List of secular holidays

The following is a '''list of secular holidays''', some of which support the advances of science and human rights.

==January 1: New Year's Day==
The beginning of the year. Celebrated around the world. Called ''Dia da Fraternidade Universal'' ("Universal Brotherhood Day") in [[Portugal]] and [[Brazil]]. Although now it is mostly a secular holiday, it was both a [[Roman]] (celebrating the [[god]] Janus) and Christian holiday (Feast of the Naming and Circumcision of Jesus).

==January 16: National Religious Freedom Day==
{{cquote|One's beliefs or nonbeliefs "shall in no [ways] diminish, enlarge, or affect their civil capacities.|||Thomas Jefferson}}
Date of adoption of [[Thomas Jefferson]]'s Statute for Religious Freedom in [[Virginia]], which protected [[atheists]], [[Muslims]], and [[Christians]] alike.<ref>{{wpa|National_Religious_Freedom_Day}}</ref>

==January 29: Thomas Paine Day==
[[Thomas Paine|T Pain]] helped found the modern [[secularist]] movement.<ref>http://secularseasons.org/january/thomas_paine.html</ref>

==February 12: Darwin Day==
[[Charles Darwin]]'s birthday (in 1809).<ref>http://darwinday.org/</ref> Has [[meme]]s.<ref>http://www.imagesbuddy.com/images/216/darwin-day-party-graphic.jpg</ref><ref>https://cdn.meme.am/instances/45928068/happy-darwin-day-may-the-adaptions-be-ever-in-your-favor.jpg</ref>

==February 15: Galileo Day (or Galileo Gala)==
[[Galileo Galilei]]'s birthday.<ref>http://www.galileoday.org/</ref> Has memes.<ref>http://img.memecdn.com/galileo_o_966552.jpg</ref><ref>http://s2.quickmeme.com/img/bb/bb87a74e3b2b9bcae435c067c9abdea622abaef94a8ce98a31215ad3cea4ec30.jpg</ref>

==February 19: Copernicus Day (or Copernicus Celebration)==
[[Nicolaus Copernicus]]' birthday.<ref>{{wpa|Nicolaus_Copernicu}}</ref>

==March 6: The Day of the Dude==
Release date of ''{{wpl|The Big Lebowski}}'' and therefore Dudeist holiday.<ref>http://dudespaper.com/the-day-of-the-dude.html/</ref>

==March 8: International Women's Day==
[[Women]] matter.<ref>{{wpa|International_Women%27s_Day}}</ref>

==March 14: Pi Day==
[[File:Pi-Day-Kuchen.jpg|thumb|right|165px|Bakers also have a hard time with Pi Day by sometimes making pi cakes]]
Celebrating the fact that [[mathematicians]] will never get [[Pi|π]] exactly right.

==March 16: Freedom of Information Day (followed by Sunshine Week)==
Day celebrating the ability to peer into [[government]] records — what is more [[democratic]] than knowing what your government is doing?<ref>http://secularseasons.org/march/sunshine.html</ref>

==March 20-23: Spring Equinox (or Vernal Equinox), in Northern Hemisphere==
The day varies between March 20 and March 23 in the Northern Hemisphere. The day represents the "rebirth" of good crop weather.<ref>http://secularseasons.org/march/spring_equinox.html</ref> Has ''shitty'' memes.<ref>https://archaeologistkanya.files.wordpress.com/2014/03/vernal-equinox.jpg</ref><ref>http://s2.quickmeme.com/img/4f/4f3438754fa95bca0e396982e150fad99795338833e071012ef7c900468c2b70.jpg</ref>

==1<sup>st</sup> Sunday after 1<sup>st</sup> full moon after March 20: Eastre (or Eostre)==
Alternative to [[Easter]]. Celebrates the Anglo-Saxon goddess of [[sex]], love, fertility (hence rabbits and eggs).<ref>http://keepeostreineaster.com/</ref> Has been appropriated by those nasty Christians.<ref>http://secularseasons.org/celebrations/noneaster.html</ref> Has memes.<ref>https://i.pinimg.com/236x/57/a2/2d/57a22d0dc5f5bda5bab134ab20e77a2c.jpg</ref><ref>https://i.pinimg.com/236x/ab/34/ba/ab34baca103ef70d3dd47a0f6c165172.jpg</ref><ref>http://s2.quickmeme.com/img/3b/3b2eb81d9dbb9e5b579620c3908bf5b53ec9540100e3ef715d8b8757b57bf841.jpg</ref>

