Handy list of 2012 holidays so you never miss an important date or gift-giving occasion!
| Month |
Holiday |
Nation, Notes |
| JANUARY |
|---|
| January |
National Volunteer Blood Donor Month |
|
| January |
National Thank You Month |
|
| January 1 - Sunday |
New Year's Day |
US National Holiday |
| January 5 - Thursday |
Birth of Guru Gobind Singh |
10th/Last Sikh Spiritual Master |
| January 6 - Friday |
Epiphany |
(Christian) |
| January 9-12 - Mon-Thurs |
Mahayana New Year |
(Buddhist) |
| January 16 - Monday |
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day |
US National Holiday |
| January 23 - Monday |
Chinese New Year |
Year of the Dragon |
| January 26 - Thursday |
Australia Day |
| January 28 - Saturday |
Vasant Panchami |
(Hindu) |
|
| FEBRUARY |
|---|
| February |
National Heart Month |
|
| February |
Black History Month |
US |
| February |
National Dental Month |
|
| February 2 - Thursday |
Groundhog Day |
|
| February 3 - Friday |
Maha Shavartri |
Festival of Shiva (Hindu) |
| February 4 - Saturday |
Prophet's Birthday - Mawlid an-Nabi |
Begins at Sunset (Islamic) |
| February 5 - Sunday |
Super Bowl Sunday |
Indianapolis, Indiana |
| February 7-8 - Tues-Wed |
Tu B’Shevat |
Begins at Sunset (Jewish) |
| February 8 - Wednesday |
Boy Scout Day |
102nd Anniversary |
| February 13 - Monday |
Lincoln's Birthday |
|
| February 14 - Tuesday |
Valentine's Day |
|
| February 15 - Wednesday |
Susan B. Anthony Day |
Women’s Rights Movement |
| February 15 - Wednesday |
Nirvana Day |
(Buddhist) |
| February 20 - Monday |
Presidents' Day (Observed) |
US National Holiday |
|
| February 20 - Monday |
Washington's Birthday |
|
| February 20 - Monday |
Family Day |
Canada, Third Monday in Feb |
| February 21 - Tuesday |
Mardi Gras |
a.k.a. Fat Tuesday |
| February 22 - Wednesday |
Ash Wednesday - First Day of Lent |
(Christian) |
| February 29 - Wednesday |
Leap Day |
|
| Late February TBA |
Academy Awards |
|
| MARCH |
|---|
| March |
National Nutrition Month |
|
| March |
National Women's History Month |
|
| March |
Save Your Vision Month |
|
| March 2 - Friday |
Read Across America Day |
Dr. Seuss's Birthday |
|
| March 8 - Thursday |
International Women's Day |
|
| March 8 - Thursday |
Holi |
(Hindu) |
|
| March 8 - Thursday |
Purim |
Begins at Sunset (Jewish) |
| March 8 - Thursday |
Magha Puja |
(Buddhist) |
| March 9 - Friday |
Hola Mohalla - Spring Festival |
(Sikh) |
| March 11 - Sunday |
Daylight Savings Time Begins |
(US) |
| March 11-17 - Sun-Sat |
Girl Scout Week |
|
| March 17 - Saturday |
St. Patrick's Day |
|
| March 18 - Sunday |
UK Mothering Sunday |
UK |
| March 20 - Tuesday |
Vernal Equinox (1st Day of Spring) |
Equal periods of daylight and darkness |
| March 30 - Friday |
Doctor's Day |
| March 31 - Saturday |
Cesar Chavez Day |
Labor, Justice |
|
| APRIL |
|---|
| April |
Cancer Control Month |
|
| April |
Poetry Month |
|
| April 1 - Sunday |
April Fool's Day |
|
| April 1 - Sunday |
Palm Sunday |
(Christian) |
| April 1 - Sunday |
Ramanavami |
Celebrates Birthday of Rama (Hindi) |
| April 5 - Thursday |
Maundy Thursday |
(Christian) |
| April 6 - Friday |
Good Friday |
(Christian) |
| April 6 - Friday |
Theravada New Year |
(Buddhist) |
| April 7 - Saturday |
Passover Begins |
Begins at Sunset (Jewish) |
| April 8 - Sunday |
Easter |
(Christian) |
| April 8-14 - Sun-Sat |
National Library Week |
53rd Anniversary |
| April 9 - Monday |
Easter Monday |
Canada, UK Bank Holiday (Christian) |
