On Calendars and Holidays

Whenever we celebrate the New Year, the most popular item on our mind other than making a New Year's Resolution and firecrackers is the calendar. If you really stop and think about it, the calendar is one of the most important discoveries of man.

No one really knows who made the first calendar. But read the Bible and you will see that there were already chronologigal records since the book of Genesis. Different kinds of calendars were created all throughout history but did you know that the Hindu and Chinese calendars (which are both based on the moon's movements) were slightly more accurate than the calendars created in the Middle East and Europe?

The Gregorian calendar is presently the one accepted worldwide (although the Chinese lunar calendar and its celebrations are still followed in many places around the world even if it is almost 4,700 years old). During the Chirstmas season, we welcome the calendar giveaways that we usually receive from business establishments that we frequent, even if we already have calendars in our cellphones and computers.

Yes, calendars are important. We keep track of our days and we plan how our year will be. Calendars also help us map out our rest days and vacations with the help of those red-colored dates.

To help out those who don't have any calendars, below is a list of red-colored dates (holidays), starting April this year, in the Philippines.

Regular Holidays

Maundy Thursday April 9

Good Friday April 10

Araw ng Kagitingan April 6 (Monday nearest April 9)

Labor Day May 1 (Friday)

Independence Day June 12 (Friday)

National Heroes Day August 31 (Monday), Last Monday of August

Bonifacio Day November 30 (Monday)

Christmas Day December 25 (Friday)

Rizal Day December 30 (Wednesday)

Special (Non-working) Days

Ninoy Aquino Day August 21 (Friday)

All Saints Day November 1 (Sunday)

Additional special (non-working) day November 2 (Monday)

Additional special (non-working) day December 24 (Thursday)

Last day of the year December 31 (Thursday)

Taken from www.gov.ph/faqs/holidays.asp.