Ethnic Holiday Calendar 2009-2013

Holiday
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013

Eid ul-Adha
Festival of Sacrifice
November 27
November 16
November 6
October 25
October 15

Muharramn/
Islamic New Year
December 18
December 7
November 26
November 15
November 4

Mawlid al-Nabi
Prophet's Birthday
March 9
March 20
February 15
February 4
January 24

Start of Ramadan
Month of Fasting
August 22
August 11
August 1
July 20
July 9

Eid ul-Fitr
Festival of Fast Breaking
September 20
September 10
August 31
August 19
August 8

Passover/Pesach
April 9-16
March 30-April 6
April 19-26
April 7-14
April 7-14

Rosh Hashanah
September 19-20
September 9-10
September 29-30
September 17-18
September 5-6

Chanukkah
December 12-19
December 2-9
December 21-28
December 9-16
Nov. 28-Dec 5

Western Roman Easter
April 12
April 4
April 24
April 8
March 31

Eastern Orthodox Easter
April 19
April 4
April 24
April 15
May 5

Christmas
December 25

Source of dates: Interfaith Calendar

Explanation of Holidays

Muslim Holidays
Ramadan is the ninth month of the year in the Islamic calendar. A fast, held from sunrise to sunset, is carried out during this period.
Eid-al-Fitr is a festival that ends the fast of Ramadan. In Arabic "Eid" means "festival" or "festivity."
Eid-al-Adha is second in the series of Eid festivals that Muslims celebrate. It concludes the Hajj and is a three-day festival recalling Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his son in obedience to Allah (God).
Muharram is the first month fo the Muslim year. Its first day is celebrated as New year's Day.
Mawlid al-Nabi is a celebration of the birthday of the Prophet Muhammad, the founder of Islam.

While the two Eid Festivals are always on the same day of the Islamic calendar, the date on the Western calendar (the Gregorian calendar) varies from year to year due to differences between the two calendars, as the Islamic calendar is a lunar calendar and the Gregorian calendar is a solar calendar. Furthermore, the method used to determine when each Islamic month begins varies from country to country. Future dates listed are only estimates.

Muslims come from a variety of ethnic backgrounds: South Asia, South Central Asia, Arab, and African American.
Jewish Holidays
Passover is a holiday beginning on the 14th of Nisan (first month of the religious calendar, corresponding to March–April) and traditionally continuing for eight days, commemorating the exodus of the Hebrews from Egypt. Also called Pesach.
Rosh Hashanah is the Jewish New Year. It is marked by solemnity as well as festivity.
Chanukkah is the Jewish festival of rededication, also known as the festival of lights. It is an eight day festival beginning on the 25th day of the Jewish month of Kislev.

Jewish holidays are celebrated on the same day of the Jewish calendar every year, but the Jewish year is not the same length as a solar year on the Gregorian calendar used by most of the western world, so the date shifts on the Gregorian calendar.


Christian Holidays
Easter is a Christian feast commemorating the Resurrection of Jesus after his crucifixion. The Orthodox Eastern Church calculates Easter somewhat differently, so that the Orthodox Easter usually comes several weeks after that of the West.

Eastern Orthodox Christians come from a variety of ethnic backgrounds: Greek, Russian, Egyptian, Romanian, Serbian, Ukrainian, Armenian, Bulgarian, Georgian, Albanian, Ethiopian, Syrian, and American.

Recommended Links
www.timeanddate.com
www.sheepgoatmarketing.info
Interfaith Calendar
What is Your Religion . . . If Any?
PowerPoint Presentation: Marketing sheep and goats to the ethnic markets


Last updated 02-Jan-2009 by Susan Schoenian.

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