Christmas Day
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Monday december 25, 2023
Catholic or protestant : Since pre-historic times in Europe, festivities (bonfires, offrerings) were marking the beginning of longer hours of daylight with fires and ritual. The Roman festival of Saturnalia lasted several days in December (gambling and offerings). Germanic tribes also celebrated mid-winter (drinking and rituals). The Bulgarian (with Koleduvane) and the Polish (with Gwiazdka) perpetuate this tradition. Jesus of Nazareth was probably born in springtime (Reformists favour autumn). But in the 4th century, December 25th was chosen for the celebration of his birth by Pope Julius I (Bishop Liberus is also mentioned in 354 A.D.). Thus, a Christian element was introduced in the long-established mid-winter festivals. Before 1582, the Papal States and other Italian city states celebrated New Years Day on Christmas Day.
Second Christmas Day
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Tuesday december 26, 2023
Secular holiday : Tweede Kerstdag
New Year's Day
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Monday january 1, 2024
Secular holiday : The world's most widely celebrated holiday, New Years was set on January 1 by Julius Caesar because that was the date the Roman consuls took over their duties. Paid holiday when falling on Saturday or Sunday
Epiphany
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Saturday january 6, 2024
cards/flowers :
Day of Judaism
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Wednesday january 17, 2024
Culture : Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI have encouraged the establishment of this elder brothers' day
Midwinter Marathon
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Sunday february 4, 2024
Sports events : Www.midwintermarathon.nl/ in Apeldoorn 2024 edition confirmed
Carnival
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Sunday february 11, 2024
Culture : Originally celebrated in the Catholic south, but now also celebrated in other parts of the country by Catholics and non-Catholics. lasts 3 days
Rotterdam ABN AMRO Tennis Tournament
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Monday february 12, 2024
Sports events : Www.atptennis.com/ 2024 edition confirmed
Valentine's Day
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Wednesday february 14, 2024
cards/flowers : Introduced by Pope Gelasus in 498, perhaps in response to a local Roman tradition of lovers writing their names on an urn in February
Ash Wednesday
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Wednesday february 14, 2024
Culture :
Prayer day for Crop and labor
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Wednesday march 13, 2024
Culture : Celebrated in the countryside. Protestants pray for the success of the harvest and of their work.
Arbor Day
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Wednesday march 20, 2024
cards/flowers :
Banks are closed
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Friday march 29, 2024
Banks only :
Easter
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Sunday march 31, 2024
Catholic or protestant : Paid holiday
Daylight Saving Time
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Sunday march 31, 2024
Special Events : At 1:00 am local times
April Fools Day
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Monday april 1, 2024
cards/flowers : As the story goes, in 1564, France was one of the first nations to make January 1 officially New Year's Day, instead of the last week of March which was previously observed. In 1582, the Pope followed suit. Those who went on celebrating April 1st were mocked. As the zodiacal sign was the fish, The French placed dead fish on the backs of one another. Traditions vary from country to country.
Easter Monday
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Monday april 1, 2024
Catholic or protestant : In the year 325, the Council of Nicée determined a date fo Easter. Full Moon would fall the 14th day of a moon month (1). Easter would be marked by the dominical letter(2)and the epactus(3). With the establishment of the equinox ne variatur on March 21, algorithms where elaborated to attribuate a date for Easter whatever the year.
Time between two consecutive new moons: 20 days 12 hours 44 minutes 2.8 - Gives a letter code for the year's calendar Age of the moon on January 1st, minus one unity, 0 being the new moon's age.
End of Ramadan (may be changed to the nearest day)
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Wednesday april 10, 2024
cards/flowers : The month of Ramadan is that in which was revealed the Quran; a guidance for mankind, and clear proofs of the guidance, and the criterion (of right and wrong). And whosoever of you is present, let him fast the month, and whosoever of you is sick or on a journey, a number of other days. Allah desires for you ease; He desires not hardship for you; and that you should complete the period, and that you should magnify Allah for having guided you, and that perhaps you may be thankful [Wikipedia]
Rotterdam Marathon
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Sunday april 14, 2024
Sports events : Http://fr.marathonrotterdam.org/ 2024 edition confirmed
Enschede Marathon
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Sunday april 21, 2024
Sports events : Www.enschedemarathon.nl 2024 edition confirmed
King's Birthday
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Saturday april 27, 2024
Secular holiday : Koningsdag
Passover
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Monday april 29, 2024
cards/flowers : Deliverance of the Jewish people from Egypt. The Seder service on the first two evenings recounts the story of the Exodus
Labour Day
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Wednesday may 1, 2024
Culture : This is not a public holiday
Liberty Day (Dodenherdenking) - 2 minutes of silence
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Saturday may 4, 2024
Secular holiday : In commemoration of those who were killed during World War 2 and other armed conflicts. There is 2 minute silence at 20:00 hrs, but it is not a holiday; flags are flown halfway the pole from 18:00 till dusk.
Liberation Day (Bevrijdingsdag) - optional holiday
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Sunday may 5, 2024
Secular holiday : Day on which the end of World War 2 is celebrated. This is an official National Holiday, but is also a normal working day. Some businesses has arranged for their employees to have this day off, others have not.
Ascension
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Thursday may 9, 2024
Catholic or protestant : Forty days after Easter, always on a Thursday. After his resurrection, Jesus appeared before his disciples and gathered them to tell them to baptize and spread the good word. He then ascended to heaven on a cloud.
Mothers' Day
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Sunday may 12, 2024
cards/flowers : Mothers day has evolved in many countries in different ways. This is because mothers day has different origins in different countries and therefore occurs on different days in the year.
One school of thought claims that this day emerged from the custom of mother worship in ancient Greece. Mother worship which kept a festival to Cybele, a great mother of gods, and Rhea, the wife of Cronus, was held on March 15 to March 18 around Asia Minor. They insist that this custom spread around the world.
Mothering Sunday is the celebration of motherhood in the United Kingdom. It is also known as Mid-lent Sunday, Rose Sunday and Laetare Sunday. It originally comes from the Victorian practice of allowing servants to return home to visit their mothers on this day.
In the United States, Julia Ward Howe (May 27, 1819 - October 17, 1910) was a prominent American abolitionist, social activist, and poet. Howes Battle Hymn of the Republic was first published in the Atlantic Monthly in 1862 and quickly became one of the most popular songs for the Union during the American Civil War. After the war she focused her activities on the causes of Pacifism and womens suffrage. In 1870 she was the first to proclaim Mothers Day, with her Mothers Day Proclamation. U.S. President Woodrow Wilson approved Mothers Day in 1914
Pentecost
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Sunday may 19, 2024
Catholic or protestant : paid holiday
Whit Monday
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Monday may 20, 2024
Catholic or protestant : Seven weeks after Easter Monday -Marking the day the Holy Spirit entered the disciples left behind and the beginning of their ministry.
Libema Tennis Open
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Monday june 10, 2024
Sports events : Https://www.wtatennis.com lasts 6 days - in S-Hertogenbosch 2024 edition confirmed
Fathers' Day
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Sunday june 16, 2024
cards/flowers :
Motorcycle Grand Prix
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Sunday june 30, 2024
Sports events : Www.motogp.com in ASSEN 2024 edition confirmed