Book Club

Is English an additional language for you?

Join us with your child/children on a Thursday in the school library between 3:15 and 4:15.

A selection of dual language books will be available for you to hire. There will also be a range of games and activities to help your child with learning at home.

We use games as an aid to support children in learning different aspects of the English language.

Come and try them out.

Chong Hai, sharing a book with his mum.

Finger puppets are great for getting the children involved with their learning.

There are lots of different resources to help with sentence structure.

Sara, Alex and their mummy bring their friend, Michelle, to show them what were are

learning.

.We are lucky to have bi-lingual talking dictionaries, throughout school. These will be available for you to try out.

Maja and her mummy are using a Polish bi-lingual dictionary.

Mrs Sprake and Linvoy are discussing what the book is about.

Festivals and CelebrationsJanuary 31 days in the month

NEW YEAR’S DAY / HOGMANAY NationalA day widely observed throughout the UK, as is New Year’s Eve the preceding night, and  especially in Scotland, where bagpipes, haggis and first footing are widespread. It is customary to make New Year’s Resolutions at this time

GANJITSU JapaneseNew Year’s Day celebrations in Japan are sometimes extended for up to three days, during which businesses are closed, families spend time together, decorations are put up and the first visit of the year is paid to local Shinto shrines

BIRTHDAY OF GURU GOBIND SINGH(Sikh) 1666-1708 According to the Sikh Nanakshahi calendar, this day marks the birth of the tenth and final Sikh prophet-teacher. Guru Gobind Singh introduced many of the customs that Sikhs practise today including the 5 K's.

EPIPHANY First Sunday (Christian)The Epiphany is an ancient Christian feast day and is significant in a number of ways. The Western Church began celebrating the Epiphany in the 4th century where it was, and still is, associated with the visit of the magi (wise men) to the infant Jesus.

ORTHODOX CHRISTMAS (Christian) Orthodox Christians in the United Kingdom celebrate the Nativity of Christ (Jesus' birth) on the Orthodox Christmas Day.

MAKAR SANKRANTI/LOHRI (Hindu) Harvest Festival Sankranti means to go from one place to another place (to change direction). It also means one meets another. The time when the sun changes direction from one constellation (of the zodiac) to another is Pongal (Hindu) Harvest Festival Pongal is celebrated every year in mid January - mostly in the south of India and especially in Tamil Nadu - to mark the harvest of crops and a special thanksgiving to God, the sun, the earth and the cattle.

MARTIN LUTHER KING born 1929."I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the colour of their skin but by the content of their character."World Religion Day

PAUL CEZANNE(1839 - 1906)Paul Cézanne, one of a group of famous French painters called Post-Impressionists, was born on 19 January 1839.

VASANT PANCHAMI/SARAWATI PUJA (Hindu) This festival marks the first day of spring and is held to worship Sarawati, the goddess of learning. It is also known as Magh Sukla Panchami as it falls in the month of Magh (Jan-Feb)

THE CHINESE NEW YEAR The Chinese use the Lunar calendar for their festivals. The Lunar calendar is based on the time the moon takes to go around the Earth. The first day of each Chinese year will always fall sometime between January 21 and February 21, inclusive, and takes place at sunset on the day of the second (sometimes rarely on the third) New Moon following the winter solstice (21 or 22 December).

BURN’S NIGHT (Scotland)

TU B’SHEVAT Jewish calenderIs the day that marks the beginning of a “new year” for trees. This is the season in which the earliest-blooming trees in the Land of Israel emerge from their winter sleep and begin a new fruit-bearing cycle. Trees are planted in memory of loved ones.

ST DWYNWEN’S DAY WalesSt Dwynwen's day is celebrated in Wales on 25 Jan and commemorates the patron saint of friendship and love.

National Holocaust Memorial Day

MAHAYANA BUDDHIST NEW YEAR (3 days)(Buddhist) New Year for Mahayana Buddhists celebrated on the first full moon day in January

BIRTHDAY OF GURU HAR RAI (Nanakshahi calendar) (Sikh) This day marks the birth of the seventh Sikh prophet-teacher.

