Calendar of Special Days and Festivals 2008

January 2009
Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday	Sunday
			1 New Year' s DayNew Year's Day is the first day of the year, in the Gregorian calendar, falling exactly one week after Christmas Day of the previous year. HogmanayNew year celebrations in Scotland (both days are a public holiday in Scotland). New Year's Day ParadeThe greatest annual street parade in Europe. A free family spectacular in the heart of London to welcome the New Year. Location: London GangitsuJapanese New Year. ...Japanese people eat a special selection of dishes on New Year's Day called osechi. Naming of JesusChristian observance marking the naming and circumcision of Jesus.	2	3 JRR TolkienBirth of JRR Tolkien, author of Lord of the Rings (1892)	4 The Lion's Part: Twelfth Night, LondonA free celebration of seasonal English traditions.The event starts outside the Globe Theatre at 12:45pm Location: London Isaac NewtonIsaac Newton born on this day in 1642, in a manor house in Lincolnshire, England. World Braille DayLouis Braille's Birth Date: January 4, 1809 An annual opportunity for blindness organizations to promote braille literacy, showcase their work and raise public awareness of blindness issues. ... Burma National DayThe largest country by geographical area in mainland Southeast Asia.
5 Twelfth NightThe night when Christmas decorations should come down by	6 Joan of ArcBirth of Joan of Arc (1412) Epiphany (Twelfth Day)This day is the feast of Epiphany. The term epiphany means "to show" or "to make known" or "to reveal." In Western churches, it remembers the coming of the wise men bringing gifts to visit the Christ child, who by so doing "reveal" Jesus to the world as Lord and King.	7 Yaum Ashura (Muslim)For Shiva Muslims, this tenth day of Muharram is a commemoration of the death of the Prophet's grandson, Husayn.	8 Elvis PresleyBirth of Elvis Presley, singer (1935)	9 Straw Bear Festival9th, 10, and 11th January 2009 Festival of a man dressed as a 'Straw Bear'. Location: Cambridgeshire London Boat Show9 - 18 January 2009 Discover exciting new features, Explore the hundreds of boats on display and enjoy everything about boating in one giant show!	10 Straw Bear Festival9th, 10, and 11th January 2009 Festival of a man dressed as a 'Straw Bear'. Location: Cambridgeshire International Mime FestivalSat 10 to Sun 25 January 2009 The London International Mime Festival, now in its 30th year, returns to Southbank Centre with a programme including renowned performers Jos Houben, Nola Rae, Mossoux-Bonte, Pep Bou and new talent such as Collectif Petit Travers andSadari Movement Laboratory. Location: London	11 Straw Bear Festival9th, 10, and 11th January 2009 Festival of a man dressed as a 'Straw Bear'. Location: Cambridgeshire Full Moon Mahayana Buddhist New Year
12 Plough Monday	13 13/01/2008 09:30:33 St Hilary's Day (Christian)	14 Makar Sankranti / Lohri (Hindu)A festival that signifies the beginning of the harvest season for the farmers of India. The Tamil version is called Pongal.	15 Martin Luther King’s BirthdayMartin Luther King was born on January 15, 1929 in Atlanta, Georgia. He was a Baptist minister who used peaceful methods to counteract the inequalities of laws and society.	16	17 South PoleRobert Scott and his party reached the South Pole in 1912	18 AA MilneBirth of AA Milne, author (1882) World Religion DayAnnually the third Sunday in January. The aim of World Religion Day is to foster the establishment of interfaith understanding and harmony by emphasizing the common denominators underlying all religions.
19 Big Schools Garden Watch19 - 30 January 2009 The schools based version of the RSPB's long-running Big Garden Watch. Martin Luther King DayMartin Luther King Jr. Day is a United States holiday marking the birthdate of the Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr., observed on the third Monday of each year, around the time of King's birthday, January 15.	20 Inauguration DayAt 12:00 noon on Inauguration Day 2009 (January 20, 2009, according to the Twentieth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution), Barack Obama will become the 44th President of the United States.	21	22 Queen VictoriaQueen Victoria died in 1901	23	24 RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch WeekendThe RSPB's Big Garden Birdwatch is the world's biggest bird survey and the results help the RSPB to keep track of bird populations right across the UK. Sir Winston ChurchillSir Winston Churchill died on this day in 1965	25 St. Dwynwen's DaySt Dwynwen's day is celebrated in Wales on 25 January and commemorates the patron saint of friendship and love. Burn's NightBurns Night is the commemoration of the life and works of Robert Burns, Scotland's most famous poet. It is celebrated with traditional suppers, which have been held annually on his birthday for more than 200 years. Burn's NightBurns Suppers are traditional celebrations of the birth of the most famous Scottish poet (Robert Burns) on 25th January 1759. They take place throughout Scotland.
26 Indian Republic DayMarks the day in 1950 when India became a republic, after nearly 100 years of British rule.. New Moon Chinese New Year2009 is the Year of the Ox Chinese New Year at sunset on the day of the second New Moon following the winter solstice. Celebrations last two weeks and end with Teng Chieh, the lantern festival, on the full moon 15 days later. ... Australia National DayThe official national day of Australia, commemorating the establishment of the first British settlement on the continent of Australia in 1788. Australia Day is an official public holiday in all states and territories of Australia, and has also been known as Anniversary Day and Foundation Day. India National DayIndia's National Day is celebrated each year on 26 January and marks the date when in 1950 India adopted the new constitution making it a democratic republic.	27 Holocaust Memorial DayHolocaust Memorial Day is about commemorating and continuing to learn from the events of the Holocaust Losar (Buddhists)For Tibetan Buddhists the start of the New Year	28	29	30 King Charles executedIn January 30, 1649 Charles I was beheaded in the English Civil War.	31 National Storytelling Week31st January - 7th February 2009 During National Storytelling Week 2007 over 1,040 nationwide storytelling events and performances were organised, including The V & A, North Tyneside Disability Forum and Lakeside Shopping Centre and Rockingham Castle, Leics., Storytelling Clubs, smallerindividual events and over 780 schools. Vasanta Panchami (Hindu)The Hindu festival of Vasant Panchami is dedicated to Saraswati, the goddess of learning. The colourful celebrations include religious services, music, singing and dancing. The event also marks the start of spring and yellow is a dominant colour worn by many of the participants, as it symbolises both spirituality and the colour of the ripening crops It is also known as Magh Sukla Panchami as it falls in the month of Magh (January-February).