The Impact COVID-19 has had on festivities around The World
What happened this year? Although there was hope for 2020 nearing the end of 2019, this year was not what many expected…
Especially, after the unwelcome arrival of COVID-19, or coronavirus, has substantially changed the daily routine of planet Earth’s inhabitants, we still managed to have time to celebrate during these bleak times, and how better to do it with national holidays and religious festivals. Let us take a look at the highlight of 2020’s festivities.
The Early Months
2019 was gone, coronavirus cases rising, and slowly moving West from China. However, there was still time for the national lockdown, and so many still had their late-night drinks, extremely lengthened parties, and, of course, falsely claiming to follow resolutions. January 2020 also held Martin Luther King Jr’s birthday, an international day of celebration, most prominent in the United States. This was quite a serious time to reflect on the mistreatment, discrimination and brutalities inflicted on the black community.
Chinese New Year is one of the biggest celebrations that occurs around the January-February time, however the global panic and struggle had also begun in this period, which presented an odd question in the hands of the Chinese Government:
How will this celebration happen this year?
In fear, several of Wuhan’s residents (where the virus initially emerged from) left the country in time before the travel ban was placed, also proving difficult to control the virus. The most the government could do was encourage ‘limited contact with others outside immediate family or those within residence’, and the discouragement of ‘large social gatherings’.
Another February celebration is the Ivrea Carnevale, or Italy’s ‘Battle of Oranges’. This is the remembrance of the old medieval times, more specifically when a heinous count was excluded by the townspeople of Ivrea. It is known by the people of Ivrea and any who participate in the battle that it is a time for wildness and a time to let out the inner ‘loco’, however when the time came of this year’s Carnevale of Ivrea, the Italian government allowed it with no seen restrictions despite the destruction of the global pandemic.
The Japanese ‘Sakura’ or Cherry Blossom Season comes around March – April, which also brings the festival time as well, for acknowledging the beauty of nature and the world, and also is a time for togetherness and family gatherings. Usually, tourists could be seen strolling through the flushed paths, admiring the assortment of flowers, but the Japanese government decided that it was necessary to cancel this year’s festival for the safety of Japan and those of other countries. Fortunately, several believe 2021 will be able to host the festival, and that we can all get together once more to be a part of it. Professor Toru Miyamoto of Tohoku University stated, “Once the coronavirus outbreak is over, I believe that the cherry blossom season in Japan will come to life again.”
The Middle Months
April hosts a few national holidays such as Songkran for the Thai, which is known for its mass water fights, and similar to most other festivals, holidays and religious celebrations. The Thai government took the approach to ban water fights, with the penalty being a ‘harsh punishment’, and also to lessen outer residence functions. April 23rd (as of the 2020 calendar) also marked the beginning of Ramadan for Muslims, a whole month dedicated to fasting, reflection and faithful dedication until Eid al-Fitr which is on May 23rd, when fast is broken and many gathers at their communal mosques to attend prayers. Only this year could the world see the addition of facial masks, protective gloves and the other COVID-19 safety precautions.
June is globally known as the LGBTQ+ Month or ‘Pride Month’, a celebration and remembrance of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer people, and other sexualities’ history, both the struggles and triumphs. The Summer Solstice is usually on June 21st, alternatively any day before or after. This is the longest day of the year for the Northern Hemisphere. The actual cultural celebrations, formally Midsummer, are held internationally, examples being the Santa Barbara parades, Yoga Day in India and Midsommar in Sweden. Regardless of religion or faith, the solstice is a spectacular sight for all, however this year many had to abstain from visiting viewing sights, with some organisations posting live footage from the specific areas.
Side Question for the article
Talk goes on around how to determine the gender of Siri (the AI that is an extension of most of the devices made by Apple.) On iPhone, there is the option to change the nationality of Siri and the gender of Siri. So, when Siri can be more than one gender, what is the classification? Male? Female? Gender neutral? Should Siri be known as he, she or they? After having a think about this, ask others around you what their opinion is.
