The following chart highlights the more common observances of key religions in our community and includes how worshipers practice and how others can acknowledge the event. The reference guide for much of the information is How to Be a Perfect Stranger: The Essential Religious Etiquette Handbook, which won the Best Reference Book of the Year Award.

Religion	Holidays & Holy Days	Practice
Buddhist	Common observances include: Nirvana Day: February 15, commemorates the death of Buddha Hanamatsuri Day: April 8, celebrates the birth of Buddha Bodhi Day: December 8, commemorates the day on which  Siddhartha Gautama vowed to meditate under the Bodhi tree while attaining enlightenment	There are no traditional greetings for these holidays. Avoid shaking hands and instead place palms together in front of chest and slightly bow when greeting on these days.
Christian	Denominations vary, but most observe the following holidays and holy days: Advent: begins four weeks before Christmas. Christmas: occurs on the evening of December 24 and day of December 25 Lent: begins on Ash Wednesday, which is six weeks before Easter. Catholics also observe Holy Thursday and Good Friday. Easter: always falls on the first Sunday after the first full moon after the vernal equinox	Christians use this time to prepare for Easter, which includes abstaining and fasting. Traditional greeting is Happy Easter.
Islam*	Ramadan: occurs in the ninth month of the lunar calendar a time for reflection and spiritual guidance and to atone for one’s sins. Lailat ul-Qadr is celebrated during the last 10 days of Ramadan. Idnal-Fitr: the end of Ramadan where a feast lasts for three days. Considered the Feast of the Breaking of the Fast. Muslims attend mosque and pay the special alms for the poor.  Eid al-Adha: occurs two to three months after Ramadan.  It commemorates Abraham’s obedience to God when he told him to sacrifice Ishmael, his son. al-Isra Wal Miraj: the “Night Journey and the Ascension.” This day is observed on the 27th day of Rajab, the seventh month of the Muslim calendar.	Adult Muslims, whose health permits, abstain from food, drink, smoking, and sexual activity from sunrise to sunset. Ramadan mubarak is the traditional greeting that means “May God give you a blessed month.”  No traditional greeting is given at this time. Muslims sometimes seclude themselves in their mosque during Lailat ul-Qadr. The traditional greeting is Id mubarak, which means blessed feast.  Traditional greeting is id mubarak, which means "blessed feast." There is no greeting for al-Isra wal Miraj
Judaism**	Rosh Hashanah: Jewish New Year, usually occurs between mid-September and mid-October. It’s common to abstain from work on this holy day. Yom Kippur: the Jewish Day of Atonement which usually falls in late September to mid-October. Hanukkah (Chanukah): also called the Festival of Lights, is observed for eight days, usually in early-to mid-December. Pesach: also called Passover. Jews abstain from eating bread and other foods made from yeast. It usually occurs in late March to mid-April. Jews abstain from work the first two days and the last two days of the holiday.	The greeting for Rosh Hashanah is Happy New Year, or in Hebrew, “Shana Tovah.” Jews 13 and older are required to abstain from work and to fast from sundown when Yom Kippur begins until nightfall of the following day. The common greeting is Happy Hanukah. A common greeting is Happy Passover or Happy Holiday.
Mormon	Christmas: always falls on December 25 Easter: usually occurs in April and commemorates the death and Resurrection of Jesus. Mormons often observe a Family Home Evening once a week, usually on Mondays, where the intention is to cement family ties and cohesion.	A common greeting is Merry Christmas. Easter has no common greeting.
Native American	Religion does not exist as an identifiable faith, but is used to describe traditional ceremonies and practices.  Worship takes many forms. Most ceremonies recognize that the entire natural world is full of the sacred.
Orthodox Churches***	Elevation of the Cross: observed on September 14 and is a fast day. Nativity of Christ: one-week celebration of the birth of Jesus. Theophany of Our Lord: a one-week celebration beginning January 6. Annunciation: March 25, marks the conception of Jesus Christ. The holiday typically occurs during Lent, a 40-day fast where church members abstain from eating fish, meat, and dairy products. Palm Sunday: occurs during Lent on the Sunday before Easter. Church members abstain from eating fish, meat, and dairy products. Easter: also called Pascha. The date varies, but is typically in April. This holy day observes the Resurrection of Jesus.	Non-orthodox may greet church members saying “Merry Christmas” Non-orthodox may greet church members with a smile and handshake. Non-orthodox may celebrate by saying Happy Easter.

*Muslims follow the lunar calendar. Ramadan starts about 10 days earlier each year in the solar calendar.  
**The Jewish faith follows the lunar calendar.