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From: Ross Clark <benlizro@ihug.co.nz>
Newsgroups: sci.lang
Subject: Big Holidays in April
Date: Sun, 20 Apr 2025 22:19:38 +1200
Organization: A noiseless patient Spider
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I've been busy. Since my last report:

Songkran (เทศกาลสงกรานต์, pronounced [tʰêːt.sā.kāːn sǒŋ.krāːn])
(Thai New Year) has come and gone (13-16 April)

"derived from Sanskrit saṅkrānti (संक्रान्ति), meaning 'to move', 
'movement', or 'astrological passage'. It derives from the movement of 
the sun from one position to another in the zodiac. According to its 
literal meaning in Sanskrit, a Songkran occurs every month. However, the 
period that Thai people refer to as Songkran happens when the sun moves 
from Pisces to Aries in the zodiac."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Songkran_(Thailand)

---------------------------

Passover has come and gone (13-19 April)
....surviving an attempt by Trump Religion Inc. to weaponize (or 
monetize) the ancient festival.

https://www.jpost.com/omg/article-849186
-----------------------------

And Holy Week has come and gone. Today was Easter Sunday (in lots of 
countries).
In the morning a priest cast aspersions on me (and everybody he could 
reach). In the afternoon I hid tiny foil-wrapped chocolate eggs so 
children could look for them. Then we ate them.

Tomorrow will be Easter Monday (in lots of countries).
Meanwhile, in Brazil, it will be Tiradentes Day!
Not celebrating dentistry, but commemorating the hanging (in 1792) of 
Joaquim José da Silva Xavier, an early independence fighter.

"He dedicated himself to pharmaceutical practices and dentistry, which 
earned him the nickname Tiradentes. "Tiradentes" means "tooth puller", a 
pejorative denomination adopted during the trial against him."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiradentes
--------------------

After that, a relatively quiet couple of days, though Earth Day (22 
April) may be celebrated somewhere near you. And 23 April is St George's 
Day, though not a public holiday anywhere by my notes.

https://www.gbnews.com/news/st-georges-day-public-holiday-mp-english-heritage

And on the 24th it's the First Day of Summer in Iceland! Officially!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_day_of_summer_(Iceland)

--------------------

But all that will pass relatively unnoticed down here, since 25 April is 
Anzac Day in Australia and New Zealand -- our big war memorial day.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anzac_Day

And what with that and the following weekend coming hot on the heels of 
Eastertide, and the school kids on holiday, lots of people are looking 
at it as a whole season. The weather, however, is not contributing to 
the holiday spirit.