==April 1: Atheist's Day/Saint Stupid's Day==
[[File:Marching in the 2009 Saint Stupid's Day Parade in San Francisco.jpg|thumb|right|165px|Saint Stupid would have given us free iPhones & ponies if he had thought of them.]]
Because April Fool's needed an owner.<ref>https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/atheist-day/</ref><ref>{{wpa|April_Fools%27_Day}}</ref> April 1 is also the only holiday of the [[First Church of the Last Laugh]], known as Saint Stupid's Day.

==April 12: Cosmonaut's Day (or Yuri's Night)==
Celebrates space and technology and the principles of [[Freethought|freethinking]].<ref>http://secularseasons.org/april/cosmonauts_day.html</ref>

==April 22: International Earth Day==
The [[Earth]] is pretty nice, maybe we should try and keep it that way.<ref>{{wpa|Earth_Day}}</ref>

==April 25: Freedom Day==
Strictly a [[Portugal|Portuguese]] holiday (celebrating the {{wpl|Carnation Revolution}} of 1974, which brought down the regime founded by [[António de Oliveira Salazar]]), but can also be seen as the definitive beginning of the end of [[colonialism]] (the {{wpl|Portuguese Empire}}, the last of its kind, started colapsing at this point).

Also, in 1945, the Soviets and the Americans ended [[World War II]] in Europe by {{wpl|Elbe Day|meeting at the Elbe River near Torgau in}} [[Germany]], while Italians celebrate {{wpl|Liberation Day (Italy)|Liberation Day}} which celebrates the end of the so-called {{wpl|Italian Social Republic|"Italian Social Republic"}} (aka [[Benito Mussolini]]'s German-controlled [[puppet state]] after he was deposed by the king and freed from his imprisonment by the Germans). Total anti-[[fascism|fascist]] day!

==April 30: Honesty Day==
[[Intellectual honesty|Honesty]], especially of intellectual inquiry, is surely a [[humanist]] value.<ref>{{wpa|Honesty_Day}}</ref>

==May 1: International Workers' Day==
The version of Labor Day that is celebrated by most countries in the world and recognised by the United Nations. Commemmorates the {{wpl|Haymarket affair}} (which actually happened on May 4, 1886), an early notable workers' rights violation.

Also overlaps with May Day, a holiday of religious ([[Paganism|Pagan]]) origin celebrating Spring, but nowadays is a secular celebration.

==1<sup>st</sup> Thursday of May: National Day of Reason (and National Day of Prayer)==
The NDR was created by the American Humanist Association and Washington Area Secular Humanists in 2003.<ref>{{wpa|National_Day_of_Reason}}</ref> NDR celebrates constitutionalism and rationality. The day is a contrast to the NDP.<ref>http://www.nationaldayofprayer.org/</ref>

==May 25: International Jedi Day==
A date "to honour [[Jedi]]ism and the path".<ref>https://www.templeofthejediorder.org/faq#DaysofSignificance</ref>

==June 19: Juneteenth==
[[File:Emancipation Day celebration - 1900-06-19.jpg|thumb|right|165px|Emancipation Day in 1900, which later became known as Juneteenth]]
First reading of the [[Abraham Lincoln]]'s Emancipation Proclamation in [[Texas]]. Recognized by 43 states.<ref>{{wpa|Juneteenth}}</ref>

==June 21: World Humanist Day==
A day to show that humanism exists and is a positive force.<ref>http://secularseasons.org/june/world_humanist.html</ref>

==June 20-23: Summer Solstice==
Longest day of the year (northern hemisphere).<ref>{{wpa|Summer_solstice}}</ref>

==July 1: Barre Day==
Date of execution of the Chevalier de la Barre for impiety in 1766.<ref>http://secularseasons.org/july/barre_day.html</ref>

==July 4: American Independence Day==
[[File:July 4th fireworks, Washington, D.C. (LOC).jpg|thumb|right|165px|July 4<sup>th</sup> fireworks, Washington, D.C.]]
[[American]] Independence Day: The origins of a country with strong constitutional backings for irreligion, especially at the time.