| TBD |
Day of Silence |
|
| April 14 - Saturday |
Baisakhi - Birthday of Khalsa |
(Sikh New Year) |
| April 17 - Tuesday |
Income Tax Day |
US |
| April 19 - Thursday |
Yom HaShoah Holocaust Remembrance Day |
Begins at Sunset (Jewish) |
| April 22 - Sunday |
Earth Day |
|
| April 24 - Tuesday |
Yom Hazikaron Israel Memorial Day |
Begins at Sunset (Jewish) |
| April 25 - Wednesday |
Administrative Professionals Day |
Admin. Prof. Week is April 23-27 |
| April 27 - Friday |
Arbor Day |
|
| April 27 - Friday |
Yom Ha'atzmaut Israel Independence |
Begins at Sunset (Jewish) |
|
| MAY |
|---|
| May |
Physical Fitness & Sports Month |
|
| May |
Asian American Heritage Month |
|
| May 1 - Tuesday |
May Day |
|
| May 3 - Thursday |
World Press Freedom Day |
|
| May 5 - Saturday |
Cinco de Mayo |
Mexico |
| May 5 - Saturday |
Wesak (Buddha Day) |
(Buddhist) |
| May 7 - Monday |
Early May Bank Holiday |
UK |
| May 8 - Tuesday |
Teacher's Day |
|
| May 10 - Thursday |
Lag Ba'Omer |
Begins at Sunset (Jewish) |
| May 12 - Saturday |
Nurse's Day |
Nurses Week May 6-12 |
| May 13 - Sunday |
Mother's Day |
|
| May 17 - Thursday |
Ascension Day |
(Christian) |
| May 19 - Saturday |
Armed Forces Day |
|
| May 21 - Monday |
Victoria Day |
Canada |
| May 27 - Sunday |
Shavouth |
Begins at Sunset (Jewish) |
| May 27 - Sunday |
Pentecost |
(Christian) |
| May 28 - Monday |
Memorial Day |
Observed, US National Holiday |
| May 28 - Monday |
Spring Bank Holiday |
UK |
|
| JUNE |
|---|
| June |
National Dairy Month |
|
| June |
National Rose Month |
|
| June 5 - Tuesday |
World Environment Day |
|
| June 9 - Saturday |
Worldwide Knit in Public Day |
|
| June 14 - Thursday |
Flag Day |
|
| June 16 - Saturday |
Martyrdom of Guru Arjan Dev |
(Sikh) |
| June 17 - Sunday |
Father's Day |
|
| June 19 - Tuesday |
Juneteenth |
African American Freedom and Achievement |
| June 20 - Wednesday |
Summer Solstice (1st Day of Summer) |
Longest day of the year |
| June 24 - Sunday |
St. John Baptiste Day |
Canada |
|
| JULY |
|---|
| July 2 - Monday |
Canada Day |
Observed, Canada |
| July 3 - Tuesday |
Asala (Dharma Day) |
(Buddhist) |
| July 4 - Wednesday |
Independence Day |
4th of July, US National Holiday |
| July 12 - Thursday |
Orangeman's Day |
Ireland |
| July 13-16 - Fri-Mon |
Obon |
(Buddhist-Shinto) |
| July 14 - Saturday |
Bastille Day |
|
| July 20 - Friday |
Ramadan Begins |
Begins at Sunset (Islamic) |
|
| July 22 - Sunday |
Parent's Day |
US |
| July 29 - Sunday |
Tisha B'av |
Begins at Sunset (Jewish) |
| AUGUST |
|---|
| August 5 - Sunday |
Friendship Day |
|
| August 6 - Monday |
Summer Bank Holiday |
Scotland |
| August 10 - Friday |
Krishna Janmashtami |
(Hindu) |
| August 14 - Tuesday |
Lailat al Kadr |
Begins at Sunset (Islamic) |
| August 15 - Wednesday |
Assumption Day |
|
| August 19 - Sunday |
National Aviation Day |
|
| August 19 - Sunday |
End of Ramadan |
Eid al-Fitr (Islamic) |
| August 26 - Sunday |
Women's Equality Day |
|
| August 27 - Monday |
Summer Bank Holiday |
England, Wales, Northern Ireland |
| SEPTEMBER |
|---|
| September 3 - Monday |
Labor Day |
US, Canadian National Holiday |
| September 9 - Sunday |
Grandparent's Day |
|
| September 11 - Tuesday |
Patriot Day |
|
| Sept 15 - Oct 15 |
National Hispanic Heritage Month |
|
| September 15-16 - Sat-Sun |
S'lichot Service |
(Jewish) |
| September 16 - Sunday |
Stepfamily Day |
|
| September 17 - Monday |
Constitution Day |
US |
| September 17-18 - Mon-Tues |
Rosh Hashanah |
