Art, obsession, and identity
Across the globe, there are unique holidays that Americans typically don't celebrate. There are also popular ones that many Americans choose not to celebrate for cultural and historical reasons. From unfamiliar traditions to holidays steeped in controversy, the reasons vary as widely as the festivities themselves. Explore these global celebrations to get a glimpse into diverse cultures and understand the unique factors that shape what Americans choose to honor—or not.
In this gallery, you'll find more information about the holidays in question, and why some aren't celebrated. Click through now to find out which holidays aren't celebrated by Americans.
Celebrated on December 26th each year, Boxing Day is predominately recognized in Great Britain and some Commonwealth countries like Australia, Canada, and New Zealand. Today, it's associated with shopping and sporting events.
Boxing day started because the day after Christmas was when the servants were given gifts and food from their masters, and were allowed to visit their families. Today, in addition to shopping, people will enjoy sporting events like horseracing and enjoy a drink at a local pub.
May Day is celebrated on May 1 in the UK. It represents spring in full bloom with a day of festivals and dancing.
May Day is usually a three-day holiday weekend and is also a celebration of labor rights. The holiday has Pagan roots and is often celebrated with bright colors and dancing around a "maypole."
Dia de los Muertos or Day of the Dead is celebrated in Mexico on November 1. The event celebrates the lives of family members who have passed away.
The event has bright colors, parades, face paint, and more. During this day, families might hang photos of deceased loved ones and bring offerings to show how much they're missed.
Guy Fawkes Night is celebrated on November 5 in the UK. It's known as a bonfire or fireworks night.
Guy Fawkes Night celebrates the arrest of Guy Fawkes who was guarding gunpowder meant for an assassination plot against King James I. Today, the bonfires and fireworks are symbolic of ensuring no "Guy Fawkes wannabees are hiding."
Family Day is observed on February 17 in New Brunswick, Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario, Saskatchewan, and British Columbia.
Originally created to give people time to spend time with their loved ones, Family Day also gives a day off between New Year's Day and Good Friday.
Hogmanay is a New Year's Eve celebration that takes place in Scotland. It dates back to pagan times hundreds of years ago when people would mark the end of the harvest and the end of the year with a festival known as Samhain.
During Hogmanay, big parties, festivals, and festivities take place all over Scotland and last for three days beginning at the end of December and going until January 2.
Holi celebrates spring, love, and new life. While some families have religious ceremonies, many simply enjoy it and have fun. It is known as the festival of colors. Holi 2025 will be celebrated on March 14.
On the first night of Holi, the people make bonfires and throw roasted grains, popcorn, coconut, and chickpeas into them. The next day, everyone will go into the street for paint throwing.
Known as one of Ireland's oldest festivals, the Puck Fair has been celebrated for over 400 years. The first day of the Puck Fair is called Gathering Day. It takes place annually from 10 to 12 of August in Killiorglin, County Kerry.
During the Puck Fair, a goat is caught and crowned King Puck. After this, the days-long festivities begin.
This ten-day festival takes place in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. It's held every February and is known as Western Canada's largest winter festival.
Festival du Voyageur celebrates both Canada's fur-trading past and its unique French heritage. The celebration includes crafts, music, exhibits, and displays.
In April, this cultural fair celebrates the Tuniit who preceded the Inuit as residents in the Eastern part of Canada's Arctic regions.
The celebration has been occurring since 1965 and celebrates the return of spring, bringing families together to celebrate Inuit culture. At the cultural festival, you'll find everything from igloo building to dancing.
In the following slides, you'll find several well-known holidays. For these four holidays, many people choose not to celebrate them for cultural, historical, or other reasons.
When Christianity was introduced in the Americas it made the origins of Christmas controversial in Native circles. Europeans actively and knowingly took the Native people's existing spiritual beliefs and replaced them with the Bible.
Some Native people do not celebrate Christmas and instead use the opportunity to acknowledge the winter solstice. Others in the Northern Plains use this time to honor their relatives with a memorial horse ride called the Dakota 38 + 2.
Thanksgiving is directly linked to the Pequot War in which 700 Native Americans were massacred. After this, there were a lot of struggles faced by African slaves brought to America.
Critics say that Thanksgiving celebrates colonialism, genocide, and the oppression of both Native Americans and Black Americans. Given this dark history, some choose not to celebrate the occasion.
Christopher Columbus is credited with discovering America, however, many critics argue that this "discovery" idea erases the history of indigenous people who already lived there and the African sailors who may have visited the Americas earlier.
Columbus was known to have enslaved and murdered indigenous tribes and today his actions are seen as acts of colonialism and exploitation.
This US holiday aims to honor US military service members. Many people though choose not to celebrate, however, given that Black veterans have historically faced racial discrimination during their service.
Others abstain from the holiday due to their disapproval of the actions of the US military, particularly abroad.
Sources: (National Geographic) (Business Insider) (El Pais) (Face2FAce Africa) (Smithsonian Magazine) (Britannica) (BBC)
Holidays that Americans don't (or won't) celebrate
A look at uncelebrated global holidays
LIFESTYLE Usa
Across the globe, there are unique holidays that Americans typically don't celebrate. There are also popular ones that many Americans choose not to celebrate for cultural and historical reasons. From unfamiliar traditions to holidays steeped in controversy, the reasons vary as widely as the festivities themselves. Explore these global celebrations to get a glimpse into diverse cultures and understand the unique factors that shape what Americans choose to honor—or not.
In this gallery, you'll find more information about the holidays in question, and why some aren't celebrated. Click through now to find out which holidays aren't celebrated by Americans.