==July 5: X-Day==
Church of the SubGenius holyday. Was supposed to be the apocalypse in 1998.<ref>{{wpa|X-Day_(Church_of_the_SubGenius)}}</ref><ref>http://www.subgenius.com/scatalog/x_day_items.htm</ref>

==July 14: Bastille Day==
AKA [[France|French]] National Day. The {{wpl|Storming of the Bastille}} (1789), a turning point of the [[French Revolution]], which represented the beginning of the end of [[feudalism]] as well as the power of [[Enlightenment]] ideas.

==August 1: Emancipation Day==
Date of end of (literal) [[slavery]] in almost all of the [[British Empire]].<ref>{{wpa|Emancipation_Day}}</ref>

==September 8: International Literacy Day==
Reading matters. UNESCO holiday.<ref>{{wpa|International_Literacy_Day}}</ref>

==September 14: Google Appreciation Day==
Hail [[Google]]! Church of Google holiday.<ref>http://web.archive.org/web/20120330054315if_/http://www.thechurchofgoogle.org/Scripture/google_appreciation_day.html</ref>

==September 19: International Talk Like A Pirate Day==
[[Pastafarian]] holiday. Y'arrr!<ref>http://www.talklikeapirate.com/piratehome.html</ref><ref>http://www.venganza.org/2006/09/talk-like-a-pirate-day/</ref>

==September 21: International Day of Peace==
[[UN]] Holiday.<ref>http://www.un.org/en/events/peaceday/</ref>

==September 20-23: Fall Equinox==
Equal length days and nights.

==Last week of September: Banned Books Week==
Freedom of knowledge is a key tenet of humanism.<ref>http://secularseasons.org/september/banned_books.html</ref>

==September 30: International Blasphemy Day==
Center For Inquiry holiday. A day for exploring [[blasphemy]] laws in the world currently and historically; examining current ''de facto'' religious bans on free speech; reframing the "religious freedom" debate<ref>http://www.centerforinquiry.net/cfe/international-blasphemy-rights-day/</ref><ref>http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2016/07/29/which-countries-still-outlaw-apostasy-and-blasphemy/</ref><ref>http://a3.files.thedailybanter.com/image/upload/c_fit,cs_srgb,h_1200,w_1200/MTM2NjQzNjc2Mzk0MzAxMDIz.png</ref><ref>http://i.imgur.com/ivCMbNY.jpg</ref><ref>http://godlessliberals.com/images/stories/salman%20rushdie%20blasphemy.jpg</ref><ref>http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-st59axBVrMI/UACpm_ABkwI/AAAAAAAAACM/kFVzyYMHcw8/s1600/Blasphemies.jpg</ref><ref>http://lh6.ggpht.com/-3I5fKozdic0/UGc9jOEuNsI/AAAAAAAAFhk/vCefYBBrsY4/muhammad-looks-in-the-mirror-blasphemy-draw-day.jpg?imgmax=800</ref>

==October: Freethought Month==
A month inspired by a community of German freethinkers in Texas.<ref>http://secularseasons.org/october/freethought_month.html</ref>

==October 5: Atheist Appreciation Day==
A fine international annual tradition of showing appreciation for atheists everywhere.<ref>https://www.atheistappreciationday.com/</ref>

==October 11: National Coming Out Day==
Pro-[[LGBTQ]] and pro-openness-about-LGBTQ-status holiday.<ref>{{wpa|National_Coming_Out_Day}}</ref>

==October 12: National Freethought Day==
Another "coming out" day — this time, for atheists, [[Agnosticism|agnostics]], and other freethinkers.<ref>http://secularseasons.org/october/freethought_day.html</ref>

==October 20–26: United Nations Week==
Includes United Nations Day (see below).

