Why do we celebrate?
We celebrate for many different reasons. Birthdays, weddings, religious festivals and other special days of the year are celebrated in Australia and around the world.
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Many people celebrate traditions from the countries their families came from. People of different religions and cultures celebrate different events on different days.
There are special days throughout the year that Australians celebrate. People use these days to remember or celebrate important events or honour people from history or religious figures.
Sometimes we have a public holiday so people do not have to go to school or work. Anzac Day, Christmas, Easter and Australia Day are public holidays. These are specials days where we remember an important historical event or are major religious days.
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Australia is a multicultural society. That means there are several groups with different cultures living in Australia. Different cultures celebrate different events in different ways.
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Today the largest religious groups in Australia are Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Buddhism, and Hinduism. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people also have their traditional beliefs. Each religious group celebrates their own important days.
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There are many other special days that we celebrate in Australia. These days are not public holidays or special religious days but many Australians still celebrate them every year. Days such as Father's Day, Mother's Day, Halloween, Valentine's Day and the various New Year celebrations that different cultures observe.
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Families and individuals celebrate special occasions throughout the year. Birthdays, weddings, anniversaries of important events, christenings and name days are all types of important occasions that may be celebrated by families.
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Not all families celebrate these occasions the same way. Families often have their own ways to celebrate. Think about how your family celebrates birthdays. Find out how your friends celebrate their birthdays.