Holidays Calendar for October 25, 2012

In most countries that celebrate Thanksgiving Day, this holiday is associated with the harvest season. However, Thanksgiving Day in Grenada has nothing to do with celebrating the harvest, even though it has the same name and is celebrated in autumn.

The Day of Arafah (also referred to as the Day of Repentance) is an Islamic festival celebrated on the ninth day of the month of Dhu al-Hijjah. It is the second day of the Hajj, an annual pilgrimage to Mecca.

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Republic Day is a national holiday in Kazakhstan. It is celebrated annually on October 25 to commemorate the adoption of the Declaration of the State Sovereignty of the Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic in 1990.

Pasta is a staple food of Italian cuisine, so it is not surprising that World Pasta Day was created in Italy. It has been celebrated every October 25 since 1995.

World Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus Day is observed annually on October 25. It was created to raise awareness of two conditions that effect the spine and the brain and to advocate for people living with these conditions.

MDS World Awareness Day is observed on October 25 to draw attention to a group of rare blood cancers that affect immature blood cells in the bone marrow. It was established by the MDS Alliance with the help of MDS patient supports group from around the world.

World Opera Day is celebrated annually on October 25. It is an international awareness campaign that highlights the positive impact and value of opera and performing arts in general for society.

International Dwarfism Awareness Day is observed annually on October 25. It was created to celebrate little people, raise awareness of the struggles that they have to face, and educate people about achondroplasia, which is the most common cause of dwarfism.

International Artist Day is observed annually on October 25. It was launched in 2004 to celebrate artists around the globe, highlight the contribution they have made and are making to society, and give exposure to talented artists from all over the world.

International Carignan Day is a wine-related holiday celebrated annually on the last Thursday of October. It was created to raise awareness of a grape variety that originated in Spain but is more commonly found in French wines.

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All Russian customs officers celebrate their professional holiday on October 25. Customs Officer's Day in Russia was officially established on August 4, 1995 by the first President of Russia Boris Yeltsin.

Many countries have special holidays dedicated to their military, and Romania is no exception. Armed Forces Day in Romania is celebrated on October 25. On this day in 1944, the Romanian Army liberated the city of Carei from Nazi occupation.

Military Chaplain Day is an unofficial professional holiday celebrated in the Armed Forces of Ukraine annually on October 25. It is dedicated to all military chaplains serving in the country’s armed forces.

On October 25, Lithuanians celebrate Constitution Day. Although it is not a public holiday, special events are organized to commemorate the adoption of the country's constitution in 1992.

Taiwan Retrocession Day is an annual observance held in the Republic of China, commonly known as Taiwan, on October 25. It commemorates the end of Japanese rule over the island of Taiwan in 1945.

Sovereignty Day is an official holiday in Slovenia, celebrated on October 25. It commemorates the final withdrawal of the Yugoslav People’s Army from the territory of Slovenia in 1991.

The Basque Country, an autonomous community in northern Spain, celebrates its national day on October 25. The Day of the Basque Country commemorates the anniversary of its autonomous status.

The English ceremonial non-metropolitan county of Northamptonshire celebrates its holiday, Northamptonshire Day, on October 25. It is the feast day of Saints Crispin and Crispinian, the patron saints of shoemakers (Northampton used to be a major center of shoemaking and the leather industry in the 19th century).

Greasy foods are considered very unhealthy, but sometimes you just cannot keep from indulging yourself with fried delights. The National Greasy Foods Day is the perfect excuse to eat some greasy food without feeling guilty. It is celebrated on October 25.

 