February February is the second month of the year in our modern day Gregorian calendar. It is the year's shortest month with only 28 days in common years and 29 days in leap years.

SETSUBUN BEAN THROWING FESTIVAL (Japanese) This last day of winter is a time to drive out evil spirits with a bean throwing ceremony. Handfuls of beans are thrown into dark corners, with shouts of "Fortune In, Devils Out".

MAHA SHIVARATRI (Great Shiva Night) (Hindu) The main festival to worship Shiva. Many Hindus will fast and prayers are focused on Shiva and his shrines and statues. Each new moon is dedicated to Shiva, but Maha Shivratri is especially important because it is the night when he danced the 'Tandav', his cosmic dance.

THOMAS EDISON (11 February 1847 – 18 October 1931)Thomas Edison held a world record of 1093 patents for inventions such as the phonograph, the motion picture camera, and a long-lasting, practical electric light bulb.

CHARLES DARWIN Biologist, Scientist (1809–1882)Charles was the naturalist who first described the process of evolution. In 1831, Darwin set sail on H.M.S. Beagle as a member of a science expedition. In South America Darwin found fossils of extinct animals that were similar to modern species. In the Galapagos Islands Darwin noticed how the same species of birds, cut off from centuries on different islands, had developed in quite different ways. These and many other amazing discoveries led him to his theory of 'evolution by natural selection'. This theory lies behind all modern ideas on how different species of living things have become to be the way they are and how they will change in the future.

14 ST VALENTINES DAY (Christian)Valentine's Day (Saint Valentine's Day) is an occasion celebrated on February 14. It is the traditional day on which people express their love for each other by sending Valentine's cards, presenting flowers, or offering confectionery. The Valentine that most experts believe is the actual one remembered on St. Valentine's Day was a Roman who was martyred for refusing to give up Christianity.

PARI NIRVANA /Nirvana Day (Buddhists) Mahayana Buddhist festival marking the final passing away from this world of Gautama Buddha at Kushinagara, India, at the age of 80.

SHROVE TUESDAY (Christian) Commonly known as Pancake Day, this is the day before the start of Lent. Christians traditionally 'use up' rich foods in preparation for fasting during Lent.

Ash Wednesday(Christian)Ash Wednesday marks the first day of Lent, the forty days (not counting Sundays) that lead up to Easter. Ashes are placed on the heads of the faithful as a sign of penitence.

Mawlid-al-Nabi (Milad un Nabi) (Muslim) Commemorates the birth of the Prophet Muhammed in about 570 C.E.

PURIM(Jewish) Purim celebrates the deliverance of the Jewish people from the wicked Haman in the days of Queen Esther of Persia. They remember Queen Esther who saved the life of the Jewish people, as told in The Book of Esther. This is read twice in the synagogue. The name of Haman is drowned out with rattles and hooters by thecongregation whenever it is read. Many people come in fancy dress. Hamantashen (cakes filled with poppy seeds, literally "Haman's pockets") are made and eaten at this time.Note that in the Jewish calander, a holiday begins on the sunset of the previous day.

TENG CHIEH (Yuen Sui)(Chinese) This is the Lantern Festival which marks the first full moon of the year and the lengthening of days. It also marks the end of the celebration of Chinese New Year. Lanterns of all colours but white - the colour of mourning - are hung up.

A leap year has 366 days, as opposed to a common year, which has 365. Nearly every 4 years is a Leap Year, and we add a Leap Day, an extra – or intercalary – day on February 29.The next leap year is 2016.

March March is the third month of the year in the Gregorian calendar. It has 31 days.

ST DAVIDS DAY(Christian) This holy day of the Patron Saint of Wales celebrates Welsh culture and history.

Holi (Hindu) One of the most colourful Hindu festivals, Holi begins with a bonfire to celebrate the death of Holika, the demon of winter.

