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⚽ Sports and games 🎉 Festivals and traditions

Festivals and celebrations

Local fairs called “ferias” are held all over Spain and Latin America. The Spanish fair above celebrates the grape harvest.
Local fairs called “ferias” are held all over Spain and Latin America. The Spanish fair above celebrates the grape harvest.

📖 In short

Festivals and celebrations are special days when we're happy and get together with family and friends, and most come once a year. Some are religious festivals, and some celebrate the harvest, a new year or an important national event.

🤩 Did you know?

  • Eid al-Fitr is on the first day of Shawwal.
  • Eid al-Adha is on the tenth of Dhu al-Hijjah.
  • Every country has a national day celebrating its history.
  • In some countries people celebrate the date or olive harvest season.

🔎 Find out more

🌟 The two Muslim Eids

Muslims have two Eids: Eid al-Fitr after fasting the month of Ramadan, and Eid al-Adha during the days of Hajj. On them people pray the Eid prayer, wear new clothes, visit relatives and give children “eidiya” (gift money).

🔍 The joy of Eid

At Eid people say the takbir and exchange greetings: “Eid Mubarak” and “may every year find you well”. Mothers make biscuits and ma'amoul, and children play in parks and squares.

💡 Sharing with the poor

One of the best things about Eid is remembering the poor: at Eid al-Fitr Muslims give zakat al-fitr, and at Eid al-Adha they share some of the sacrifice meat with people in need.

🎯 Celebrations around the world

Peoples around the world celebrate many occasions: national days with flags and fireworks, harvest festivals, and Chinese New Year with red lanterns and dragons.

📸 More pictures

Guadalupe Day is Mexico's most important religious festival. People wear colorful Indian costumes for it.
Guadalupe Day is Mexico's most important religious festival. People wear colorful Indian costumes for it.
A Shinto religious festival in Kyoto, Japan, with a parade of huge floats; it began in 866. A religious procession of villagers in Sri Lanka celebrates the birthday of the Buddha, founder of Buddhism.
A Shinto religious festival in Kyoto, Japan, with a parade of huge floats; it began in 866. A religious procession of villagers in Sri Lanka celebrates the birthday of the Buddha, founder of Buddhism.
A Shinto religious festival in Kyoto, Japan, with a parade of huge floats; it began in 866. A religious procession of villagers in Sri Lanka celebrates the birthday of the Buddha, founder of Buddhism.
A Shinto religious festival in Kyoto, Japan, with a parade of huge floats; it began in 866. A religious procession of villagers in Sri Lanka celebrates the birthday of the Buddha, founder of Buddhism.

🧩 Test yourself

1 When does Eid al-Fitr come?

2 What do we say at Eid?

3 Which picture shows “Festivals and celebrations”?

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