==October 24: United Nations Day==
Day (of 1945) on which the {{wpl|United Nations Charter}} (the document which founded the [[United Nations]]) entered into force.

==October 31: Halloween==
[[File:Greenwich Village Halloween Parade (6451249051).jpg|thumb|right|165px|Halloween parade in [[New York City]]]]
{{main|Halloween}}
Day of candy and/or [[Satanist]] trickery.<ref>http://www.charismanews.com/opinion/watchman-on-the-wall/45718-i-agree-with-pat-robertson-halloween-is-a-demonic-holiday</ref><ref>http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/pat-robertson-halloween-festival-demons</ref><ref>http://web.archive.org/web/20091029222847/http://www.charismamag.com/index.php/prophetic-insight/23723-the-danger-of-celebrating-halloween</ref><ref>	http://web.archive.org/web/20071103051301/http://humaniststudies.org/enews/index.html?id=163&article=5</ref>

==Week of Thanksgiving Holiday: Church/State Separation Week==
To celebrate not living in a [[theocracy]].<ref>http://secularseasons.org/november/separation_week.html</ref>

==Fourth Thursday in November: Thanksgiving==
{{main|Thanksgiving}}
Day of thanks and/or gluttony.<ref>{{wpa|Thanksgiving_(United_States)}}</ref>

==December 10: International Human Rights Day==
{{main|Human rights}}
Day of not living in an [[autocracy]].<ref>http://secularseasons.org/december/human_rights.html</ref>

==December 20-23: Winter Solstice==
Shortest day of the year (northern hemisphere).<ref>http://web.archive.org/web/20081015124843/http://www.humaniststudies.org/media/m20041220.html</ref>

==December 23: Festivus ("For the rest of us")==
[[File:Festivus Pole.jpg|thumb|right|165px|A Festivus pole]]
{{cquote|Many Christmases ago, I went to buy a doll for my son. I reached for the last one they had, but so did another man. As I rained blows upon him, I realized there had to be another way.|||the origin of Festivus}}
Anti-consumerist and secular [[Christmas]] variant.<ref>http://festivusweb.com/origin-of-festivus.htm</ref> Has memes.<ref>http://s2.quickmeme.com/img/56/565b6a6b77d16173ae6ffd2496b36e7aa3b5ef6fdaeecfa246f2ca479cc3a82b.jpg</ref><ref>http://weknowmemes.com/generator/uploads/generated/g1355215794205255602.jpg</ref><ref>https://i.pinimg.com/236x/c7/f7/55/c7f75599f6ab15bcd101398a30e25eee.jpg</ref>

==December 25: Holiday (as in, "Happy Holiday", also "FSMas")==
Pastafarian holiday. Happy Holiday! [sic]<ref>http://www.venganza.org/category/holiday/</ref> Has artwork.<ref>http://images-cdn.9gag.com/photo/15595_700b.jpg</ref><ref>https://img.buzzfeed.com/buzzfeed-static/static/2015-12/6/10/enhanced/webdr10/enhanced-984-1449416779-1.jpg</ref>

==December 25: Newtonmas==
[[Isaac Newton]]'s birthday, a secular, [[scientific]] Christmas variant.<ref>https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isaac_Newton_in_popular_culture#Newtonmas</ref>

==December 31: Hogswatch==
Discworld/[[Terry Pratchett|Pratchett]] holiday. Pun on "hogwash" and "Hogmanay", the [[Scotland|Scottish]] New Year celebration. In the Discworld universe, it is celebrated much like Christmas, but the pseudo-Christian "Omnians" call it "Fast of St Ossory".<ref>https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Discworld_(world)#Hogswatchnight</ref> Has memes.<ref>https://i.pinimg.com/originals/b6/ec/54/b6ec54fa15fb492df2975fd4bb58134b.jpg</ref><ref>https://imgur.com/gallery/qSLTc</ref>

==References==
{{reflist|2|80%}}

[[Category:Lists]]
[[Category:Holidays]]

Categories: Lists, Holidays