A simple guide to the celebrations and milestones represented in our collections. Discover traditions, plan ahead and find thoughtful ways to mark meaningful moments.
This is a guide to usual timing, not a dated calendar for a particular year or an exhaustive list of world celebrations. Religious and lunisolar dates change each year, and local customs can differ. Check dates with the community celebrating before making plans. Seasons below refer to the UK unless otherwise noted.
January
New Year, 1 January: the Gregorian New Year, with countdown gatherings on 31 December.
Orthodox Christmas, 7 January for some churches: churches following the Julian calendar observe Christmas on this Gregorian date; many other Orthodox churches celebrate on 25 December.
February
Valentine’s Day, 14 February: a day for affection, loving wishes and thoughtful gestures.
Lunar New Year, usually January or February: Chinese Spring Festival, Vietnamese Tết and Korean Seollal have distinct customs, with dates following traditional lunisolar calendars.
Carnival and Mardi Gras, often February or March: many celebrations take place before Lent. Mardi Gras is the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday; other Carnivals follow different schedules.
March
St Patrick’s Day, 17 March: a celebration of Saint Patrick and Irish heritage; community events may be on nearby dates.
Nowruz, around 20–21 March: Persian New Year at the March equinox, celebrated across many countries and communities.
Holi, usually February or March: a Hindu spring festival of colour, friendship and the triumph of good over evil. Dates vary each year.
Mother’s Day in the UK, March or April: Mothering Sunday falls on the fourth Sunday of Lent. Many countries celebrate Mother’s Day on the second Sunday in May, while others use different dates.
April
Easter, March or April in Western churches: the Christian celebration of Jesus’ resurrection. Orthodox Easter usually falls in April or May; dates change each year.
Passover / Pesach, March or April: the Jewish festival of freedom and remembrance begins at sunset before 15 Nisan, lasting seven or eight days depending on the community.
Vaisakhi, usually 13 or 14 April: a Punjabi harvest celebration and a major Sikh occasion marking the founding of the Khalsa.
Songkran, traditionally 13–15 April: Thailand’s traditional New Year, with renewal, respect for elders and water customs. Local celebrations may extend beyond these dates.
Chaitra Navratri, March or April: a spring observance of the Hindu festival of nine nights; the main autumn Navratri appears below.
May
Vesak, commonly April or May: many Buddhist communities commemorate the Buddha’s birth, enlightenment and passing into parinirvana. Some countries observe it in June, and traditions vary.
First Holy Communion, often spring or early summer: many Catholic parishes celebrate children’s First Communion around this time, although ceremonies can take place throughout the year.
June
Father’s Day, third Sunday in June in the UK and many countries: a day to appreciate dads and father figures. Dates differ internationally.
LGBTQ+ Pride, often June: Pride Month is widely observed in June, while local Pride events take place at many different times of year.
Graduation, often summer in the UK: ceremonies commonly take place after the academic year, with some institutions also holding autumn or winter graduations.
July
Summer gatherings and adventures: a popular UK season for garden parties, holidays, poolside fun and race-day outings. These activities also happen throughout the year, and seasons differ internationally.
August
Raksha Bandhan, usually August, sometimes late July: a Hindu celebration of sibling affection and care, on the full moon of Shravana.
Notting Hill Carnival, August bank holiday weekend: London’s celebration of Caribbean culture follows a different calendar from pre-Lent Carnivals.
September
Mid-Autumn Festival, September or October: moon, harvest and reunion traditions, including Chinese celebrations and Vietnamese Tết Trung Thu.
Chuseok, September or October: a Korean harvest holiday centred on family, gratitude and remembering ancestors.
Rosh Hashanah, September or October: the Jewish New Year begins at sunset before 1 Tishrei and is generally observed over two days.
October
Navratri and Durga Puja, usually September or October: distinct Hindu traditions honouring the Goddess, with varied regional customs.
Diwali, usually October or November: the Festival of Lights, observed with distinct Hindu and Jain traditions. Sikhs celebrate Bandi Chhor Divas around the same time.
Canadian Thanksgiving, second Monday in October: harvest, gratitude and family gatherings, with remembrance and reflection important to some Indigenous communities.
Halloween, 31 October: costumes, playful spooky celebrations and autumn gatherings.
November
Día de los Muertos, principally 1–2 November: Mexican traditions honouring loved ones who have died. It is distinct from Halloween.
Bonfire Night, 5 November: a UK occasion associated with bonfires and fireworks; organised displays may be on nearby dates.
Remembrance, 11 November and Remembrance Sunday: Armistice Day is 11 November; the UK’s Remembrance Sunday is the second Sunday in November. Personal remembrance can be meaningful all year.
Guru Nanak Gurpurab, commonly October or November: the Sikh celebration of Guru Nanak’s birth, with prayer, service and community gatherings. Calendar practices vary.
US Thanksgiving, fourth Thursday in November: a time for gatherings and gratitude, also observed by some Indigenous communities as a day of mourning or reflection.
December
Advent calendars, usually 1–24 December: daily festive surprises counting down to Christmas. The Christian season of Advent begins on a changing Sunday in late November or early December.
Hanukkah, usually November or December: the eight-day Jewish Festival of Lights begins at sunset before 25 Kislev; its dates change each year.
Christmas, 25 December: the Christian celebration of Jesus’ birth, also marked by many through family gatherings and gifting. Some churches celebrate on 7 January.
Secret Santa, usually November or December: gift exchanges arranged by workplaces, friends and families, rather than a fixed festival date.
New Year’s Eve, 31 December: gatherings and countdowns welcoming the Gregorian New Year.
Dates that move through the year
Ramadan, Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha: these Islamic observances follow a lunar calendar and shift about 10–11 days earlier each Gregorian year. Ramadan is a month of fasting, prayer and charity; Eid al-Fitr marks its end. Eid al-Adha is a separate festival of faith and sacrifice. Dates can differ by local moon-sighting practice.
Throughout the year
Birthdays and anniversaries: celebrated on or around each person’s birthday or a meaningful anniversary date.
Engagements, weddings and hen or stag celebrations: timed around each couple’s plans and customs, with no universal season. Cultural weddings and new beginnings may also follow family or religious calendars.
Baby showers, naming days and baby blessings: baby showers are often held before the birth; welcoming ceremonies may take place in the first months or later, according to the family’s wishes.
Christenings and Confirmation: church and family arrangements determine the date. Christenings often take place in infancy but can occur at any age; Confirmation ages and timing differ between traditions.
Bar and Bat Mitzvah: linked to the young person’s birthday and community customs, traditionally age 13 for a Bar Mitzvah and commonly 12 or 13 for a Bat Mitzvah.
Quinceañera: celebrated on or around a girl’s fifteenth birthday.
Funerals and personal remembrance: compassionate support and keepsakes are meaningful whenever a loss occurs or an anniversary is remembered, including the loss of a beloved pet.
Everyday gifting: thank-yous, apologies, self-care, family treats, hobbies, home comforts and gifts for colleagues have no fixed season. Choose the moment that matters to the recipient.