A religious festival in August for Hindus, is Ganesh Chaturthi, or Vinayak Chaturthi, meaning the specific day of the month dedicated to Ganesh, which celebrates the birth of the deity Ganesh, son of the gods Parvathi and Shiva. Adversely, due to the outbreak, Hindus all around the world had to either remain confined within their homes or visit their local temples following the necessary regulations in small groups. A lesser known Catholic (and Orthodox) celebration is the Assumption of Mary, when it is believed she proceeded to heaven after her passing. This year saw churches (and also other places of worship) acknowledge new regulations in regards to the COVID-19 pandemic, and for the reflection on the Assumption of Mary it was no different. Below is an image that shows what religious bodies look like as of recently around the world.
The Final Months
September is home to International Literacy Day, which is about remembering the substantial need for legibility and education for all internationally, and also Sign Language Day, meaning the recognition and raising awareness for those who suffer from deafness and also all of the global sign languages: BSL, ASL, AUSL, NZSL, CSL, FSL, JSL, ARSL, SSL, MSL and USL. It also hosts Yom Kippur, the Jewish Day of Atonement, which is considered to be the holiest day of the year for Jews. It takes place sometime after Rosh Hashanah which is in September as well. It is when the Jewish ask for forgiveness for any past sins committed. Some who are capable even fast for the entirety of the day, as work is not to be done during the span of Yom Kippur. However, a problem arose when the Israeli government was pressured to let the synagogues around the country remain open, after supposed ‘ultra-Orthodox’ Jews demanded that Yom Kippur must be held with mass prayer, despite the rip of the virus. This raises the question on how politicians take influence from the people, and the limit of that.
October is the autumnal month, bringing harvest season for most countries in the Northern Hemisphere, and one celebration that is quite famous around the globe is of course, Halloween. Also known as Hallow’s Eve, it originally consisted of people wearing grim and devilish costumes to ward off ghosts and other unwanted beings, until now where people have created the trick-or-treat system, where usually young children knock on the doors of residences, asking “Trick or treat?” and the homeowner will often reply by providing the group with a piece of candy or sweets. This is not just a time for children to have fun, but also late-teens and adults, as there are always ‘halloween parties’, that would have also proved difficult to control alongside the COVID-19 pandemic, so they were also ‘advised’ not to be held, the same going for trick-or-treating.
The time of November is when ‘we remember’ those who gave their lives in the world’s previous wars of mankind, and those who put their lives on the line now for the protection and prosperity of their nation. This year unfortunately, with the rise of the pandemic the public of most nations did not gather at the most significant memorial sights, and had to give their time of silence from their homes. In the UK, the government encouraged those who annually pay respects to the fallen soldiers at the Cenotaph not to gather this year, but the Royals were able to make an appearance for the live broadcast on national television.
November also is when Diwali rises, the festival for Hindus, Jains and Sikhs, and it is all about the overpowering of light against the darkness. In 2020, many had to decorate their houses and remain in their residences to help prevent the spread of the virus, however the beauty of the festival could still be seen through a window. The US national holiday of Thanksgiving also takes place in November, but this year the citizens of the United States all made different decisions as to what they should prioritise. Many disregarded the importance of public health and safety and had mass gatherings, while others paid heed and spent time with immediate family instead. There were Thanksgiving parades that took place in different states, some which no one watched, and others where large crowds all spectated behind barriers.
Finally, reaching December, the UK saw the mass production of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine, and now the Oxford AstraZeneca will also be taken by many.
The whole world all lowered expectations for 2021, a mistake made once too many, but still relieved due to the progress made in the battle towards tackling the coronavirus. But still despite the negatives that this year brought, it also helped everyone get closer to the ones that they adore and cherish. However, may 2021 continue to have a better turnout for all the festivities, celebrations and holidays that our planet has to offer.