", many believers in Alevism fast for three days.
Culinary: On the last evening, they prepare kavut. The special dish made from wheat has to rest overnight.
Source: Discover religions
Background: Hindus and believers in Buddhism call puja the worship of the gods. Many Hindus invite their god or goddess to their home for their own well-being. Hindus pray to the gods in a temple or in the open air for the good of the community and the whole world. Sarasvati is the Hindu goddess of speech, music and science. She is also called "the eloquent one". Hindus believe that they have her to thank for the versatility of language, without which many complicated things cannot be expressed.
Source: Discover religions
see Hizir fasting start
Background: On 15 February, Buddhists of the Mahayana tradition celebrate Parinirvana Day to commemorate Buddha's death and his entry into Nirvana. Some Buddhists also celebrate the day on 8 February.
Source: Campus of Religions
Background: The Great Prayer Festival was founded in 1409 by Lama Tsongkhapa in Tibet on the occasion of the performance of miracles by Shakyamuni Buddha in Shravasti. According to the Sutra of the Wise and Foolish, six great Hindu teachers representing the six great schools of Hinduism challenged Shakyamuni Buddha to a competition of miracles.
Customs: Praying in temples. To commemorate Buddha's miracles, many Tibetans make lamps in the shape of flowers, trees, birds and other auspicious symbols. Lamps are set up and light up at night.
Source: Wikipedia: Wikipedia
Background: The Great Prayer Festival was founded in 1409 by Lama Tsongkhapa in Tibet on the occasion of the performance of miracles by Shakyamuni Buddha in Shravasti. According to the Sutra of the Wise and Foolish, six great Hindu teachers representing the six great schools of Hinduism challenged Shakyamuni Buddha to a competition of miracles.
Customs: Praying in temples. To commemorate Buddha's miracles, many Tibetans make lamps in the shape of flowers, trees, birds and other auspicious symbols. Lamps are set up and light up at night.
Source: Aryatara Institute
Background: The Night of Forgiveness 2024, known as Lailat al-Barā'a in Arabic and Berat Kandili in Turkish, is celebrated between the fourteenth and fifteenth night of the Islamic month of Shaban. A little later, the fasting month of Ramadan begins, usually 14 days later.
Source: Augsburger Allgemeine
Background: Mahashivaratri means "the great night of Shiva". It is the most important Hindu festival for his followers. There are also four other Shiva nights, which are celebrated very differently in different regions.
Source: Discover religions
Background: "Ramadan" is the Muslim fasting period and the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar. Muslims celebrate it with a month-long fast from sunrise to sunset and an often festive and opulent breaking of the fast after sunset with family or friends.
Customs: The breaking of the fast usually takes place with family, friends and members of the community. Every mosque organises a communal breaking of the fast at this time.
Source: IDA
Background: On Newroz, many Alevis welcome spring, the light of the lengthening days and the revitalisation of nature. Alevis also celebrate the birthday of St Ali on this day. For them, he embodies the divine light.
Customs: Everyone first listens to the prayer, followed by recitations of Newroz poetry and then says the intercessions. Some Alevis fast on this day. Many give presents to neighbours and friends. They always light candles in their gatherings - three, five, seven or twelve. They do not simply light the flame and blow it out later. Instead, they "awaken" the light and later bring it "to rest" between their thumb and forefinger. This ritual is called Delil. It means "proof" and refers to the illumination of the mind or realisation.
Source: Discover religions
Background: Palm Sunday commemorates the entry of Jesus into Jerusalem. It marks the beginning of Holy Week before Easter.
Customs: Some Catholic Christians lay out palm leaves in front of the church on Palm Sunday. In many parishes today, however, bunches of boxwood are tied and consecrated instead. Protestant Christians also call Palm Sunday Palmarum.
Source: Discover religions
Background: Purim is a Jewish festival of joy, which is defined as a future festival in the Book of Esther. It commemorates the fact that the courageous Queen Esther once saved the Jewish people from annihilation. Mourning speeches and fasting are forbidden on this day.
