Walpurgis Night

Walpurgis Night, April 30. This is an old pagan festival, which borrowed its name from Saint Walburga whose feast occurs on May Day. On this night witches are believed to ride on broomsticks and he-goats to places of old pagan sacrifices in the Harz Mountains, especially to Brocken, the highest point in the mountains. It is here in Goethe's Faust that the witches come on Walpurgis Night and sing:

Now to the Brocken the witches ride; The stubble is gold and the corn is green; There is the carnival crew to be seen, And Squire Urianus will come to preside. So over the valleys our company floats, With witches a-farting on stinking old goats.

Western Samoa

Independence Day, January 1. Celebrates the anniversary of the declaration of independence from New Zealand, made in 1962.
Independence Celebration Day, June 1. The country became fully independent on January 1, 1962.
White Sunday, second Sunday in October (Oct 10, 2004). A children's holiday on which everyone dresses in white.
Arbor Day, first Friday in November (Nov 5, 2004).

Public holidays   Independence Day, New Year, Easter, ANZAC Day, Whit Monday, Independence Celebration (June 1-3), National Women's Day, Christmas, Boxing Day.

winter

winter solstice, December 21. First day of winter. It is the shortest day of the year, but also the point at which the days will begin to lengthen again. In ancient times before the seasons were understood astronomically, people may not have felt any guarantee that the sun would return again unless the gods willed it. Perhaps they would first need to be appeased by the pagan priests. When the sun finally did begin to return, it was a great occaision. There was an ancient Roman festival called Saturnalia to celebrate it. Some of the customs from this and other winter celebrations are still included in our Christmas festivities.

Women's Day, International

Women's Day, International, March 8. Begins Women's Week, and in the Unites States, the whole month of March is National Women's History Month. In China, women employees get a whole or half paid day off, while the men must still work. Occurs on the anniversary of a demonstration in New York in 1857 when American women protested conditions in the textile and garment industries.

World War I

Armistice Day, November 11. Commemorates the anniversary of the end of World War I, which occurred on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day in the eleventh month in 1918. The war ended when the Allies and the Germans signed the Armistice. It is a public holiday in several countries. There are a couple similar holidays also occuring on the anniversary of this event. Remembrance Day also commemorates the end of World War II and is a public holiday in Canada, and in Bermuda, where it also honors the dead of these wars with military parades and memorial ceremonies. Veteran's Day honors the members of the armed forces of both World Wars, Korea, and Vietnam, and is a public holiday in the United States.

World War II

Liberation Day. Many of these days commemorate the withdrawal of Nazi troops during World War II, particularly May 5, 1945, when the Allies liberated the Netherlands and Denmark. Liberation days are celebrated in many countries in Europe and Asia.
V-E Day, May 8. Commemorates Victory in Europe acheived when the Germans signed an unconditional surrender in 1945, thus ending World War II. In France, Armistice Day is observed on this day.
V-J Day, August 14 or September 2. Commemerates victory over Japan. On August 14, 1945, President Truman announced that Japan had surrendered to the Allies. The surrender was officially ratified aboard the USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay on September 2. Truman declared September 2 as Victory-over-Japan Day.