MOTHER’S DAY/MOTHERING SUNDAY(3 weeks before Easter)A time for people living in the UK to think about their mothers. People often give flowers or chocolates or organise a special day out for their mothers at this time, and send a special "Mother's Day" card.

THOMAS EDISON (1847–1931)Thomas Edison held a world record of 1093 patents for inventions such as the phonograph, the motion picture camera, and a long-lasting, practical electric light bulb.

HOLA MAHALLA (Sikh) Festival of martial arts. It takes place on the day after the end of Holi.

NANAKSHAHI - Sikh New Year(Sikh) The Sikh calendar is called the Nanakshahi Calendar and takes its name from Guru Nanak, who founded Sikhism.

VIKRAM SAMVAT 2067 Hindi New Year(Hindu)

CHAITRA NAVRATRI (Hindu) Observed during the Shukla Paksha (Waxing phase of moon) in the month of Chaitra (March – April).

ST.PATRICK’S DAY(Christian) This holy day of the Patron Saint of Ireland celebrates Irish culture and history.

Spring Equinox First day of Spring

Palm Sunday (Christian) Palm Sunday is the first day of Holy Week i.e. the week which recalls the last week of Jesus' earthly human life. Christians remember his triumphal entry into Jerusalem, where later he would be arrested and crucified.

Passion Sunday The fifth Sunday in Lent, two weeks before Easter Sunday

Rama Navami (Hindu) This festival celebrates the birthday of Lord Rama, seventh incarnation of the god Vishnu.

British Summer Time Begins (clocks go forward 1 hour)

Holy Week (Christian) This is the most solemn week of the Christian year. Christians remember Jesus' life beginning on Palm Sunday, when Jesus enters Jerusalem and ends on Good Friday when He was crucified.

Hanuman Jayanti (Hindu) Hindus celebrate the birth of Hanuman, the monkey-warrior

April 30 days in the month

April Fool's DayA day of jokes and tricks. You have to play the joke before 12 o’clock midday, otherwise the joke is on you.

Mahavir JayantiMahavir Jayanti is the most important religious holiday for Jains. It’s celebrated in the Indian month of Caitra (late March/early April). Mahavir Jayanti celebrates the birth of Mahavira, a contemporary of the Buddha. Mahavira was the last Tirthankara (great sage) and the most important prophet of the Jain faith. Mahavir Jayanti is marked with prayer and fasting.

Good FridayOn Good Friday Christians walk the Via Dolorosa in the Old City of Jerusalem which is said to be the path Jesus took on the way to his crucifixion.Good Friday is the day in the calendar when Christians remember the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. It's a solemn day when believers reflect on the meaning of Christ's suffering and death

Passover (Pesach)Passover starts with a special dinner called 'seder'. The foods eaten at seder have a symbolic meaning related to the escape from slavery. At Passover, Jews remember the Israelites' liberation from slavery in Egypt. It's one of the most important festivals of the year.Passover lasts for eight days. Jewish people celebrate with special ceremonies, and observe specific customs which remember the escape from Egypt, as told in the Book of Exodus.

The festival of Baisakhi – Sikh New YearThe festival of Baisakhi is celebrated on first day of Vaisakh month (April-May) according to the Nanakshahi calendar. Hence, the festival of Baisakhi is also popularly known as Vaisakhi. According to Gregorian Calendar, Baisakhi falls on April 13 every year and on April 14 once in 36 years. This variation in date is due to the fact that date of Baisakhi is reckoned according to the Indian solar calendar and not the lunar calendar.

The Queen's birthdaysThe Queen celebrates two birthdays each year: her actual birthday on 21 April and her official birthday on a Saturday in June

St. George's Day in United KingdomSt George's Day in England remembers St George, England's patron saint. The anniversary of his death, which is on April 23, is seen as England's national day. According to legend, he was a soldier in the Roman army who killed a dragon and saved a princess.

William Shakespeare’s birthdayWilliam Shakespeare’s birthday, when events take place to honour the playwright. The best place to experience Shakespeare Day is in his hometown.

