March Holidays
There are several holidays to look forward to in March. You can boogie down for Holi and promote girl power on International Women's Day. Here's a list, and a brief description, of the holidays you can celebrate this month.
St. David's Day: March 1st
St. David, or Dewi Sant, is the official saint of Wales. He was said to have performed miracles and he established several monasteries throughout England and Wales. Two things closely associated with St. David's Day are the daffodil and the leek. Wales is definitely the place to be on March 1st.
International Women's Day: March 8th
This day is celebrated on March 8th every year. Women from all over the world are recognized for their achievements and success. In many countries, this day is a national holiday.
St. Patrick's Day: March 17th
This Irish holiday is always celebrated on March 17th, which is the day St. Patrick died. Patrick was a missionary way back in the 4th century who converted the Irish to Christianity. He used the shammrock as a way of explaining the three important parts of Christianity - the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit - which is why the shammrock is now a symbol for this day.
Saint Joseph's Day: March 19th
People of Italian heritage usually celebrate this Christian holiday. It recognizes Joseph, the patron saint of Italy who was married to Jesus' mother, Mary. The holiday started in the Middle Ages when there was a long drought in Italy. The people prayed to St. Joseph for rain, and when it started raining they celebrated with a feast in his honor. There are also people who believe that swallows (a kind of bird) return to San Juan Capistrano, California from their winter migration on this day.
Spring Equinox: March 20th
Spring Equinox, also called the Vernal Equinox, is the first day of spring. On this day, there are exactly 12 hours of light and 12 hours of darkness everywhere in the world.
Holi: March 22nd
This holiday is celebrated [kwlink]throughout India[/kwlink], but Northern India gets the craziest on this day. You can't walk anywhere without having someone drop colored flour from rooftops, having balloons filled with paint burst around, or even on you, and being squirted with colored water. Holi is both a celebration of the triumph of good over evil, as well as the arrival of spring.
Emancipation Day for Puerto Rico: March 22nd
Emancipation days are celebrated on different days all over the world, depending on when slavery became illegal in each country. The first slaves were brought to Puerto Rico in 1560 and it wasn't until March 1873 that slavery was abolished.
