Candlemas (Feb 2nd): celebrates an early episode in the life of Jesus, and falls on or around 2 February. In the Latin Rite of the Catholic Church, the Presentation is the fourth Joyful Mystery of the Rosary. In the Eastern Orthodox Church, it is one of the twelve Great Feasts, and is sometimes called Hypapante (lit., 'Meeting' in Greek). Other traditional names include Feast of the Presentation of Jesus at the Temple, the Feast of the Purification of the Virgin, and the Meeting of the Lord.
For more information click: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Presentation_of_Jesus_at_the_Temple
Setsubun Bean Throwing Festival (Feb 3rd): Celebrated in Japanese Tradition. is the day before the beginning of each season in Japan. The name literally means "seasonal division", but usually the term refers to the spring Setsubun, properly called Risshun celebrated as part of the Spring Festival. In its association with the Lunar New Year, Spring Setsubun can be and was previously thought of as a sort of New Year's Eve, and so was accompanied by a special ritual to cleanse away all the evil of the former year and drive away disease-bringing evil spirits for the year to come. This special ritual is called mamemaki
For more information click: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Setsubun
Maha Shivarathiri (Feb 12th): Tradition – Hindu. or Shivaratri or Sivaratri (Night of Shiva or "Great Night of Shiva") is a festival celebrated every year on the 13th night/14th day in the Krishna Paksha (waning moon) of the month of Maagha (as per Shalivahana or Gujarati Vikrama) or Phalguna (as per Vikrama) in the Hindu Calendar (that is, the night before and day of the new moon). The festival is principally celebrated by offerings of Bael (Bilva) leaves to the Lord Shiva, all day fasting and an all night long vigil. Cannabis is traditionally used as an offering for Lord Shiva and his followers.
For more information click: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maha_Shivaratri
St Valentines Day (Feb 14th): Tradition – Christian. is named after one or more early Christian martyrs named Valentine and was established by Pope Gelasius I in 496 AD. It is traditionally a day on which lovers express their love for each other by presenting flowers, offering confectionery, and sending greeting cards (known as "valentines"). The day first became associated with romantic love in the circle of Geoffrey Chaucer in the High Middle Ages, when the tradition of courtly love flourished.
For more information click: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valentine's_Day
Chinese New Year (Feb 14th): or Spring Festival is the most important of the traditional Chinese holidays. It is sometimes called the "Lunar New Year" by English speakers. The festival traditionally begins on the first day of the first month in the Chinese calendar and ends on the 15th; this day is called Lantern Festival. Chinese New Year's Eve is known as chú xī. It literally means "Year-pass Eve". It is also the tradition that every family thoroughly cleans the house to sweep away any ill-fortune in hopes to make way for good incoming luck. Windows and doors will be decorated with red colour paper-cuts and couplets with popular themes of “happiness”, “wealth”, and “longevity”. On the Eve of Chinese New Year, supper is a feast with families. Food will include such items as pigs, ducks, chicken and sweet delicacies. The family will end the night with firecrackers. Early the next morning, children will greet their parents by wishing them a healthy and happy new year, and receive money in red paper envelopes
For more information click: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_New_Year
Parinirvana/ Nirvana Day (Feb 15th): Tradition – Buddhist. is the Mahayana Buddhist festival marking the final passing away from this world of Gauthama Buddha at Kushinagara, India , at the age of 80. Parinirvana is the final nirvana, which occurs upon the death of the body of someone who has attained complete awakening (bodhi). It implies a release from the bhavachakra, Samsāra, karma and rebirth as well as the dissolution of the skandhas.
For more information click: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parinirvana
Pancake Day or Shrove Tuesday (Feb 16th): Tradition – Christian. is a term commonly known in English-speaking countries associated with the United Kingdom and its Anglican traditions, for the day preceding Ash Wednesday, the first day of the Christian season of fasting and prayer called Lent. The word shrove is the past tense of the English verb shrive, which means to obtain absolution for one's sins by way of confession and doing penance. During the week before Lent, sometimes called Shrovetide in English, Christians were expected to go to confession in preparation for the penitential season of turning to God.
For more information click: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shrove_Tuesday
Ash Wednesday (Feb 17th): Tradition – Christian. is the first day of Lent and occurs forty-six days (forty days not counting Sundays) before Easter. It is a moveable feast, falling on a different date each year because it is dependent on the date of Easter. It can occur as early as 4 February or as late as 10 March. Ash Wednesday gets its name from the practice of placing ashes on the foreheads of the faithful as a sign of repentance.
For more information click: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ash_Wednesday
Lent (Feb 17th): Tradition – Christian. is the period of the liturgical year leading up to Easter. The traditional purpose of Lent is the preparation of the believer — through prayer, penitence, almsgiving and self-denial — for the annual commemoration during Holy Week of the Death and Resurrection of Jesus, which recalls the events linked to the Passion of Christ and culminates in Easter, the celebration of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. Lent was also traditionally the term used to describe the period leading up to Christmas before the term of advent was officially recognised.
For more information click: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lent
Mawlid-al-Nabi (Feb 26th): Tradition – Islam. is a term used to refer to the observance of the birthday of the Islamic prophet Muhammad which occurs in Rabi' al-awwal, the third month in the Islamic calendar.The term Mawlid is also used in some parts of the world, such as Egypt, as a generic term for the birthday celebrations of other historical religious figures such as Sufi saints.
For more information click: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mawlid
Purim (Feb 28th): Tradition – Jewish. is celebrated annually according to the Hebrew calendar on the 14th day of the Hebrew month of Adar (Adar II in leap years), the day following the victory of the Jews over their enemies; as with all Jewish holidays, Purim begins at sundown on the previous secular day. In cities that were protected by a surrounding wall at the time of Joshua, including Shushan (Susa) and Jerusalem, Purim is celebrated on the 15th of the month, known as Shushan Purim. Purim is characterized by public recitation of the Book of Esther, giving mutual gifts of food and drink, giving charity to the poor, and a celebratory meal; other customs include drinking wine, wearing of masks and costumes, and public celebration.
For more information click: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Purim
Lantern Festival (Feb 28th): Celebrated in Chinese Tradition. is celebrated on the fifteenth day of the first month in the lunar year in the Chinese calendar. During the Lantern Festival, children go out at night to temples carrying paper lanterns and solve riddles on the. It officially ends the Chinese New Year. In ancient times, the lanterns were fairly simple, for only the emperor and noblemen had large ornate ones; in modern times, lanterns have been embellished with many complex designs. For example, lanterns are now often made in shapes of animals.
For more information click: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lantern_Festival