Wesak or Vaisakha PujaWesak is the most important festival in the Buddhist calendar. Theravada Buddhists celebrate the birth, enlightenment and death of Gautama Buddha on this day. Mahayana Buddhists have separate days to celebrate each to them. Houses are decorated with lanterns and garlands and in many countries captive birds are released to symbolise Buddha's compassion. The particular emphasis of the day is on these three phases of Buddha's life.

May 31 days in the month

May Day May Day is an ancient northern hemisphere spring festival and usually a public holiday. It is also a traditional spring holiday in many cultures. Dances, singing, and cake are usually part of the celebrations that the day includes.

Buddha PurnimaBuddha Purnima festival is celebrated to mark the birth of Lord Buddha. Buddha Purnima or Buddha Jayanti is celebrated with traditional religious fervor. Buddha Purnima falls on the full moon day in the Hindu month of Vaisakh (April/May).

Cheung Chau Bun Festival, Hong KongThe most important festival native to Cheung Chau the Bun Festival is the celebration of the end of a plague in historic times, but today it is simply the highlight of the festive year for the island, with many visitors from Hong Kong and all over the world arriving to enjoy the celebrations.

Beliye Nochi, RussiaFrom late May to early July the nights are bright in St. Petersburg, the White Nights, normally lasting from June 11th to July 2nd. The White Nights (Beliye Nochi) are a curious phenomenon. Night becomes curiously indistinguishable from day, so much so that the authorities never need to turn the city's streetlights on!

Day of Vesak Millions of Buddhists celebrate Vesak Day, an officially recognized United Nations (UN) holiday that celebrates the birth of Gautama Buddha, the founder of Buddhism.

The RHS Chelsea Flower Show, UKis a garden show held for five days in May by the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) in the grounds of the Royal Hospital Chelsea in Chelsea, London. Held at Chelsea since 1912, it is the most famous flower show in the United Kingdom, and perhaps in the world,] attracting visitors from all continents.

June 30 days in the month

THE NIGHT OF FORGIVENESS / LAILAT-UL-BARA’AH MuslimBIRTHDAY of 12th IMAM, Muhammad ibn Hasan al-Mahdi (Shi‘a)On the fourteenth of Sha’ban, the eighth month of the Muslim calendar and two weeks before Ramadan commences, Muslims seek forgiveness for their sins. Many Muslims believe that it is on this night that a person’s destiny is fixed by Allah for the coming year, and the night is often spent in prayer, asking for forgiveness and God’s guidance. Some Muslims fast during the daytime in preparation for the night. In certain parts of the world Muslims visit the graves of relatives, and the giving of charity is also traditional. In a number of places the night is marked with firework displays. Lailat-ul-Bara’ah falls on the day that is celebrated by the Ithna Asheri Shi‘a community as being the birthday of the 12th Imam (Muhammad ibn Hasan al-Mahdi), and they therefore observe the night in prayer and worship, and then celebrate the birthday during the daytime.

DAY OF THANKSGIVING FOR THE INSTITUTION OF HOLY COMMUNION Christian (Anglican) Also Known as Corpus Christi- The Anglican church celebrates this on the Thursday after Trinity Sunday (which falls on 31 May this year). The day recalls the act of Jesus in instituting the celebration of Holy Communion.

CORPUS CHRISTI (CORPUS ET SANGUIS CHRISTI) Christian (Roman Catholic)The festival of Corpus Christi celebrates the institution of the Mass/Eucharist. It falls 60 days after Easter. In the ancient world it was customary to scatter flowers in the path of important people as a sign of respect and reverence, and this custom was adopted by the Church to honour the Blessed Sacrament as it was carried in procession on this festival day.

