This page lists 47 holidays that start with D, from “Daeboreum” to “Doyo no Ushi no Hi”. They come from Asia, Europe, Africa and the Americas, and include religious festivals, national days and local customs. You can use the list to plan travel, learn about other cultures, find ideas for school projects or add new dates to your calendar.
Holidays are special days set aside to celebrate, remember or honor a person, event or belief. Some are very old, like “Diwali”, the Hindu festival of lights, while others, like “Darwin Day”, are fairly modern.
Below you’ll find the table with the holiday name, date, country or region, traditions and description.
Holiday: The name of each celebration, often with its local or alternate name in brackets, so you can recognize it and search for it easily.
Date: When the holiday takes place. Some have fixed dates, while others follow lunar or religious calendars, so you can plan ahead and see which ones change yearly.
Country/Region: The places where the holiday is mainly celebrated, so you can see where each tradition comes from and where you might experience it yourself.
Traditions: The main activities, foods, rituals and customs linked to each holiday, giving you a quick picture of how people actually celebrate it.
Description: A short explanation of what the holiday marks, its history and why it matters, so you understand the meaning behind the celebration.
Holidays
| Holiday | Date | Country/Region | Traditions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daeboreum | 15th day of the first lunar month (February) | Korea | Moon-viewing, bonfires, eating nuts and five-grain rice |
| Daimonji (Gozan no Okuribi) | August 16 | Kyoto, Japan | Giant bonfires lit on mountainsides in the shape of characters |
| Dano | 5th day of the 5th lunar month (May-June) | Korea | Ssireum wrestling, swinging, washing hair in iris water |
| Darwin Day | February 12 | Worldwide | Science lectures, museum events, school activities |
| Dashain | September-October (15 days, varies) | Nepal | Receiving tika from elders, bamboo swings, kite flying, family feasts |
| Day of Arafah | 9th day of Dhu al-Hijjah (date varies) | Islamic world, Mount Arafat in Saudi Arabia | Pilgrims pray at Mount Arafat; others fast and recite supplications |
| Day of Goodwill | December 26 | South Africa | Family gatherings, charitable giving, sports |
| Day of Reconciliation | December 16 | South Africa | Community events, memorials, public reflection |
| Day of the Dead (Día de Muertos) | November 1-2 | Mexico, Latin America | Ofrendas, marigolds, sugar skulls, cemetery visits |
| D-Day Anniversary | June 6 | Normandy (France), UK, US, Canada | Beach ceremonies, wreath-laying, veteran commemorations, parachute jumps |
| Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) | 10th of Tishrei (September-October) | Jewish communities worldwide, Israel | Fasting for about 25 hours, synagogue prayer, white clothing |
| Decoration Day | May 30 (original date) | United States | Decorating soldiers’ graves with flowers, parades |
| Dev Deepawali | Full moon of Kartik (November) | Varanasi, India | Thousands of oil lamps along the Ganges ghats, Ganga aarti |
| Dev Uthani Ekadashi | 11th day of the bright half of Kartik (October-November) | India, Nepal | Fasting, worship of Vishnu, Tulsi Vivah ceremonies |
| Dhanteras | 13th day of Krishna paksha in Kartik (October-November) | India | Buying gold, silver or utensils, lighting lamps, worshipping Lakshmi and Dhanvantari |
| Día de Andalucía | February 28 | Andalusia, Spain | Flag-raising, school events, a breakfast of toast with olive oil |
| Día de la Hispanidad | October 12 | Spain | Military parade in Madrid, royal reception |
| Día de la Raza | October 12 | Parts of Latin America | Parades, cultural events, school activities |
| Día de la Virgen de Guadalupe | December 12 | Mexico | Pilgrimages to the Basilica, processions, mañanitas songs, traditional food |
