Tanabata is a colorful Japanese festival celebrating the meeting of two stars Vega (Orihime) and Altair (Hikoboshi) once a year on 7th of July.  There is a Love Story behind the festival. The legend tells about a cowherd Hikoboshi and a weaving girl Orihime who leaved in different sides of the heaven Amanogawa River (Milky Way). [...]

New Year in Japan is a public celebration and a spiritual festival. On this day japanese make a symbolic first visit in a new year to a Shinto shrine or to a Buddhist temple. Many people want to be the first to meet rising sun in a shrine surroundings.  Burning amulets of the last year [...]

As Christmas time approaches, thoughts of children turn to Santa Claus. Around the world Santa Claus is known under different names. Jultomten (Christmas Elf) in Sweden, Julenissen in Norway, Saint Nicholas in central Europe. In Finnish Santa Claus – Joulupukki literally means Christmas goat. Long time ago he visited families in his grey fur and with wooden [...]

Celebrated on the first of November this day is a great chance for communal joy, with music, dancing, food and praying to honor ancestors. All Souls’ Day is prominently celebrated in Mexico, Guatemala, Bolivia, El Salvador and Peru. This day provides an opportunity to pass history and folklore knowledge to young generation, familiarize them with [...]

In past Christmas in the USA was celebrated as family and religious holiday. In the 20th century local communities started sponsoring organization of festival and public activities during the Christmas week so Christmas became more publicly celebrated. In 1923 President Coolidge lighted  the First National Christmas Tree in front of the White House leading to [...]

Bulgaria is well-known for its reach Christmas traditions. Family dinner, sitting around the fireplace and carol singing are among the most famous activities around the festive season. It is believed that the Christmas diner must be over – abundant so that the coming year would be rich and favorable. Traditional Christmas diner contained 12 different dishes [...]

In Newfoundland Christmas is celebrated with wide hospitality and generosity, food and drinks are consumed in a large quantities. Brews of beer are prepared in advance before the Christmas season starts. During the holidays women make lots of cookies and fruit cakes, open jars of preserved moose, jams and vegetables. In a rural areas a [...]

Kauri Tree Kauri tree is a famous New Zealand sight. One of the largest tree in the world, it may grow up to 50 meters tall and live for 2000 years. Kauri tree is a New Zealand national treasure (Toanga) and is a protected species. The largest representative of this species Tane Mahuta “Lord of the [...]

46th New York film Festival  when: 26 September – 12 October  where: Ziegfeld Theatre  New York film Festival  is the most famous and prestigious Film Festival in the United States supported by film society of Lincoln Center.