Holidays
Holidays next door
The next twelve months of holidays your neighbors celebrate. And what to say to them.
November 2026
Día de los Muertos
Sunday, November 1, 2026, through Monday, November 2The Day of the Dead, honoring loved ones who have died.
What to say: “Feliz Día de los Muertos,” or ask who they’re remembering.
The everyday calendar · follows the sunDiwali
Sunday, November 8, 2026The festival of lights, for Hindu, Sikh and Jain neighbors.
What to say: “Happy Diwali!”
Hindu calendars · follows the moon, kept in season by the sunDecember 2026
Hanukkah
Begins at sundown Friday, December 4, 2026, through Saturday, December 12Eight nights of candles for Jewish neighbors.
What to say: “Happy Hanukkah” or “Chag sameach.”
The Hebrew calendar · follows the moon, kept in season by the sunChristmas
Friday, December 25, 2026The Christian celebration of the birth of Jesus.
What to say: “Merry Christmas” to people you know celebrate it. “Happy holidays” if you don’t know.
The everyday calendar · follows the sunKwanzaa
Saturday, December 26, 2026, through Friday, January 1A week celebrating African American family, community and culture.
What to say: “Happy Kwanzaa.”
The everyday calendar · follows the sunFebruary 2027
Lunar New Year
Saturday, February 6, 2027The new year for Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese and many other families.
What to say: “Happy Lunar New Year!” Not “Chinese New Year” to a Korean or Vietnamese neighbor.
The lunar new year calendar · follows the moon, kept in season by the sunRamadan
Around monday, February 8, 2027, through Monday, March 8A month of fasting from dawn to sunset for Muslim neighbors.
What to say: “Ramadan Mubarak” (blessed Ramadan).
First and last day of fasting. Night prayers begin the evening before. Depends on the moon. The Islamic calendar · follows the moonMarch 2027
Eid al-Fitr
Around tuesday, March 9, 2027The celebration at the end of Ramadan.
What to say: “Eid Mubarak” (blessed Eid).
Could be March 10, depending on the moon. The Islamic calendar · follows the moonHoli
Around monday, March 22, 2027The Hindu spring festival of colors.
What to say: “Happy Holi!”
Some listings say March 23. Hindu calendars · follows the moon, kept in season by the sunEaster
Sunday, March 28, 2027The Christian celebration of Jesus rising from the dead.
What to say: “Happy Easter.”
Easter’s rule · follows the sun and the moonApril 2027
Vaisakhi
Wednesday, April 14, 2027For Sikhs, the founding of the Khalsa. In Punjab, a harvest festival.
What to say: “Happy Vaisakhi!”
Sikh dates · follows the sun and the moonPassover
Begins at sundown Wednesday, April 21, 2027, through Thursday, April 29The Jewish festival remembering freedom from slavery in Egypt.
What to say: “Happy Passover” or “Chag sameach.”
The Hebrew calendar · follows the moon, kept in season by the sunMay 2027
June 2027
October 2027
Rosh Hashanah
Begins at sundown Friday, October 1, 2027, through Sunday, October 3The Jewish New Year, opening ten days of reflection.
What to say: “Shanah tovah” (a good year).
The Hebrew calendar · follows the moon, kept in season by the sunYom Kippur
Begins at sundown Sunday, October 10, 2027, through Monday, October 11The Day of Atonement, the most solemn day of the Jewish year.
What to say: “Have an easy fast.” Not “Happy Yom Kippur.”
The Hebrew calendar · follows the moon, kept in season by the sunWhy the dates move
Your neighbors keep time by different calendars. Some follow the sun, some the moon, some both. That’s why Christmas sits still and Ramadan wanders.
- The everyday calendarFollows the sun
- The calendar on your wall. Holidays on it land on the same date every year.For example: Christmas, Juneteenth, Kwanzaa, Día de los Muertos
- Easter’s ruleFollows the sun and the moon
- Easter is the first Sunday after the first full moon of spring, so it moves between March 22 and April 25. Many Orthodox churches use an older calendar and often celebrate later.For example: Easter
- The Hebrew calendarFollows the moon, kept in season by the sun
- Months follow the moon. An extra month is added seven times every 19 years, so holidays stay in their season. Days begin at sundown, so holidays start the evening before.For example: Passover, Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Hanukkah
- The Islamic calendarFollows the moon
- Twelve moon months make a year of about 354 days. Holidays move about 11 days earlier each year and pass through every season. Many communities begin a month when the new moon is seen, so dates can shift by a day.For example: Ramadan, Eid al-Fitr, Eid al-Adha
- Hindu calendarsFollows the moon, kept in season by the sun
- Most festivals follow the moon and adjust to stay in season. Regions use different calendars, so a date can differ by a day from place to place.For example: Diwali, Holi
- Sikh datesFollows the sun and the moon
- Vaisakhi follows the sun and lands on April 13 or 14. Many other Sikh holy days follow the moon, and communities don’t all use the same calendar.For example: Vaisakhi
- The lunar new year calendarFollows the moon, kept in season by the sun
- Used by Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese and other families. The new year begins with a new moon between January 21 and February 20.For example: Lunar New Year
Dates marked “around” depend on the moon, and local communities can differ by a day. Holidays that begin at sundown start the evening before the first full day.