| Día de los Reyes | January 6 | Spain, Latin America | Gifts for children, rosca de reyes cake, parades |
| Día de los Santos Inocentes | December 28 | Spain, Latin America | Pranks (inocentadas), fake news stories in the media |
| Día del Niño | April 30 | Mexico | School parties, gifts, family outings |
| Dia das Crianças | October 12 | Brazil | Gifts, toys, family outings |
| Dia de Finados | November 2 | Brazil | Cemetery visits, flowers, candles, Mass |
| Dia de Portugal | June 10 | Portugal | Official ceremonies, military parade, honoring the poet Camões |
| Dia dos Namorados | June 12 | Brazil | Gifts, romantic dinners, cards |
| Diwali | October-November (5 days, varies) | India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Singapore, Malaysia, Fiji and diaspora communities | Oil lamps, rangoli, fireworks, sweets, Lakshmi puja |
| Discovery Day | Third Monday in August | Yukon, Canada | Parades, festivals in Dawson City, gold-panning events |
| Doll Festival (Hinamatsuri) | March 3 | Japan | Displaying hina dolls, eating chirashi sushi and hishi mochi |
| Dodenherdenking | May 4 | Netherlands | Two minutes of silence at 8 p.m., wreath-laying at Dam Square |
| Dol Purnima | Full moon of Phalguna (February-March) | West Bengal, Odisha, Bangladesh | Colored powder, singing, swinging Krishna idols |
| Dominion Day | July 1 (renamed in 1982) | Canada | Fireworks, parades, picnics |
| Dominican Independence Day | February 27 | Dominican Republic | Military parades, flag ceremonies, merengue music |
| Dormition of the Mother of God | August 15 (August 28 on the Julian calendar) | Eastern Orthodox countries | Fasting beforehand, blessing herbs and fruits, church services |
| Dosmoche | Late in the 12th Tibetan month (February-March) | Ladakh, Tibet | Masked dances, ritual effigies, burning of thread-crosses |
| Double Ninth Festival | 9th day of the 9th lunar month (October) | China | Climbing mountains, drinking chrysanthemum wine, honoring elders |
| Double Seventh Festival | 7th day of the 7th lunar month (August) | China | Romantic gestures, weaving contests, star-gazing |
| Dragobete | February 24 | Romania | Couples exchanging kisses, gathering spring flowers, small gifts |
| Dragon Boat Festival | 5th day of the 5th lunar month (May-June) | China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore | Dragon boat races, eating zongzi, hanging mugwort |
| Dree Festival | July 4-7 | Arunachal Pradesh, India | Prayers to the gods, rice beer, folk dances |
| Durga Puja | September-October (5 days, varies) | West Bengal, Assam, Odisha, Bangladesh | Elaborate pandals, clay idols, dhak drumming, idol immersion |
| Dussehra | 10th day of Ashvin (September-October) | India, Nepal, Bangladesh | Burning effigies of Ravana, Ramlila plays, processions |
| Dyngus Day | Easter Monday | Poland, United States (Buffalo, South Bend) | Sprinkling water, pussy willow switches, polka music, pierogi |
| Dziady | November 1-2 (traditional) | Poland, Belarus, Lithuania | Offerings of food for spirits, candles, rituals at graves |
| Dongzhi Festival | December 21-22 | China, East Asia | Eating tangyuan or dumplings, family gatherings |
| Dożynki | Late August-September | Poland | Harvest wreaths, processions, thanksgiving Mass, feasts |
| Doyo no Ushi no Hi | Late July (varies) | Japan | Eating grilled eel (unagi) |
Descriptions
Daeboreum
Korea’s Great Full Moon festival marks the first full moon of the lunar year. Families eat nuts to protect their teeth and skin, and communities light bonfires to ward off bad luck.
Daimonji (Gozan no Okuribi)
This Obon finale sends ancestral spirits back to the other world. Five huge bonfires, including the character for “great” (dai), are lit on the hills around Kyoto.
Dano
One of Korea’s major traditional holidays, celebrating the start of summer and the rice-planting season. The Gangneung Dano Festival, with shamanic rituals and folk games, is the best-known celebration.