Source: Discover religions
Background: Maundy Thursday is part of Holy Week. It reminds Christians of the farewell meal of Jesus and his disciples on the evening before his death on the cross. Christians remember this one day later on Good Friday.
Customs: Many Christians celebrate a special service in their church on Maundy Thursday. This naturally includes the story of the Last Supper with Jesus and his disciples. Afterwards, the congregation celebrates communion together in front of the altar. Catholics call it the Eucharist. As Lent is not yet over, the crosses in the church are still covered.
Culinary delights: Some parishioners organise a private meal together for the evening. According to tradition, this includes lots of green fruit and vegetables on Maundy Thursday. Herbal sauces and herbal soups are also very popular.
Source: Discover religions
Background: Good Friday commemorates the crucifixion of Jesus two days before Easter. On this day of mourning, most shops and especially places of entertainment are closed in Christian countries. Two days later, on the Sunday after the first full moon in spring, is Easter.
Source: Discover religions
Background: In Christianity, "Easter" is the celebration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Source: IDA
see Easter Sunday
Background: Lailat al-Quadr is the name given to the night in the month of Ramadan when the Koran was first sent down to the Prophet Mohammed.
Source: Hamburg Social Welfare Authority
Background: German for "flower festival". Is the name of a series of festivals (Matsuri) in Japan. It is usually used to refer to the Buddhist festival on Buddha's birthday on 8 April.
Source: Wikipedia: Wikipedia
Background: The end of the fasting month of Ramadan, also known as "Eid", is celebrated for three days. Highest religious festival for Muslims.
Customs: During the festival, people spend a lot of time with their families and it is customary to give gifts of money to children and young people. Gifts to socially disadvantaged members of society are common.
Culinary specialities: Desserts (baklava)
Source: IDA
see Ramadan start
Background: Vaisakhi (also known as Baisakhi or Vasakhi) is a Sikh religious festival. It also marks the beginning of a new year or harvest cycle. For the Sikhs, Vaisakhi is the most important holiday of the year.
Customs: The Sikhs begin the celebrations at dawn. With flowers and gifts, they march - often in processions - to their Gurdwara, the Sikh place of worship. There they celebrate the birth of the Khalsa.
The biggest celebrations take place in the village of Talwandi Sabo 28 kilometres south-east of Bathinda, where Guru Gobind Singh spent some time, in the Gurdwara in Anandpur Sahib and in the golden temple of Amritsar. Even Sikhs in the USA and Great Britain organise large parades on this day.
Source: India News
Background: Songkran, the traditional New Year festival in India, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar (Burma) and Thailand, has both astronomical and Brahmaist-Hindu origins. The word Songkran comes from the ancient Indian language Sanskrit and refers to the transition of the sun from one sign of the zodiac to the next.
Source: German-Thai Society
see Passover
Background: The seven-day festival (eight days for Orthodox Jews in the diaspora) commemorates the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt and their escape from oppression and slavery.
Customs: During Passover, nothing "leavened" (anything made with wheat, rye, barley, oats or spelt) may be kept in the house or eaten. (Jewish holidays generally begin the evening before)
Source: IDA
see Passover
Background: In Christianity, "Easter" is the celebration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Source: IDA
Background: Many Alevis celebrate Hıdırellez in May. With this festival, they ask their patron saints Hızır and Ilyas for protection from accidents and for energy and defences so that they can stay healthy or survive illnesses well. Hidirellez is also called the Day of Hızır Ilyas after the two patron saints.
Customs: Many Alevis celebrate Hıdırellez in the countryside. They meet there with neighbours and friends to share a meal. There are also different customs in different regions. In some areas, Alevis hang wish lists in a wish tree on the day of Hızır Ilyas, for example.
Culinary delights: People bring cakes, biscuits or other pastries.
Source: Discover religions
Background: Christians believe that Jesus returned to earth after his death and was only then taken up to heaven by God. Christians celebrate this event on Ascension Day.
Source: Discover religions
see Whit Monday
Background: Vesakh is the most important festival in Buddhism. On this day, many Buddhists celebrate the birthday of Siddharta Gautama, his enlightenment under a fig tree and the Buddha's entry into nirvana. In addition, many followers of the various Buddhist traditions look for common ground.