Begins at Sunset (Jewish) |
| September 19 - Wednesday |
Ganesh Chaturthi |
(Hindu) |
| September 19 - Wednesday |
Talk Like a Pirate Day |
|
| TBD |
National Hunting and Fishing Day |
40th Annual |
| September 21 - Friday |
International Day of Peace |
|
| September 22 - Saturday |
Autumnal Equinox (1st Day of Fall) |
Equal periods of daylight and darkness |
| September 26 - Wednesday |
Yom Kippur |
Begins at Sunset (Jewish) |
| September 28 - Friday |
Native American Day |
|
|
| OCTOBER |
|---|
| October |
Breast Cancer Awareness Month |
|
| October |
Hispanic Heritage Month |
|
| October 1 - Monday |
Child Health Day |
|
| October 1-7 - Mon-Sun |
Sukkot |
Begins at Sunset (Jewish) |
| October 8 - Monday |
Columbus Day |
Observed (Traditional on 12th) |
| October 8 - Monday |
Canadian Thanksgiving Day |
Canada |
| October 8 - Monday |
National Children's Day |
US |
| October 8 - Monday |
Sh'mini Atzeret |
Begins at Sunset (Jewish) |
| October 9 - Tuesday |
Simhat Torah |
Begins at Sunset (Jewish) |
| October 16 - Tuesday |
Navaratri |
Festival of Good Over Evil (Hindu) |
| October 16 - Tuesday |
National Bosses Day (Observed) |
|
| October 20 - Saturday |
Sweetest Day |
Third Sunday in Oct |
| October 20 - Saturday |
Compilation of Holy Scriptures |
(Sikh) |
| October 24 - Wednesday |
Dasera |
(Hindu) |
| October 24 - Wednesday |
United Nations Day |
|
| October 24 - Wednesday |
Hajj Begins |
Begins at Sunset (Islamic) |
| October 26 - Friday |
Eid-al-Adha |
Starts at Sunset (Islamic) |
| October 28 - Sunday |
Mother-In-Law Day |
|
| October 28 - Sunday |
Reformation Day |
(Christian - Protestant) |
| October 31 - Wednesday |
Halloween |
|
|
| NOVEMBER |
|---|
| November |
American Indian Heritage Month |
|
| November |
Aviation Month |
|
| November 1 - Thursday |
All Saint's Day |
(Christian) |
| November 1-2 - Thurs-Fri |
Dia de los Muertos |
Mexico, Day of the Dead |
| November 2 - Friday |
All Soul's Day |
|
| November 4 - Sunday |
End of US Daylight Savings |
“Fall Back” |
| November 6 - Tuesday |
Election Day |
US |
| November 11 - Sunday |
Veterans Day |
US National Holiday |
| November 11 - Sunday |
Canadian Remembrance Day |
Canada |
| November 11 - Sunday |
Armistice Day |
|
| November 13 - Tuesday |
Diwali Festival of Lights |
(Hindu, Buddhist) |
| November 13 - Tuesday |
Sikh Festival of Lights |
(Sikh) |
| November 14-15 - Wed-Thurs |
Muharram - New Year |
Begins at Sunset (Islamic) |
| November 20 - Tuesday |
Canadian National Child Day |
Canada |
| November 23 - Friday |
Ashura |
Begins at Sunset (Islamic) |
| November 24 - Saturday |
Martyrdom of Guru Teg Bahadur |
(Sikh) |
| November 22 - Thursday |
Thanksgiving Day |
US National Holiday |
| November 28 - Wednesday |
Birth of Guru Nanak |
Founder of Sikhism |
|
| DECEMBER |
|---|
| December |
AIDS Awareness Month |
|
| December 2 - Sunday |
First Sunday of Advent |
(Christian) |
| December 8 - Saturday |
Bodhi Day |
(Buddhist) |
| December 9 - Sunday |
Hanukkah |
Begins at Sunset (Jewish) |
| December 10 - Monday |
Human Rights Day |
United Nations |
| December 17 - Monday |
Wright Brothers Day |
|
| December 22 - Saturday |
Winter Solstice (1st Day of Winter) |
Shortest Day of the Year |
| December 24 - Monday |
Christmas Eve |
|
| December 25 - Tuesday |
Christmas |
US National Holiday (Christian) |
| December 26 - Wednesday |
Kwanzaa |
Ends Jan. 1 |
| December 26 - Wednesday |
Boxing Day |
Canada, UK |
| December 31 - Monday |
New Year's Eve |
|