Darwin Day
An annual celebration of Charles Darwin’s birthday and his contribution to science. Universities, museums and secular groups hold talks and events about evolution and scientific thinking.
Dashain
Nepal’s longest and most important festival, celebrating the victory of the goddess Durga over evil. Families reunite, elders bless the young with red tika and jamara, and people travel home from across the country.
Day of Arafah
The most important day of the Hajj, when pilgrims gather on the plain of Arafat. Muslims who are not on pilgrimage often fast, and the day comes just before Eid al-Adha.
Day of Goodwill
A public holiday that replaced Boxing Day in South Africa after 1994. It encourages goodwill and giving to others, and many families spend it together outdoors.
Day of Reconciliation
A public holiday promoting unity across South Africa’s racial and cultural divisions. It falls on a date once marked by Afrikaners as the Day of the Vow and by the ANC’s armed wing as its founding anniversary.
Day of the Dead (Día de Muertos)
A joyful holiday honoring deceased loved ones. Families build altars with photos, food and candles, and decorate graves with marigolds, believing the spirits return to visit. UNESCO recognizes it as intangible cultural heritage.
D-Day Anniversary
Marks the 1944 Allied landings in Normandy, the largest seaborne invasion in history. Each year, veterans and officials gather at the beaches and cemeteries of Normandy to remember those who died.
Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur)
The holiest day in Judaism, devoted to repentance and seeking forgiveness. Observers fast, abstain from work, and spend most of the day in prayer. In Israel, daily life nearly stops.
Decoration Day
The original name for what is now Memorial Day. It began after the Civil War, when communities decorated the graves of fallen soldiers. The name faded after the holiday became official in the 20th century.
Dev Deepawali
Known as the “Diwali of the Gods,” this festival lights up Varanasi’s riverbanks with lamps. Pilgrims bathe in the Ganges and watch spectacular evening prayers.
Dev Uthani Ekadashi
Marks the day Lord Vishnu is believed to awaken from his four-month sleep. It begins the Hindu wedding season, and many families hold a ceremonial marriage of the tulsi plant.
Dhanteras
The first day of the Diwali festival, dedicated to wealth and health. Buying something made of metal is considered auspicious, so jewelers and kitchenware shops are packed.
Día de Andalucía
Celebrates the 1980 referendum that gave Andalusia its autonomy. The regional flag flies everywhere, and schools hold activities around local identity.
Día de la Hispanidad
Spain’s national day, marking Columbus’s 1492 arrival in the Americas. A military parade in Madrid is led by the king.
Día de la Raza
A traditional name for the Columbus Day holiday celebrating Hispanic heritage. Several countries have renamed it to emphasize indigenous cultures and diversity.
Día de la Virgen de Guadalupe
Honors Our Lady of Guadalupe, Mexico’s patron saint. Millions of pilgrims travel to the Basilica of Guadalupe in Mexico City, many on foot, to sing and pray.
Día de los Reyes
Also called Three Kings Day, it commemorates the Magi’s visit to the infant Jesus. Children often receive gifts on this day, and families share a ring-shaped cake with a hidden figurine.
Día de los Santos Inocentes
The Spanish-speaking equivalent of April Fools’ Day. It started as a religious remembrance of the Massacre of the Innocents and turned into a day of practical jokes.
Día del Niño
Mexico’s Children’s Day. Schools hold celebrations with games and treats, and parents often take children to parks or give them small gifts.
Dia das Crianças
Brazil’s Children’s Day, held on the same date as Our Lady of Aparecida’s day. It’s one of the biggest retail occasions of the year after Christmas and Mother’s Day.
Dia de Finados
Brazil’s All Souls’ Day, a public holiday for remembering the dead. Families clean and decorate graves with flowers and candles.
Dia de Portugal
Portugal’s national day, also known as the Day of Camões and the Portuguese Communities. It marks the death of the poet Luís de Camões and celebrates Portuguese people abroad.