Customs: According to an old tradition, many Buddhists ceremonially scrub all statues of Buddha on Vesakh - at home, in the temple and in nature. Some Buddhist believers then pour the washing water over their shoulders. This reminds them that they must cleanse their minds of all bad thoughts through meditation in order to achieve enlightenment.
Source: Discover religions
Background: Lag baOmer is a Jewish festival of joy. It is the 33rd day of the Omer season, which combines Passover and Shavuot like the Christian festivals of Easter and Pentecost.
Customs: Lag baOmer is a joyous festival. The various restrictive commandments of the mourning period, which apply to the 49 Omer days between Passover and Shavuot, are cancelled on this day. Above all, however, weddings can be performed on this day - an offer that is widely utilised. People are allowed to shave and have their hair cut again. The chalaka ceremony is therefore also performed on Lag baOmer.
Culinary delights: Children and adults organise picnics and gather around campfires.
Source: Discover religions
Background: Catholic Christians believe that they receive the body of Christ into themselves with the host at communion. Many of them celebrate this in the summer with Corpus Christi.
Customs: Corpus Christi is a street festival. Many parishes set up outdoor altars and decorate them with flowers. The priest, deacons and altar servers then parade solemnly through the streets together with many parishioners. The procession is called a procession. The priest leads the way. He carries the host in a precious vessel from altar to altar. The vessel is called a monstrance. All participants in the procession sing and pray along the way.
Source: Discover religions
See Shavuot
Background: The Feast of Sacrifice falls on the tenth day of the last month in the Muslim calendar and serves to celebrate the Muslim faith. Together with Eid Al-Fitr, it is one of the most important Islamic holidays.
Customs: On the first two days, the slaughter is carried out (sheep, goats, cattle). A third of the meat is given to needy people.
Culinary specialities: Meat, desserts (baklava)
Source: IDA
Background: The Sikhs commemorate the martyrdom of Guru Arjan Dev (1563 - 1606), who was murdered in 1606 of our era during the Mughal rule.
Culinary: Chilled drinks made from milk, sugar and water (as the festival takes place in summer).
Source: Festivals of the religions
Background: Shia Islam also known as the Ghadir Khum festival - is one of the Islamic festivals and days of remembrance that are exclusively celebrated in Shia Islam. The Shiites use it to commemorate the appointment of Ali as the successor to the Prophet Muhammad. It is an Iranian bank holidays.
Background: The 1st of Muharram is the first day of the year on the Islamic lunar calendar. On this day, they commemorate Muhammad's emigration from Mecca to Medina. For Shiites, it also marks the beginning of the month of mourning for the 3rd Imam Husain ibn 'Ali.
Customs: Shiites commemorate the life and death of the 3rd Imam Husain with many events throughout the month of Muharram. During this time, Shiites in particular dress in black clothing as a sign of mourning. The distribution of food among the poor is a duty.
Culinary: Fasting is recommended during the first 9 days of the month of Muharram.
Source: Discover religions
Background: Many Alevis fast during the first 12 days of the month of Muharram. In doing so, they show their mourning for St Hüseyin. He was a grandson of the Prophet Mohammed and the third of twelve imams.
Source: Discover religions
Background: On Ashura, the Shiites commemorate the Battle of Karbala in modern-day Iraq. In this battle on the 10th of the month, Ashura, Husain, the son of Ali and third Imam of the Shiites, and almost all of his male relatives were killed. Ashura is the most important Shiite holiday.
Customs: Processions, chants and passion plays in which the suffering of Husain is recited.
Source: Hamburg Social Welfare Authority
see Muharrem fasting start
Background: On Asure Day, many Alevis end their period of mourning and fasting for St Hüseyin. This fills many of them with gratitude and hope.