DRAGON BOAT FESTIVAL / DUANWUJIE / TUAN YANG CHIEH ChineseMost notable now for the great dragon boat races which take place between slim rowing boats (sometimes 100 feet long) shaped like dragons. People also go down to the rivers to picnic and celebrate on boats. Originally the festival commemorated the suicide by drowning of the poet and statesman Ch’u Yuan in about 279 BCE

RAMADAN Muslim Ramadan is the name of the 9th month of the Islamic Calendar. During Ramadan Muslims fast from dawn to sunset. Fasting (sawm) is one of the five pillars of Islam, requiring self-discipline and giving everyone some experience of deprivation. Those who are not able to fast are expected to give charity to compensate for the lost days. While children may be encouraged to fast, the full fast is not compulsory until maturity, but many young people still attempt to keep some, or even all of it. For Muslims it is the holiest month of the year, and one they try to dedicate to spiritual renewal, prayer and intensive devotional reading of the Qur’an. It is the month in which, according to Islamic belief, the Prophet received the first revelation of verses of the Qur’an. No food or drink may be consumed during the hours of daylight. Muslims who are travelling or sick and women who are pregnant or nursing a child are excused from the fast .After the custom of the Prophet, the fast is traditionally broken each evening by taking dates and water

MIDSUMMER SOLSTICE Wiccan/Pagan The summer solstice is the festival of Midsummer, sometimes called Litha. The light of the sun is at the height of its power. It is a time of plenty and celebration.

August 31 days in the month

LAMMAS/LUGHNASADH Lughnasadh, otherwise called Lammas, is the time of the corn harvest, when Pagans reap those things they have sown and when they celebrate the fruits of the mystery of Nature. At Lughnasadh, Pagans give thanks for the bounty of the Goddess as Queen of the Land.

July 31 days in the monthJASHN-E TIRGAN (TIR JASHAN) Zoroastrian (Iranian)Jashn-e Tirgan is an ancient quarter year summer festival, celebrated about three months after the spring NoRuz. Tirgan is devoted to the divinity Tir and is associated with the dog-star Sirius and the coming of the rains in Iran and the fertility they bring. On this day it is customary to visit the Fire Temple to give thanks to Ahura Mazda, to participate in a jashan or thanksgiving ceremony, listen to stories of how the boundaries of Iran were established in antiquity with its Central Asian neighbour Turan (now Turkmenistan) by an archer shooting an arrow, share a community meal, play with ‘rainbow’ bracelets made of seven coloured silks, splash each other with water, and dance and make merry.

LAILAT-UL-QADR / THE NIGHT OF POWER / HONOUR / DIGNITY MuslimThis commemorates the night in 610 CE when the prophet Muhammad received his first visit from the angel Jibril (Gabriel) and his revelation of the Qur’an. Muslims believe that the date of this night is kept secret by God, but that they ‘may seek the Night of Dignity in the odd nights of the last ten days of Ramadan’ (Bukhaari, quoting Aisha, who heard it from the Prophet). Many Muslims spend the last ten days and nights of Ramadan secluded in the mosque, praying and studying the Qur’an, to ensure they receive the special benefits promised for their prayers and devotions on Lailat-ul-Qadr.

RATHA YATRA Hindu ‘Chariot journey’. This is observed most notably at Puri in the Indian state of Orissa, where processions of thousands of devotees pull huge waggons (rathas) supporting images of Krishna. He is known under the name of ‘Jagannath’, (Lord of the Universe), from which the English term ‘juggernaut’ comes. Krishna is attended on his journey by his brother and sister. The festival and others like it are celebrated in Britain with processions through various parts of London on appropriate Sundays.

EID-UL-FITR / FEAST OF FAST BREAKING (1st Shawwal) Muslim Celebrations of this festival may extend over the first three days of the month of Shawwal, the month following Ramadan, although only the first day’s celebration is religiously sanctioned. It is a time for making gifts to the poor (Zakat-ul-Fitr, the charity of the fast, must be paid before the Eid prayer). Now is a time for new clothes, good food, and presents for children. Families get together and contact friends, especially those who live far away. The community will assemble for Eid prayer and a sermon at the mosque or at a large place which will accommodate the whole community of the town or village. The traditional greeting is ‘Eid Mubarak’ – ‘a happy and blessed Eid’. (

CHOKOR (also CHO KOR DU CHEN) BuddhistThis is a Tibetan and Nepalese festival that commemorates the first teaching (the turning of the wheel of law) given by the historical Buddha. It is a colourful and relaxed mid-summer festival, when statues of the Buddha and copies of the scriptures, engraved on narrow, rectangular wooden blocks, are carried round the district with music and jollity, symbolising the promulgation of the Buddha’s teaching.