Dia dos Namorados
Brazil’s equivalent of Valentine’s Day, held the day before the feast of St. Anthony, the matchmaker saint. Couples exchange gifts and go out to dinner.
Diwali
The Hindu festival of lights celebrates the victory of light over darkness. Homes are cleaned and decorated with lamps and rangoli, families exchange sweets, and fireworks fill the sky. Sikhs, Jains and some Buddhists also observe it.
Discovery Day
Commemorates the 1896 discovery of gold on Bonanza Creek, which sparked the Klondike Gold Rush. Dawson City hosts the biggest celebrations.
Doll Festival (Hinamatsuri)
Also called Girls’ Day, families with daughters display tiered sets of ornamental dolls dressed in imperial court attire. The dolls are meant to bring girls health and happiness.
Dodenherdenking
The Dutch National Remembrance of the Dead honors civilians and soldiers killed in war and peacekeeping missions. The whole country observes silence, and Liberation Day follows the next day.
Dol Purnima
A Bengali and Odia spring festival tied to Holi, honoring Radha and Krishna. Processions carry decorated idols on swings, and people play with colored powder.
Dominion Day
The former name of Canada Day, marking the 1867 union of the Canadian provinces. It was renamed Canada Day in 1982.
Dominican Independence Day
Celebrates the country’s 1844 independence from Haiti. Official ceremonies are held at the Altar of the Fatherland in Santo Domingo, and Carnival events also occur around this date.
Dormition of the Mother of God
The Orthodox feast commemorating the death and heavenly entry of Mary. It follows a two-week fast and is among the most important feasts of the church year.
Dosmoche
A Tibetan Buddhist festival held before Losar to drive out evil spirits and bad luck from the previous year. Monks perform masked dances, and ritual objects are burned or carried out of town.
Double Ninth Festival
Also known as Chongyang, the festival is associated with longevity because 9 is a yang number. It is also China’s Seniors’ Day, when families visit and honor older relatives.
Double Seventh Festival
Also known as Qixi, it’s based on the legend of a cowherd and weaver girl who meet once a year. It’s often called the Chinese Valentine’s Day.
Dragobete
A traditional Romanian celebration of love and spring, said to be the day birds choose their mates. It’s sometimes seen as the Romanian counterpart to Valentine’s Day.
Dragon Boat Festival
Commemorates the ancient poet Qu Yuan, who drowned himself in a river. Teams race long, dragon-shaped boats while spectators eat sticky rice dumplings called zongzi.
Dree Festival
An agricultural festival of the Apatani people, held to pray for a good harvest and protection from famine and pests. Priests lead rituals, and villagers join in feasts and dance.
Durga Puja
A major Hindu festival honoring the goddess Durga’s victory over the buffalo demon Mahishasura. Cities, especially Kolkata, build elaborate temporary pavilions displaying artistic idols, and the festival ends with immersion in water.
Dussehra
Also called Vijayadashami, it celebrates the triumph of good over evil, either Rama’s victory over the demon king Ravana or Durga’s victory over Mahishasura. Huge effigies are burned at sunset.
Dyngus Day
A Polish Easter Monday tradition in which boys playfully splash girls with water. Polish-American communities have turned it into a big spring party with parades and food.
Dziady
A Slavic and Baltic ritual commemorating ancestors, with pagan roots later blended with All Souls’ Day. It was made famous by Adam Mickiewicz’s 19th-century play of the same name.
Dongzhi Festival
Celebrates the winter solstice, the shortest day of the year, as the point when days start growing longer. Families in southern China eat tangyuan, and in the north they eat dumplings.
Dożynki
The traditional Polish harvest festival, in which farmers present a ceremonial wreath made from the last grain to be cut. Events include songs, dances and regional food.
Doyo no Ushi no Hi
The “day of the ox” in midsummer is when Japanese people traditionally eat eel to gain stamina for the hot weather. It has been a custom since the Edo period.