Customs / Culinary delights: After their twelve days of fasting, many Alevis look forward to Asure Day. Many of them prepare a special dish for this. It is called Asure Day sweet dish and always consists of twelve ingredients. These often include wheat, beans, chickpeas, chestnuts, hazelnuts, pistachios, almonds, sultanas, figs, apples, apricots and walnuts. The number twelve is a reminder of the holy 12 Imams, and many Alevis also enjoy the delicacy at an Asure Day meal in an Alevi community centre in their Cem house. Cem is the name of the Alevi gatherings.
Source: Discover religions
Background: The Buddhist festival of Asalha commemorates the emergence and spread of Buddhism. It is also known as Esala-Perahera.
Customs : For one week, many Buddhists make a pilgrimage to one of the holy sites where relics of the Buddha are kept. Relics are relics such as a tooth, a lock of hair or a bone. Huge colourful processions also take place everywhere. With these processions, Buddhists celebrate Siddharta Gautama's departure from his parents' palace, his first sermon and the continuation of his teachings after his death.
Source: Discover religions
Background: The Jewish fast day Tisha beAv is the 9th of Av (Tescha = 9, Av is the Jewish month in July/August) and for many Jews it is both a day of mourning and a day of hope.
Customs: As a sign of their mourning for the temples, many Jews fast on Tisha beAv: from sunset the previous evening until nightfall the next day, they eat and drink nothing. Many believers also meet in the synagogue. The prayer room is in dim light on this day. All visitors sit there on low chairs or squat on the floor, pray and read the Lamentations of Jeremiah and the Psalms of Mourning. Many Jews do nothing on Tisha beAv to distract them from mourning.
Source: Discover religions
Background: The annual O-bon festival, which is celebrated throughout Japan, celebrates the return of deceased ancestors to earth.
The belief in the bonds between the living and the dead has its roots in antiquity, but most scholars today agree that the festival is based on the Buddhist sutra Urabon-kyō.
Customs: True to the sutra, families across Japan return home for a series of rituals and celebrations. Their customs are intended to honour the dead and free restless, hungry spirits from their suffering.
Source: National Geographic
Background: The Assumption of Mary reminds Catholics of Mary's death and her assumption into heaven.
Source: Discover religions
See O-bin beginning
Background: Many Hindus celebrate the birthday of their favourite god Krishna and his presence in the world with Krishna Janmashtami. They tell stories about him, sing about him or perform legends about him as theatre plays on a stage.
Source: Discover religions
Background: Ganesha Chaturthi is the birthday of the Hindu deity Ganesha.
Customs: Many of his followers celebrate the day at home with their families. Even before the festival, they buy small figures of their deity made of clay or mould them themselves. They then take them to a temple. There they have them consecrated by a Brahmin. This is a priest. Hindus believe that the power of the world soul works everywhere and that the Brahmin can transfer it to the figures. During the Ganesha Chaturthi festival, Hindus therefore treat their consecrated Ganesha figure like the god himself. They place it on their home altar and worship Ganesha in a puja. In this service, they bring him flowers and sweets, sing songs for him, say prayers and light incense and candles. This is how they celebrate the fact that their deity is staying with them for a while.
Source: Discover religions
Background: The feast of the Exaltation of the Cross has been celebrated since the middle of the 4th century, i.e. for more than 1600 years.
Nowadays, the celebration of the "Exaltation of the Cross" takes place every year on 14 September. It goes back to the place where Jesus was crucified in Jerusalem. A few hundred years later, a large church was built right there and called the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.
Source: Discover religions
See Rosh Hashanah
Background: Many Christians use the harvest festival to thank God for creation and, above all, for the fact that nature provides them with all the food that humans need.
Customs: Almost every Christian community celebrates a Thanksgiving service on the 1st Sunday in October. The church is festively decorated with flowers on this day.
Culinary delights: Many visitors bring fresh fruit or vegetables, home-baked bread and cakes, salads or fruit juices. Everything is brought together in front of the altar.
Source: Discover religions
Background: Pilgrimage festival in honour of Sheikhadi (Cimaiya Şîxadî, Yezidism). Celebration of the holy Sheikh Adi in Lalish, who is regarded by the Yezidis as the incarnation of Tausi Melek ("God's angel").
