List of winter festivals

Table of contents

1 Chinese 2 Christian 3 Historical 4 Jewish 5 Muslim 6 Neopagan 7 Secular

Chinese

• Dong zhi - Winter solstice
• Signature of the Constitution of the Republic of China (Taiwan) - December 25 - a secular national holiday, which due to its date is celebrated in some respects like Christmas
• Chinese New Year (late January - early February) - actually a spring festival

Christian

• Advent - four weeks prior to Christmas - preparing for the birth of Christ.
• Christmas Eve - December 24
• Christmas - December 25 - the birth of Christ.
• Saint Stephen's Day - December 26
• Saint Sylvester's Day - December 31
• Epiphany or Twelfth Night - January 6 - the arrival of the Three Magi.
• Candlemas - February 2

Historical

• Modranect, or Mothers' Night , the Saxon winter soltice festival.
• Saturnalia, the Roman winter soltice festival
• Yule the Celtic winter soltice festival

Jewish

• Hanukkah - December (variable) - commemorating the miracle of the candles after the destruction of the Temple

Muslim

• Ramadan and Eid ul-Fitr - not actually a winter festival per se, but currently falling in December

Neopagan

• Yule (Winter Solstice) - rebirth of the Sun
• Imbolc (February 1 or 2) - festival of candles

Secular

• Zamenhof Day - December 15 - Birthday of Ludwig Zamenhof, inventor of Esperanto; holiday reunion for Esperantists
• Boxing Day - December 26 - gift-giving day after Christmas.
• Kwanzaa - December 26-January 1 - festival of African-American culture
• New Year's Day - January 1
• Hogmanay (Scotland)
• Groundhog Day - February 2