# Anyone here celebrate any foreign holiday/s? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 1, 2010, 10:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-celebrate-any-foreign-holiday-s/562524 "2010-12-01T10:07:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![China\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@China\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/China_Guy)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2010, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-celebrate-any-foreign-holiday-s/562524/21 "2010-12-01T20:31:58Z")
Chinese New Year ---
**Author:** ![Shmendrik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Shmendrik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shmendrik)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2010, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-celebrate-any-foreign-holiday-s/562524/22 "2010-12-01T21:03:35Z")
> [@Mr.Excellent](#): > > Slight hijack, but: As a kid, I always found the way that American synagogues and Hebrew schools encourage identification with Israel to be vaguely creepy. Heck, mine used to end every day with the Israeli national anthem - which probably has a good claim to be the world’s most musically interesting anthem, but still. We’re Americans, not Israelis - it seems inappropriate to encourage this level of identification with a country that, after all, has interests and priorities distinct from those of the United States. Although identification with the _State_ of Israel is obviously a 20th century phenomenon, a quick glance at Jewish scriptures and prayers shows that the _land_ of Israel has always been a central part of the Jewish religion. BTW, in my case St Patrick’s Day or Robbie Burns day fits the OP’s description very well since I’m not of British descent. ---
**Author:** ![glowacks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/glowacks/32/5548_2.png) [@glowacks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glowacks)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2010, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-celebrate-any-foreign-holiday-s/562524/23 "2010-12-02T04:31:50Z")
Pączki Day in Poland is apparently on the Thursday before Lent according to Wikipedia, but is on Fat Tuesday in the US. Not that I celebrate it at all, because putting fruit in a pastry is an abomination to my senses. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2010, 8:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-celebrate-any-foreign-holiday-s/562524/24 "2010-12-02T08:00:21Z")
> [@Hello\_Again](#): > > For several years I used to have a party on [Maslenitsa](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maslenitsa) – a Russian folk holiday that is associated with Lent, but predates Christianity. You serve blini, sweet pancakes, and other circular foods that represent the sun’s return. Fried eggs, sunny side up 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![missred](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/missred/32/14096_2.png) [@missred](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/missred)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2010, 9:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-celebrate-any-foreign-holiday-s/562524/25 "2010-12-02T09:43:28Z")
There are a few that I have been known to celebrate. Bpee Mai (Lao New Year) - I have worked for a number of years among many Lao. In late April, we usually have a huge potluck (with fantastic food, I might add) to celebrate the Lao New Year. Eid ul Fitr (end of Ramadan) - Although I am not Muslim, this is another feast day that tends to be celebrated in my workplace. Many times, Muslims in the department will either bring in food or have food catered in for everyone. Dyngus Day (Easter Monday) - I don’t know if this one counts, as I am of Polish descent. Celebrated in the US, usually it is an excuse to eat / drink to excess. In South Bend, IN, it is also a big day for (mostly Dem) politicos to do some hand shaking and stumping. I’m game to celebrate any holiday that involves eating, drinking, parades and general merry making with any group who wants to celebrate. It’s fun and sometimes, I even learn a bit about another culture. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2010, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-celebrate-any-foreign-holiday-s/562524/26 "2010-12-02T14:22:28Z")
> [@glowacks](#): > > Pączki Day in Poland is apparently on the Thursday before Lent according to Wikipedia, but is on Fat Tuesday in the US. Not that I celebrate it at all, because putting fruit in a pastry is an abomination to my senses. Pączki are a big deal in Cleveland. You don’t have to be Polish or Catholic or even Christian to enjoy a jelly doughnut. ---
**Author:** ![Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malleus_incus_stapes/32/3293_2.png) [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malleus_Incus_Stapes)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2010, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-celebrate-any-foreign-holiday-s/562524/27 "2010-12-02T21:34:37Z")
> [@IvoryTowerDenizen](#): > > As an American Jew, most Synagogues celebrate Israeli Independence day (Yom Haz’zmaut), here in the US. We make particular note of it in my family as my father was a soldier in the Israeli army in 1948. And Yom HaZikaron (Memorial Day) and Yom Yerushalayim (Jerusalem Day)… it’s amazing how many days off/special events/pastries in the lobby you can get when you go to a Jewish school. Even now, in college, they’ll often put off lessons for a topical video, or just general discussion of the holiday. ---
**Author:** ![ZPG\_Zealot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e47c2d/32.png) [@ZPG\_Zealot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZPG_Zealot)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2010, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-celebrate-any-foreign-holiday-s/562524/28 "2010-12-03T03:31:50Z")
Another Bastille Day celebrator here. It’s kind of a weird family tradiation. One of my great-aunts grew up in France and she celebrated Bastille Day with a gigantic dinner and party, French music, and fireworks where permissible. She’s been dead eighteen years and now we’re still throwing the big Bastille Day party every year. ---
**Author:** ![BMalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@BMalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMalion)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2010, 11:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-celebrate-any-foreign-holiday-s/562524/29 "2010-12-03T11:16:57Z")
I celebrate the Emporer’s Birthday every 23 of December. Why not? We got the day off with pay when I worked for the Japanese in California. 😃 Also Bobby Burns day is a good reason to wear my kilt. ---
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2010, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-celebrate-any-foreign-holiday-s/562524/30 "2010-12-03T13:13:45Z")
When **kung fu lola** was staying in Australia with her wife’s family, they were all OBSESSED with Thanksgiving (Canadian Thanksgiving, to be precise) – not an Australian tradition – and basically dragooned her (nicely) into cooking a Thanksgiving feast for the entire family, with turkey and the whole nine yards. Everyone including **kfl** had a grand time. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Woo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7c8e57/32.png) [@Dr.Woo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Woo)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2010, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-celebrate-any-foreign-holiday-s/562524/31 "2010-12-04T00:11:29Z")
I celebrate Eid and Diwali with my co-workers. Tons of great food and sometimes snake dancing! Like **missred** , I’m always ready for food and fun, whether it’s tacos and Pacifico or pakoras and Taj Mahal. ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2010, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-celebrate-any-foreign-holiday-s/562524/32 "2010-12-04T00:27:50Z")
Chinese New Year Sorta Chinese Moon Festival (we eat moon cakes and stuff) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-celebrate-any-foreign-holiday-s/562524.md?page=1)