Customs: Pilgrimage to Lalish, tying knots to make wishes come true. The oldest custom is the sacrifice of a bull. This bull must have a white spot on its forehead.
Source: Berlin Forum of Religions
Background: "Yom Kippur" (also known as the Day of Atonement) is the highest Jewish holiday and marks the culmination of the ten days of repentance and conversion.
Customs: The fasting day includes abstaining from liquid and solid food as well as sexual activity. Many Jews:Jewish women wear white clothing on this day.
Source: IDA
See Cimaiya Şîxadî Beginning
See Sukkot
Background: The Siri Guru Granth Sahib is the highest spiritual and religious authority in the Sikh faith.
Source: German Information Centre Sikh Religion
Background: Shemini Azeret means "eighth day of the assembly". It and the Simchat Torah festival on the following day mark the end of Sukkot, the Jewish festival of harvest and Tabernacles. Only in Israel do Jews celebrate both festivals on the same day.
Customs: If possible, Jews should not work on the holiday of Shemini Azeret. Many of them still live in their huts. However, the festive bouquet of Lulav has become obsolete.
During the service, after the Torah reading, a funeral service is held for the dead. The congregation also asks for rain during the Shemini Azeret service. This marks the beginning of the winter season for them. Asking for rain is now part of Jewish prayers until the start of Passover in spring.
Source: Discover religions
Background: Simchat Torah is the festival of Torah joy. It marks the end of the old Torah year and the beginning of a new one. Simchat Torah also marks the end of Sukkot, the Jewish festival of harvest and Tabernacles.
Customs: In the synagogue, Jews celebrate the festival of the joy of the Torah with a special ritual. They take all the Torah scrolls out of the shrine and carry them seven times around the bima and often through the entire synagogue. The congregation dances and sings. The Jewish children have great fun. They run around and get lots of sweets.
Source: Discover religions
Background: "Reformation Day" is celebrated by Protestant Christians to commemorate the reformation of the Christian church by Martin Luther, especially in Germany and Austria. In Switzerland, the first Sunday in November is celebrated as Reformation Sunday.
Source: Discover religions
Background: The feast day of All Saints' Day reminds Catholics of the saints. For Catholics, these are people who have shown extraordinary commitment to the poor, the sick and the needy in their lives. They are therefore great role models for many Catholic believers. The saints include, for example, St Martin, St Nicholas, St Michael and St Francis.
Source: Discover religions
Background: With Divali, Hindus celebrate a festival of lights for their goddess of luck, Lakshmi, and at the same time the victory of good over evil.
Unlike many other holidays in Hinduism, Divali is a festival throughout India. It takes place at the end of the rainy season and lasts for five days.
Customs: In the morning, many Hindus oil themselves, then take a bath and slip into newly sewn clothes. Afterwards, people light dipas almost everywhere in India. They place the small clay oil lamps on windowsills and house ledges or set them adrift by the hundreds in small paper boats on rivers. This is where the festival gets its name from, as Divali means sea of lights in German. Hindus celebrate, dance and play music all over the country. They hand out gifts, lots of sweets and even light up the sky with fireworks in some places.
Source: Discover religions
Background: The Sikh festival "Bandi Chhor Divas" means "Day of Liberation" and is celebrated together with the Hindu festival of lights "Diwali". The Sikhs have been celebrating this festival since autumn 1619 - the date changes according to the lunar calendar.
Customs: Illumination of houses with lights and candles, visit to the Gurdwara and 48-hour reading of the holy book.
Culinary specialities: Roti, rice, daal, saag.
Source: Berlin Forum of Religions
Background: On All Souls' Day, many Catholic Christians remember the dead in particular.
Customs: On All Souls' Day, many Catholic Christians pray especially for the recently deceased. In their prayers, they ask God to receive their souls. The cemeteries are very busy on All Souls' Day. On this day, many Catholics decorate the graves and light candles on them. The light is a reminder of eternal life.
Source: Discover religions
Background: St Martin is not only a great role model for Catholic Christians to give something away from their possessions to poor people. Many other people also honour the saint every year on St Martin's Day on 11 November with performances and parades. Children and their parents in particular take part.
