10 Popular November Holidays & Festivals of The World

November is widely recognized for its association with the national holidays of Thanksgiving and Veterans Day. However, this month also encompasses a plethora of noteworthy occasions dedicated to raising awareness and commemorating various causes.

In early November, two Christian holidays, namely All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day, are observed. Additionally, towards the end of the month, the Advent calendar commences, serving as a countdown to the celebration of Christmas. Daylight saving time concludes in the month of November, albeit with a variable date.

Learn more: November US Calendar - Full List of Holidays and Celebrations

Top 10 Popular Holidays in November Around The World

Top 10 Most Popular November Holidays in the World

1. All Saints’ Day

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The Roman Catholic Church, the Methodist Church, the Lutheran Church, and other churches all observe All Saints' Day on November 1 as a holy day in the Western Christian tradition. It is intended to express respect and awe for all saints, both well-known and obscure, and in some faiths, to express gratitude for those who have led others to Christ, such as a friend or relative.

All Saints' Day is celebrated in many different ways around the world, including the laying of flowers on graves on November 1, the Mexican Day of the Dead, which honors deceased children on the first day of the holiday, and Halloween in the United States and Canada, which was first closely associated with All Saints' Day.

2. Nov. 04: Diwali

The Hindu festival of lights is called Diwali, also known as Deepavali, Deepawali, and Divali. According to the Hindu calendar, the holiday's date changes every year. It occurs in October or November and lasts from the fourteenth day of the dark half of Aashwayuja to the second day of the bright half of Kaartik. The occasion coincides with the end of the monsoon season and a calm, pleasant day.

Photo: Tandem

The word "Diwali" means "row of lights." Every windowsill in India is illuminated by clay oil lamps known as dipas or deepas during this five-day festival. The Hindu goddess Laksmi, who represents fortune, good fortune, wealth, and generosity, is honored during the festival. Throughout the festival, she visits every residence. In addition, Diwali commemorates the victory of good over evil.

There are many myths that explain how this holiday got started. Folklore in the North describes Lord Sri Rama's return to Ayudhya and his victory over Rawana. In 5,000 verses, the Hindu classic "Ramayana" describes this defeat. Legend has it that Lord Krishna defeated the evil demon Naraksura in the South. Both humans and gods welcomed Lord Krishna back home. There is yet another tale that describes Ram's triumph over Ravan. All of the tales have one thing in common: on the night of the homecoming, there was no moon, so dipas were put in every window, and fireworks lit up the sky. Every year, this tradition is carried out.

3. Guy Fawkes’ Day

In the United Kingdom, Guy Fawkes Day is also observed as Guy Fawkes Night, Bonfire Night, and Firework Night. Guy Fawkes, a participant in the Gunpowder Plot, was caught in 1605 guarding explosives buried under the House of Lords. He was drawn, quartered, and hanged. People lit bonfires all over London to celebrate King James I's survival of this assassination attempt. The Observance of the Fifth of November Act was proclaimed a day of public thanksgiving by Parliament a year later.

Photo: Awareness Days

This day briefly acquired Protestant religious overtones and an anti-Catholic attitude. Celebrations got more and more aggressive. When kids began begging for money with effigies of Guy Fawkes toward the end of the 18th century, the day became known as Guy Fawkes Day. However, there were clashes based on class that got progressively more violent. The Observance of the Fifth November Act was revoked by 1859. By the 20th century, the day had become a social occasion as the violence had gradually subsided.

There are a lot of organized events, bonfires, and fireworks shows today. People create Guy Fawkes effigies before the holiday. With smaller effigies, kids knock on doors and ask for "a penny for the Guy." The effigies are set ablaze on Guy Fawkes Night and sit atop a bonfire. Like on Halloween, kids also play pranks on other people.

4. Nov. 10: Day of Tradition

Argentina observes Day of Tradition (Da de la Tradición) on November 10. It honors the birthdate of Argentine poet José Hernández, who is best known for his epic poem Martn Fierro.

Photo: Webplus

The date of José Hernández's birth is November 10, 1834. Though he was also a journalist, politician, and poet, Martn Fierro is the work for which he is best known. The gaucho is used as a symbol of Argentine national tradition in Martn Fierro, an epic poem that emphasizes the gaucho's contribution to Argentina's independence from Spain.

Day of Tradition was established to honor José Hernández's cultural contributions as well as gaucho tradition. The main celebration is held in the town of San Antonio de Areco, which is regarded as the center of the gaucho culture, despite the fact that it is not a recognized public holiday.

5. Nov. 11: Veterans Day

This day, also referred to as Armistice Day (in France and Belgium), Poppy Day, Remembrance Day (in Canada), Eleven Eleven Eleven Day (in the Netherlands), and Veterans Day (in the US), honors those who fought in World War I.

Photo: Time Magazine

In the United States, federal employees and the majority of state employees are given the day off. In the event that the date falls on a weekend, the closest weekday is designated as a holiday. For instance, the holiday would be on the Friday before November 11th if it falls on a Saturday. It takes place on the nearest Sunday in the UK.