This Day in History

  • 2010 Mount Merapi in Indonesia began an increasingly violent series of eruptions that continued into November. More than 350,000 people had to be evacuated from the affected area.
  • 2009 Al-Qaeda organized bombing attack in Baghdad, Iraq. Two suicide car bombers attacked the Ministry of Justice and the Baghdad Provincial Council building, killing 155 and injuring at least 721 people.
  • 2004 President of Cuba Fidel Castro announced the ban on all transactions in Cuba using the American Dollar in response to tighter US sanctions. The ban came to force on November 8.
  • 2002 Died: Richard Harris, Irish actor, director and writer. During the lifetime he appeared in many films, including Camelot, Unforgiven, Gladiator, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
  • 1997 After a brief civil war which had driven President Pascal Lissouba out of Brazzaville, Denis Sassou Nguesso proclaimed himself the President of the Republic of the Congo.
  • 1985 Born: Ciara (Ciara Princess Wilson, née Harris), American singer, songwriter, businesswoman, dancer, model, and actress. She rose to prominence with her 2004 debut studio album Goodies.
  • 1984 Born: Katy Perry, American singer and actress. She rose to fame with the release of singles I Kissed a Girl and Hot n Cold in 2008. Since then she received many awards, including three Guinness World Records.
  • 1983 The United States and its Caribbean allies invaded Grenada in order to restore the per-revolutionary regime, that had been installed six days before.
  • 1980 Died: Virgil Fox, American organizes, known for his Heavy Organ concerts of the music of Bach.
  • 1977 Born: Birgit Prinz, German football player. Although Prinz's retired, she remains one of the game's most prolific strikers and the FIFA Woman's World Cup leading scorer.
  • 1971 The United Nations expelled the Republic of China (Taiwan) and seated the People's Republic of China. Since then China is represented in the UN only by the Beijing Government.
  • 1970 Born: Adam Pascal, American actor, singer, and musician, best known for originating the role of Roger Davis in Jonathan Larson's musical Rent on Broadway.
  • 1962 Uganda joined the United Nations. It became its 108th member state.
  • 1961 Born: Chad Smith, American musician, the drummer of the Rod Hot Chili Peppers. He joined the group in 1988. Smith is widely regarded as one of the best rock music drummers.
  • 1960 Died: Harry Ferguson, Irish engineer and inventor, known for his role in the development of the modern agricultural tractor. He became the first Irishman to build and fly his own aeroplane and develop the first four-wheeled drive Formula One car, the Ferguson P99.
  • 1955 Died: Sadako Sasaki, Japanese victim of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima. She became the subject of the story of a thousand origami cranes and today she is the symbol of innocent victims of war.
  • 1955 The Tappan Stove Company introduced the first microwave oven suitable for a home-use. However, these ovens were too large and expensive for general home use.
  • 1950 Born: Chris Norman, English soft rock singer. He is best known for being the original lead singer of the English rock band Smokie, but he also found success in Europe as a solo artist.
  • 1944 A leading member of the Nazi Party Heinrich Himmler ordered a crackdown on the Edelweiss Pirates, a loosely organized youth group in Nazi Germany, that helped army deserters and others hide from the Third Reich.
  • 1928 Born: Jeanne Cooper, American actress, best known for her Emmy Award winning leading role as Katherine Chancellor on soap opera The Young and the Restless, running from 1973 to 2013.
  • 1927 The Italian luxury liner SS Principessa Mafalda sank off the coast of Brazil. The liner sank slowly in the presence of rescue vessels, but panic and confusion caused the death of 314 out of 1,252 passengers.
  • 1920 Died: Alexander, King of Greece from June 11, 1917 till his death. He died at the age of 27 from the effects of a monkey bite.
  • 1888 Born: Richard E. Byrd, American admiral, specializing in exploration. He was the first to reach the North Pole and the South Pole by air.
  • 1882 Born: John T. Flynn, American journalist, known for his opposition to President Franklin D. Roosevelt and American entry into World War II. Flynn is also known for the first to advocate the Pearl Harbor advance-knowledge conspiracy theory.
  • 1881 Born: Pablo Picasso, Spanish painter, sculptor, one of the greatest and influential artists of the 20th century. He is known for founding the Cubist movement, co-invention of collage and the wide variety of styles.
  • 1864 Born: John Francis Dodge, American businessman and automobile manufacturing pioneer. Together with his brother Horace he founded Dodge, an American brand of automobiles.
  • 1838 Born: Georges Bizet, French composer, best known for his operas. His most famous work is opera Carmen, which has become one of the most popular and frequently performed works.
  • 1825 Born: Johann Strauss II, Austrian composer, son of Johann Strauss. As well as his father, he composed waltzes, polkas, quadrilles. His most famous works include The Blue Danube, Tales from the Vienna Woods, Kaiser-Walzer and Tritsch-Tratsch-Polka.
  • 1760 Died: George II, King of Great Britain and Ireland. His reign lasted from June 22, 1727 till his death. He is known to be the last British monarch born outside Great Britain.
  • 1760 George III became King of Great Britain. He ruled till January 1, 1801, when Great Britain and Ireland united, and became the first King of the United Kingdom, that he ruled till his death in 1820.
  • 1495 Died: John II, King of Portugal from August 28, 1481 till his death. John II is known as an outstanding monarch, who reestablished the power of the Portuguese throne, reinvigorated its economy and renewed exploration of Africa and the Orient.
  • 1400 Died: Geoffrey Chaucer, English poet and author, often called the Father of English literature. He is widely considered to be the greatest English poet of the Middle Ages. His most famous works include The Book of the Duchess, House of Fame and The Canterbury Tales.
  • 1154 Died: Stephen, King of England, grandson of William the Conqueror. He was King of England from 1135 to his death. His reign was marked by the Anarchy, a civil war with his cousin, the Empress Matilda.
  • 625 Died: Pope Boniface V. His papacy lasted from December 23, 619 till his death. Pope Boniface V is known for Christianising of England and making the churches become the places of refuge for criminals.