BIRTHDAY OF HAILE SELASSIE I RastafarianThis is one of the holiest days of the Rastafarian year. It is celebrated with Nyahbinghi drumming, hymns and prayers.

TISHA B’AV JewishThis is the saddest day of the Jewish calendar. A full day fast is held at the conclusion of three weeks of mourning, while reflecting on the destruction of the first and second Temples in Jerusalem. Other tragedies in Jewish history are also recalled, many of which have coincidentally happened on this day. The Book of Lamentations is read at this time.

ASALHA PUJA BuddhistDhammacakka day – ‘The turning of the wheel of teaching’. This is aTheravada celebration of the First Proclamation by Gautama to five ascetics in the Deer Park near Benares. In it he taught the Middle Way, the Noble Eightfold Path and the Four Noble Truths.

O-BON JapaneseA Japanese festival when the spirits of the departed are welcomed back home with feasting and dancing. Fires are often lit to illuminate their arrival and departure. Celebrations in rural areas may take place one month earlier.

ASSUMPTION (DORMITION) OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY Christian (Roman Catholic) On this day Catholic Christians celebrate the ‘taking up’ of Mary, body and soul, to heaven. Many Catholic communities mark the festival of the Assumption with processions and fêtes.

NAVROZE / NO RUZ Zoroastrian (Shenshai – Parsi) New Year’s Day on the Shenshai Calendar. In the tenth century a group of Zoroastrians fled from Iran and were given religious sanctuary by the Hindus of Western India, where they became known as Parsis (or Persians).

THE TRANSFIGURATION ChristianThis festival commemorates the occasion when Jesus went up a mountain with three of his disciples, Peter, James and John; here, as his death approached, they saw his face change and his clothes become dazzling white. They witnessed him in conversation with Moses and Elijah, and heard a voice saying,

HERD BOY AND WEAVING MAID FESTIVAL / QIXIJIE / CH’I HOU CHIEH ChineseThis Double Seven festival perpetuates an ancient folk tale of two stars, one on either side of the Heavenly River (the Milky Way). They are held to have been a herd boy and a heavenly weaving maid who had married but were separated when she returned to heaven. The lovers are allowed a reunion on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month when a flock of magpies form a bridge across the Heavenly River. But if it rains on that day, the River overflows and sweeps away the bridge, so preventing their meeting for a whole year. Women traditionally pray for clear skies on the night of the seventh day of the month.

KHORDAD SAL Zoroastrian (Shenshai)Khordad Sal is the Birthday of Zarathushtra and falls on the sixth day following NoRuz. Khordad means perfection and the festival of Khordad Sal symbolically celebrates the birthday of Prophet Zarathushtra. It is customary on this day to visit the Fire Temple, to give thanks to Ahura Mazda for giving humanity the Prophet Zarathushtra, to participate in a jashan or thanksgiving ceremony, to listen to stories of the miraculous birth and life of Prophet Zarathushtra, and to share in a happy community meal, a drink and a dance.

FESTIVAL OF HUNGRY GHOSTS/ZHOHGYUANJIE/CHUNG YUAN Buddhist (Chinese)Chinese Buddhist and ancestral festival also called the ‘Festival of Hungry Ghosts’. Paper objects for use in the spirit world are made and offered to aid the spirits who have no resting place or descendants. Large paper boats are made and burnt at temples to help spirits on their journey across the sea of torment to Nirvana.