Customs: In many places, children go from house to house at dusk, singing St Martin's songs and receiving fruit or sweets in return. Lantern processions often take place in the evening. Often there are even horses and riders. A "beggar" then waits at the end of the lantern procession and re-enacts the story of St Martin with the rider. Many children and young people in schools and communities also rehearse the performance of St Martin with the beggar.
Culinary delights: Some families eat a St Martin's goose on St Martin's Day.
Source: Discover religions
Background: The founder of the religion is Guru Nanak. He lived from 1469 to 1538 and had ten successors. The last of them died around three hundred years ago. Since then, the Sikhs have honoured their holy scripture as Guru. It is called "Adi Guru Granth Sahib" and is often referred to as "Adi Granth" or "Granth Sahib" for short.
Culinary: The food in Indian gurdwara is purely vegetarian and usually consists of dal (lentils) and chapattis (flatbread).
Source: Discover religions
Background: On the Day of Prayer and Repentance, Christians should reflect on the wrongs they have done to other people and how they can behave better in the future.
Customs: Many Christians tell God about their mistakes in prayer and ask him for forgiveness and help to do things better in the future. Some also do this alone at home on the Day of Prayer and Repentance. Others pray together with others in church services.
Source: Discover religions
Background: On the Sunday of the Dead in November, many Protestant Christians think especially of people who have already died.
Bellies: During the service, the pastor reads out the names of all the members of the congregation who have been buried in the past 12 months. Many Protestants who don't usually go to the cemetery often also decorate the graves of their loved ones on this day.
Source: Discover religions
Background: Guru Teghbahadur is the ninth of 10 gurus.
Customs: Playing and listening to compositions in honour of the Guru.
Source: Wikipedia
Background: During Advent, many Christians prepare for the birthday of Jesus Christ. They celebrate him with Christmas every year from 24 to 26 December.
The church year also begins on 1 Advent.
Source: Discover religions
Background: St Nicholas is said to have once helped people in need and, above all, gave presents to their children. Many Christians celebrate this every year on St Nicholas' Day on 6 December.
Customs: On the evening of 5 December, everything is different than usual in many Christian families. Many children clean their shoes, place a clean boot in the windowsill and put a small piece of paper in it, on which they have previously painted or written their wishes for the Christ Child. Some also replace the boot with a shoe or a large stocking. They hope that St Nicholas will pass by their house during the night.
Culinary delights: In the morning, most children find apples, nuts or sweets and perhaps even a small toy or other items in their boot or stocking.
Source: Discover religions
see 1st Advent
Background: On Bodhi Day, Mahayana Buddhists commemorate the enlightenment of Siddharta Gautama, the founder of their religion.
Customs: The date of Bodhi Day is determined according to the lunisolar calendar. This is why the date in the secular calendar differs every year. Buddhists in Japan, however, always celebrate the day on 8 December. On Bodhi Day, fig trees are hung with fairy lights and three shining pieces of jewellery. These pieces of jewellery stand for the three so-called jewels of Buddhism: Buddha, Dharma (=the teaching) and Sangha (=the community).
Source: MDR
see 1st Advent
Background: On the third Friday in December, the seasonal festival "Îda-Ezî" is celebrated in Yezidism. It is the festival in honour of
God as the almighty creator of everything and the most important religious holiday of the year.
Source: Discover religions
see 1st Advent
Background: "Christmas" is the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. According to Christian belief, Jesus Christ is the Son of God, whom he sent to earth as the "Messiah" (Saviour).
Source: IDA
see Christmas Eve
see Christmas Eve
Background: The eight-day "Hanukkah" (also known as the Festival of Lights) is one of the most joyous festivals. It commemorates the rededication of the second Jewish temple in Jerusalem and the protection against the suppression of the Jewish religion.
Customs: Every evening, another candle is lit on the Hanukkah candelabra after the evening prayer until eight lights are lit.
Culinary: Hanukkah is celebrated as a convivial family festival with traditional dishes, where children receive gifts and sweets.
Source: IDA