Belize : public and bank holidays, closure of banks, stock exchanges, school vacations

cards/flowers :

School holidays :

Secular holiday :

School holidays :

Secular holiday : The area was originally settled by the Spanish. In the XVIIth century British settlers came, interested in the mahogany forests. After many conflicts with the Spanish, war broke out in 1796. A Spanish army was sent to expel the British settlers. But in 1798 The battle of St. George Cay was won by a handful of locals Britishers.

Secular holiday : British Honduras became Belize after the independence was granted by the UK in 1981

Secular holiday : Celebrated in many countries in the Americas, commemorating the date of Christopher Columbus's arrival in the New World in 1492. Similar holidays, celebrated as Dia de la Raza (Day of the Race) in many countries in Latin America, Discovery Day in the Bahamas, Hispanic Day in Spain, and with the recently new name Dia de la Resistencia Indigena (Day of Indigenous Resistance) in Venezuela, commemorate the same event. Columbus Day in the United States is celebrated on the 2nd Monday in October. The first recorded celebration of Columbus Day in the USA was held by the Tammany Society, also known as the Colombian Order, in New York on October 12, 1792, marking the 300th anniversary of Columbus's landing in the Bahamas

Secular holiday : The Garifuna ethnic group makes up to 8% of the local population. Other population, essentially Black, came from neighbouring islands at the beginning of the XIXth century.

School holidays :

Catholic or protestant : Since pre-historic times in Europe, festivities (bonfires, offrerings) were marking the beginning of longer hours of daylight with fires and ritual. The Roman festival of Saturnalia lasted several days in December (gambling and offerings). Germanic tribes also celebrated mid-winter (drinking and rituals). The Bulgarian (with Koleduvane) and the Polish (with Gwiazdka) perpetuate this tradition. Jesus of Nazareth was probably born in springtime (Reformists favour autumn). But in the 4th century, December 25th was chosen for the celebration of his birth by Pope Julius I (Bishop Liberus is also mentioned in 354 A.D.). Thus, a Christian element was introduced in the long-established mid-winter festivals. Before 1582, the Papal States and other Italian city states celebrated New Year’s Day on Christmas Day.

Secular holiday :

Secular holiday : Remembrance of St Stephen, the first Christian martyr.