Special+Celebrations+around+the+world_-

= - 1. Diwali - The Festival of Lights ( INDIA ) - //with short video at the end// = > ==The festival gets its name from the row ( //avali) // of __clay lamps__ (or //deepa) //== ==that Indians light __outside their homes__ to symbolize the inner light that protects us from spiritual darkness. This festival is as important to Hindus as the Christmas holiday is to Christians. ==
 * [[image:http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/content/dam/kids/photos/Countries/H-P/diwali_candles.jpg.adapt.945.1.jpg width="619" height="350"]]
 * ==Diwali, or Dipawali, __** is India 's biggest and most important national holiday of the year. **__==



=India was an agricultural society where people would seek the divine blessing __**of Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth**__, as they closed their accounting books and prayed for success at the outset of a new financial year. = =Today, this practice extends to businesses all over the Indian subcontinent, which mark the day after Diwali as the first day of the new financial year. = =Some believe that Lakshmi wanders the Earth looking for homes where she will be welcomed. People open their doors and windows and light lamps to invite Lakshmi in. = = = = **The festival marks the victory of good over evil. ** =
 * =** Diwali, celebrated in October or early November each year (in 2015 between 11 - 15 November) **, originated as a __harvest festival__ that marked the last harvest of the year before winter. =
 * =** Indians celebrate with family gatherings, glittering clay lamps, festive fireworks, strings of electric lights, bonfires, flowers, sharing of sweets, and worship to Lakshmi. **=
 * =Over the centuries, Diwali has become __**a national festival** __ that is enjoyed by most Indians regardless of faith: Hindus, Jains, Buddhists, and Sikhs. =

** Five Days of Diwali **

 * __On the first day __<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: DinAlternate,'Helvetica Neue',Helvetica,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5;"> of Diwali, housewives consider it auspicious to spring clean the home and shop for gold or kitchen utensils.


 * __<span style="font-family: DinAlternate,'Helvetica Neue',Helvetica,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5;">On the second day __<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: DinAlternate,'Helvetica Neue',Helvetica,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5;">, people ** decorate their homes **<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: DinAlternate,'Helvetica Neue',Helvetica,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5;"> with ** clay lamps ** <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: DinAlternate,'Helvetica Neue',Helvetica,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5;">or //<span style="font-family: DinAlternate,'Helvetica Neue',Helvetica,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5;">diyas //<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: DinAlternate,'Helvetica Neue',Helvetica,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5;"> and ** create design patterns called __rangoli__ **<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: DinAlternate,'Helvetica Neue',Helvetica,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5;"> on the floor or outside their homes using colored __**powders or sand.**__


 * __ The third day __ is ** the main day of the festival ** when families gather together for // Lakshmi puja //, a prayer to Goddess Lakshmi followed by mouth-watering feasts and firework festivities.


 * __ The fourth day __ is the first day of the new year when friends and relatives visit with gifts and best wishes for the season.


 * __ On the last day __ of Diwali, brothers visit their married sisters who welcome them with love and a lavish meal.



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 * =** VIDEO about DIWALI media type="custom" key="29409021" **=

=* - 2. The Moon Festival (celebrated in CHINA and VIETNAM) = <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5; text-align: justify;">and express strong yearnings toward family members and friends who live afar. In addition, there are some other customs like playing lanterns, and dragon and lion dances in some regions. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #3366cc; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: justify;">[|Moon Cake] <span style="background-color: #ffffff; display: block; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: justify; vertical-align: top;">
 * or The ** Mid-Autumn Festival ** is a [|harvest festival] celebrated by ethnic [|Chinese] and [|Vietnamese] people.
 * The festival is held on the 15th day of the eighth month in the Chinese [|Han calendar] and [|Vietnamese calendar]
 * (within 15 days of the [|autumnal equinox] ), on the night of the [|full moon] between early September to early October of the [|Gregorian calendar] . (in September or early October - when the moon is full)
 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; display: block; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: justify;">On the festival day, family members gather to offer sacrifice to the moon, appreciate the bright full moon, eat moon cakes
 * = The Moon Cake is the special food of Mid-Autumn Festival. On that day, people sacrifice moon cakes to the moon as an offering and eat them for celebration. =
 * = Moon cakes are sweet and come in various flavors according to the region. =
 * = The moon cakes are round, symbolizing the reunion of a family, so it is easy to understand how the eating of moon cakes under <span style="display: inline !important; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: top;">the round moon can evoke longing for distant relatives and friends. =
 * = Nowadays, people present moon cakes to relatives and friends to demonstrate that they wish them a long and happy life. [[image:http://storage.stcatharinesstandard.ca/v1/dynamic_resize/sws_path/suns-prod-images/1297317606595_ORIGINAL.jpg?quality=80&size=650x&stmp=1349098884159]]=

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 * ** VIDEO ** media type=custom key=28021095