In late August…I’m sorry…my chattering thoughts drift to school harvest festivals, and Thanksgiving plane reservations and December gifts for family members. If you think your coming schedule is full, start paying attention to every wisdom tradition’s holiday! Not only are these sacred celebrations wonderful to know, they widen our knowledge and help us understand other cultures.

The following two sources are really quite fascinating: First, Beliefnet has its own multi-faith religious calendar chock filled with information about holy days and more. Second, Waverly Fitzgerald presents a more elaborate monthly calendar with fascinating links to all manner of celebration, saint days, and more. Did you realize, for instance, that August 24th is both St. Bartholomew’s day (he’s the patron saint of butchers), and the day the Chinese will celebrate the birthday of the Kitchen God Zaoshen? Trot that out at Thursday’s neighborhood barbeque! August 25th marks the Roman harvest festival. And on August 27th, many Hindus will commemorate ‘Ganesh Chaturthi,’ the fourth day of the bright lunar fortnight of Bhadra. According to one site, “Statues of Ganesha are purchased in the market and installed in the family shrine, where Ganesha is honored with flowers, lighted candles, food including sweet-balls (modokas), prayers and songs.”