Numerous nations observe memorial services, wreath-laying ceremonies, hymns, and silent moments. Poppies have a strong connection to Armistice Day and World War I. The trenches during World War I were visible through fields of stunning red-orange poppies. On Veterans Day, poppies are frequently used as gravesite decorations. In many nations, poppies are pinned to the lapel.

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6. Nov. 13: Ides of November

On the Ides of November, there is a Jupiter Festival. The Ides, with a few exceptions, fall on the thirteenth day of the month according to the ancient Roman calendar. In Roman mythology, Jupiter, the god of the sky and thunder and king of the gods, revered the Ides as sacred.

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Epulum Jovis or Epulum Iovis were the Ides in September and November, respectively. Both hosted lavish feasts, but the first was more lavish. And both events took place during the Ludi Plebeii (Plebeian Games) and Ludi Romani (Roman Games).

Jupiter, Juno, and Minerva statues were arranged around the dining room table. They received food and wine service. At larger gatherings, priests serving as epulones served as stand-ins for guests to eat the food. Leading a white lamb along the Via Sacra to the Capitolium for sacrifice to Jupiter was a traditional Ides activity.

7. Nov. 15: Shichi-go-san – 七五三

Photo: Nippon

"Shichi-Go-San" or "Seven-Five-Three" is a celebration in Japan of young children's rite of passage for their continued development and wellbeing. Boys and girls between the ages of 3 and 5 and 3 and 7 are the main focus of the festivities.

Children visit shrines with their parents while dressed in traditional kimonos or western formal wear. Of course, giving "Chitose Ame" or "Thousand Year Candy" as gifts is one of the kids' favorite traditions. Usually gift-wrapped with a crane and a turtle, which also stand for long life, these candies are long, red, and white, symbolizing health and longevity.

8. Nov. 15: Cambodian Water Festival

The Water Festival, which takes place in November each year, is one of Cambodia's most important annual events that follows the Khmer New Year. The festival takes place on the full moon of the twelfth lunar month, and both Siem Reap and Phnom Penh host large-scale celebrations. One of the most important events in Cambodia is the Water Festival. Over three days in November, the Water Festival takes place throughout Cambodia, with the biggest celebrations taking place along the Tonle Sap River in front of the Royal Palace in Phnom Penh.

Photo: Rainforest Cruises

Around the time of Angkorian King Jayavarman VII in the twelfth century, the Water Festival was first observed. The Cambodian fishing season was established by the King's Navy. The celebrations delighted the gods and ensured abundant rice and fish harvests the following year.

Another legend holds that the King used Bon Om Touk as a route to organize his naval force in preparation for the impending battle. There are carvings at Bayon Temple and Banteay Chmear that depict maritime battles similar to the boat races seen at modern celebrations.The celebration is well received everywhere, but many Cambodians travel in a special trio from the countryside to Phnom Penh, the country's capital. They frequently indulge in the festivities for at least two days. People congregate in Phnom Penh for large boat races, an enlightened moon welcome, and the consumption of rice cooked in coconut or banana juice.

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9. Nov. 25: Thanksgiving

The American national holiday known as Thanksgiving Day will take place on November 25, 2021. One of the first Thanksgiving celebrations in the colonies was a harvest feast that Wampanoag Native Americans and Plymouth colonists shared in 1621. Days of Thanksgiving were observed by various colonies and states for more than 200 years. President Abraham Lincoln didn't officially establish a national Thanksgiving Day until 1863, in the midst of the Civil War.

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The focus of Thanksgiving celebrations in many American homes has shifted away from the holiday's traditional religious significance and toward the preparation and sharing of a hearty meal with loved ones. When the Pilgrims hosted the first Thanksgiving feast in 1621, turkey may or may not have been on the menu. Turkey has since become such a staple of the holiday that it is now almost synonymous with it.

Today, however, the National Turkey Federation reports that almost 90% of Americans consume the turkey on Thanksgiving, whether it be roasted, baked, or deep-fried. Stuffing, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, and pumpkin pie are additional traditional dishes. Thanksgiving Day volunteering is a common tradition, and localities frequently hold food drives and provide free meals for the less fortunate.

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10. Nov. 28: Hanukkah

Hanukkah, which in Hebrew means "dedication," starts on the 25th of Kislev and typically occurs in November or December. The holiday, which is also known as the Festival of Lights, is observed with the lighting of the menorah, traditional foods, entertainment, and presents.

Photo: ABC Chicago

Given that Hanukkah celebrates the rededication of the Holy Temple and the altar, the term "Chanukah" means "inauguration" or "dedication." Both religious and non-religious customs are observed during Hanukkah. The most significant custom is lighting the "menorah," an eight-branched candelabra with a holder for the shamash candle, which is used to light the other eight candles.

Traditionally, candles were used to light the menorah instead of olive oil. Every night of the festival, these candles are placed in the menorah in ascending order from right to left, but they are lit from left to right. The menorah had been lit earlier outside the house. Later in antiquity, it started to be lit inside to avoid upsetting the neighbors.

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