Common traditions include the giving of donations and food to the needy, as well as the offerings of incense and prayers in the homes and temples. The Sutras are chanted in unison by monks in saffron robes. The celebration is highlighted by a candle light procession. In Sri Lanka, Buddhists dress in white and carry baskets of flowers to the local monasteries. Buddhists all over the world decorate monasteries with Buddhist flags, lanterns, and flowers.
Some people donate blood to hospitals, while others hand out free spiritual books.
It is considered a very holy day. However only a handful of the spiritually minded recognize the Inner Significance of the day. The dates of Christian holy days are established by past events or by happenings which occurred centuries ago. The Wesak Festival is in recognition of a present living event. Paralleling the spiritual ceremony, an event of importance also takes place simultaneously in a little valley in Tibet, on the further side of the Himalayas.