Holidays and Observances for 2010

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A portion of this chart appears on our Home page. Links in the chart will lead to pages in our Holiday section, or elsewhere on the Web.

Note on Start of Seasons

Only in the USA are the seasons said to begin on the respective solstice or equinox; that is, spring is said to begin on March 20, 2010. Elsewhere it is usually marked at the beginning of the month during which the solstice or equinox occurs, which would be March for spring in the northern hemisphere, or September in the southern hemisphere. But some countries mark it even earlier; see this link:
The Straight Dope: Is it true summer in Ireland starts May 1?

Note on Jewish Holidays

Jewish holidays begin the preceding day at sundown. Some Jews tack an extra day onto Passover and Rosh Hashanah. For more information on Jewish holidays, try this link:
Judaism 101: Jewish Holidays

Note on Sinterklaas, or St. Nicholas Day

Some people here in the USA celebrate St. Nicholas Day with their children, but there is often confusion as to which day it should be observed. Sinterklaas, or St. Nicholas Day, is observed in the Netherlands on December 5, and presents are opened in the evening. In Belgium, Sinterklaas makes his deliveries overnight on the 5th, and children wake up to find their presents on the morning of the 6th.

January 1
New Year’s Day
January 6
Epiphany
Carnival begins
January 18
Martin Luther King Jr. Day (USA)
February 1
National Freedom Day (USA)
February 2
Groundhog Day (USA and Canada)
February 12
Lincoln’s Birthday (USA)
February 14
St. Valentine’s Day
Chinese New Year (Year of the Tiger)
February 15
Presidents Day (USA)
February 16
Mardi Gras, or Fat Tuesday
February 17
Ash Wednesday
February 22
Washington’s Birthday (USA)
March 14
Daylight Saving Time begins (USA and Canada)
March 17
St. Patrick’s Day
March 20
March Equinox (17:32 UTC)
Spring in the northern hemisphere
Fall in the southern hemisphere
March 28
Palm Sunday
March 30
Passover (7 days; begins the 29th at sundown)
April 1
April Fool’s Day
April 2
Good Friday
April 4
Easter Sunday
April 5
Easter Monday
April 21
Administrative Professionals Day (USA)
April 22
Earth Day
April 30
Arbor Day
May 1
May Day (pagan holiday is fading in popularity; some countries observe it like USA Labor Day)
May 5
Cinco de Mayo (Mexico)
May 9
Mother’s Day
May 13
Ascension Day
May 15
Armed Forces Day (USA)
May 23
Pentecost Sunday
May 24
Victoria Day (Canada)
May 31
Memorial Day (USA)
June 14
National Flag Day (USA)
June 20
Father’s Day
June 21
Northern Solstice (11:28 UTC)
Summer in the northern hemisphere
Winter in the southern hemisphere
July 1
Canada Day
July 4
Independence Day (USA)
August 2
Civic Holiday (Canada)
September 6
Labor Day (USA)
Labour Day (Canada)
September 9
Rosh Hashanah, or Jewish New Year (begins the 8th at sundown)
September 11
Patriot Day (USA)
September 12
National Grandparents Day
Official National Grandparents Day site (USA)
September 17
Constitution Day and Citizenship Day (USA)
September 18
Yom Kippur, or Day of Atonement (Jewish; begins the 17th at sundown)
September 23
September Equinox (03:09 UTC; this will fall on the 22nd in the Americas)
Fall in the northern hemisphere
Spring in the southern hemisphere
October 11
Columbus Day (USA)
Thanksgiving Day (Canada)
October 16
National Boss Day
Sweetest Day (USA)
October 24
United Nations Day
October 31
Halloween
November 1
All Saints’ Day
Dia de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead (Mexico; 2 days)
November 2
All Souls’ Day
Election Day
Election Day on Tuesdays? from infoplease.com (USA)
November 7
Daylight Saving Time ends (USA and Canada)
November 11
Veterans Day (USA)
Remembrance Day (Canada)
November 25
Thanksgiving Day (USA)
November 28
Advent Sunday
December 2
Hanukkah (8 days; begins the 1st at sundown)
December 5
Sinterklaas, or St. Nicholas Day (Netherlands)
December 6
Sinterklaas, or St. Nicholas Day (Belgium)
December 7
National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day (USA)
December 21
Southern Solstice (23:38 UTC)
Winter in the northern hemisphere
Summer in the southern hemisphere
December 24
Christmas Eve
December 25
Christmas Day
December 26
Kwanzaa (7 days)
The Official Kwanzaa Web Site (African American and Pan-African)
Boxing Day (Commonwealth)
December 31
New Year’s Eve