RAKSHA BANDHAN HinduThis festival takes place on the full moon of Shravana. Raksha means ‘protection’ and bandhan means ‘to tie’. Girls and married women in families of a north Indian background tie a rakhi (amulet) on the right wrists of their brothers, wishing them protection from evil influences of various kinds. Different celebrations take place on this day in different parts of India. So, for example, in western Maharashtra, Gujarat and Goa, Hindus offer coconuts to the sea god, Lord Varuna and so the festival is called Nariyal Purnima, coconut full-moon.

September 30 days in the month

HARVEST FESTIVAL Christian (Western, Anglican and Free Churches)Dates varySpecial services are held around this time of year to give thanks for the goodness of God’s gifts in providing a harvest of crops along with all the other fruits of society. Displays of produce are often made, usually distributed afterwards to those in need. Increasingly the emphasis is on a wider interpretation than just the harvests of the fields and seas.

INSTALLATION OF THE SIKH SCRIPTURE IN THE HARMANDIR SAHIB SikhAmritsar 1604 CEIn 1604, in the place of worship where the Golden Temple now stands, the Sikhs’ fifth Guru, Arjan Dev, installed for the first time the Adi Granth, a volume of scripture for the Sikh community. It consisted of the hymns of the first five Gurus plus those of other ‘saint-poets’. Hymns by the ninth Guru, Tegh Bahadur, were later incorporated in the scripture, so forming the present Guru Granth Sahib.

JANMASHTAMI / KRISHNA JAYANTI HinduThe birthday of Krishna is widely celebrated throughout the Hindu world. He is a very popular avatar or incarnation of Lord Vishnu and many Hindus fast in his honour until midnight, the time of Krishna’s birth. Those unable to fast will take some fruit and milk. In the temples Krishna is welcomed with singing, dancing and sweets. In some homes and temples an image of the new-born Krishna is put in a cradle and special sweets are offered and distributed.

ETHIOPIAN NEW YEAR’S DAY RastafarianRastafarians have a four year cycle, each year named after an evangelist. This is the beginning of the year of Mark.

ROSH HASHANAH (HEAD OF THE YEAR) Jewish (New Year’s Day, 5776 years from the creation of the world). Rosh Hashanah marks the beginning of ten days of repentance and self examination, during which G-d sits in personal judgment on every individual. The blowing of the ram’s horn (shofar) in the synagogue is a reminder of Abraham’s sacrifice of a ram instead of his son, Isaac. Apples dipped in honey are eaten in the hope of a ‘sweet’ new year. The greeting is ‘Leshanah Tovah Tikatev’ (may you be inscribed for a good year).

DHUL-HIJJAH For Muslims the first 10 days of the month of Dhul-Hijjah are held to be especially holy when good deeds are particularly rewarded by God. These days encompass the allotted days for the performance of the Hajj (pilgrimage) and the first day of Eid-ul-Adha (the feast of sacrifice).

GANESH CHATURTHI (BIRTHDAY OF GANESH) HinduGanesh Chaturthi / Vinayaka Chaturthi is a Hindu festival in honour of Ganesh/Ganesha, (also known as Ganapati and Vinayaka), the god of good fortune and new beginnings. A popular story explains why Ganesha, the son of Parvati and Shiva, has the head of an elephant. This festival is particularly significant for Hindus from Maharashtra and is celebrated in a major way in Mumbai. Celebrations can last one, five or ten days, and will conclude with the immersion in water of the image of Ganesh.

HIGAN JapaneseMarks the autumn equinox. As at the spring equinox, harmony and balance are the themes; sutras are recited and the graves of relatives are visited.

HAJJ / PILGRIMAGE TO MAKKAHMuslimAll Muslims who can afford to do so, and are not prevented through ill-health, are required to make this pilgrimage once in their lifetime (although there is no prohibition on making the pilgrimage more than once). A series of ritual acts are performed by the pilgrims during the first two days of Hajj, prior to the three day festival of Eid-al-Adha which is celebrated in Makkah by the pilgrims.

YOM KIPPUR (DAY OF ATONEMENT) Jewish