Diwali is the Hindu festival of lights, usually lasting five days and celebrated between mid-October and mid-November. 

Diwali has no fixed date but follows the pattern of the moon and is celebrated on the darkest day of the month: the new moon.

Every St. Patrick’s Day, the city of Chicago caps its citywide celebrations by dying the Chicago River a dazzling emerald green.

Turning the river green was discovered accidentally! A plumber had noticed a substance used to test for leaks in pipes had turned his overalls bright green.

This was the lightbulb moment in which a great Chi-Town custom was conceived. The Chicago River was first dyed green in 1962. It has been dyed exclusively by the same two families for 3 generations. The environmentally-friendly recipe is a closely guarded secret.

Also, the mysterious powder that creates the dye - called “Leprechaun Dust” - is actually orange until it hits the water.

Scotland is famous for throwing Hogmanay celebrations: jolly bashes around the country welcoming friends and strangers with warm hospitality and music, rounded off with a hearty rendition of Auld Lang Syne.

Once the last line of Auld Lang Syne has faded, one of the most important (and hidden) of Scotland’s Hogmanay traditions is yet to take place. “First footing” ( the “first foot” in the house after midnight) remains an important practice among Scots.

To ensure good luck for the household, the first foot should traditionally be a dark-haired male, and he should bring with him symbolic pieces of coal, salt and, importantly, whisky.

From the 1st to 19th March, València is overturned by Fallas celebrations, a festivity that combines tradition, satire and art and attracts fans from around the world. Displayed on every corner all over the city are colourful ninots - giant papier-mâché figures often 20 feet tall or even more that have been paraded through the streets. They are then stacked on top of one another to tower over excited spectators.

The origin of las Fallas comes from the old carpenter’s tradition who, when celebrating the arrival of spring on 19th March, used to burn pieces of wood that were used to prop up their lights during the winter.

To this bonfire they gradually started to add old belongings and rags, which gave the wooden structure a human-looking aspect, until they became the elaborate and fantastical stacks of ninots that we know today.