Saint Nicholas
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Wednesday december 6, 2023
cards/flowers : A festival for children related to surviving legends of the saint, and particularly his reputation as a bringer of gifts.
Agribex
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Wednesday december 6, 2023
Tradeshows : Lasts 3 days -
http://www.agribex.be/ in Brussels 2023 edition confirmed
Christmas holiday - Kerstvakantie (beginning)
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Friday december 22, 2023
School holidays :
Christmas Day
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Monday december 25, 2023
Catholic or protestant : Since pre-historic times in Europe, festivities (bonfires, offrerings) were marking the beginning of longer hours of daylight with fires and ritual. The Roman festival of Saturnalia lasted several days in December (gambling and offerings). Germanic tribes also celebrated mid-winter (drinking and rituals). The Bulgarian (with Koleduvane) and the Polish (with Gwiazdka) perpetuate this tradition. Jesus of Nazareth was probably born in springtime (Reformists favour autumn). But in the 4th century, December 25th was chosen for the celebration of his birth by Pope Julius I (Bishop Liberus is also mentioned in 354 A.D.). Thus, a Christian element was introduced in the long-established mid-winter festivals. Before 1582, the Papal States and other Italian city states celebrated New Years Day on Christmas Day.
Civil Servants holiday
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Tuesday december 26, 2023
Secular holiday : Boxing Day
Banks are closed
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Tuesday december 26, 2023
Banks only :
New Year's Day
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Monday january 1, 2024
Secular holiday : The world's most widely celebrated holiday, New Years was set on January 1 by Julius Caesar because that was the date the Roman consuls took over their duties. Paid holiday when falling on Saturday or Sunday
Epiphany
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Saturday january 6, 2024
cards/flowers :
Christmas holiday - Kerstvakantie (end)
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Monday january 8, 2024
School holidays : Www.enseignement.be
calendar issued by the Ministry of Education
With numerous levels of national and local bureaucracy, the school system can seem difficult to understand. However, as Belgium is the capital of the EU, the education system is well developed to serve international and working families (state schools, subsidised or free private schools, bilingual schools, method schools and private and international schools)
Instruction is dispensed in either Flemish, French, German or English
PISA ranking (average 493): 502
number of instructional hours per year in lower secondary education: 650
School day duration: 6:00 hours
Number of teaching days: 185 (FR), 180 (DE), 185 (NL)
University of Liege ranking: Shanghai (2023) #301-400
School may open on Saturday morning
No uniform required
We carry confirmed dates till Oct 2025Please note that authorities may take last-minute decisions; please double-check if this information is vital to you
Make a Paypal donation of euros 50 to
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Summit of Sustainable Destinations
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Wednesday january 24, 2024
Tradeshows : Https://ec.europa.eu lasts 2 days, in Brussels 2024 edition confirmed
Carnival - Krokusvakantie (beginning)
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Friday february 9, 2024
School holidays :
Binche Carnival
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Sunday february 11, 2024
Culture : Http://www.carnavaldebinche.be/home-nl.html Drums, dances, masks. - Festivities last 2 days.
Valentine's Day
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Wednesday february 14, 2024
cards/flowers : Introduced by Pope Gelasus in 498, perhaps in response to a local Roman tradition of lovers writing their names on an urn in February
Carnival - Krokusvakantie (end)
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Monday february 19, 2024
School holidays :
Carnaval (beginning) - French schools
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Friday february 23, 2024
School holidays :
Carnaval (end) - French schools
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Monday march 11, 2024
School holidays :
Easter holiday - Paasvakantie (beginning) -Flemish schools
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Friday march 29, 2024
School holidays :
Ronde van Vlaanderen - Tour des Flandres (cycling race)
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Saturday march 30, 2024
Sports events : Https://www.uci.org/ 2024 edition confirmed
Daylight Saving Time
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Sunday march 31, 2024
Special Events : At 1:00 am local times
Easter Monday
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Monday april 1, 2024
Catholic or protestant : In the year 325, the Council of Nicée determined a date fo Easter. Full Moon would fall the 14th day of a moon month (1). Easter would be marked by the dominical letter(2)and the epactus(3). With the establishment of the equinox ne variatur on March 21, algorithms where elaborated to attribuate a date for Easter whatever the year.
Time between two consecutive new moons: 20 days 12 hours 44 minutes 2.8 - Gives a letter code for the year's calendar Age of the moon on January 1st, minus one unity, 0 being the new moon's age.
Foire du Livre de Bruxelles
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Thursday april 4, 2024
Culture : Https://flb.be/ lasts 5 days - 2024 edition confirmed
End of Ramadan (may be changed to the nearest day)
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Wednesday april 10, 2024
cards/flowers : The month of Ramadan is that in which was revealed the Quran; a guidance for mankind, and clear proofs of the guidance, and the criterion (of right and wrong). And whosoever of you is present, let him fast the month, and whosoever of you is sick or on a journey, a number of other days. Allah desires for you ease; He desires not hardship for you; and that you should complete the period, and that you should magnify Allah for having guided you, and that perhaps you may be thankful [Wikipedia]
Easter holiday - Paasvakantie (end) - Flemish schools
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Monday april 15, 2024
School holidays :
Mid-term holiday (beginning) - French schools
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Friday april 26, 2024
School holidays :
Passover
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Monday april 29, 2024
cards/flowers : Deliverance of the Jewish people from Egypt. The Seder service on the first two evenings recounts the story of the Exodus
Labor Day/May Day
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Wednesday may 1, 2024
Secular holiday : Chicago, Saturday May 1st, 1886: 350,000 workers go on strike to call for an 8-hour working day. Industries are paralyzed nationwide. On Monday, as demonstrations go on, the police open fire. On Tuesday, Chicago is again on strike. Following a bomb launched against them, the police shoot again. 12 dead, of which 7 policemen. 8 anarchists will be condemned and executed. In 1889, the Socialist International Movement met in Paris and declared this day international workers' day . The Soviets will follow suit, just as the Nazis. In France, under the Vichy regime (1940-1944), the celebration is renamed Labour Day .
Regional holiday
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Saturday may 4, 2024
Secular holiday : Https://fetedeliris.brussels/ in Brussels only - lasts 2 days 2024 edition confirmed
Ascension holiday - Hemelvaart (beginning)
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Wednesday may 8, 2024
School holidays : some schools may work on Friday
Bruges Holy Blood procession
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Thursday may 9, 2024
Culture : Sanguis Christi
Ascension
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Thursday may 9, 2024
Catholic or protestant : Forty days after Easter, always on a Thursday. After his resurrection, Jesus appeared before his disciples and gathered them to tell them to baptize and spread the good word. He then ascended to heaven on a cloud.
Banks are closed
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Friday may 10, 2024
Banks only :
Mother's Day
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Sunday may 12, 2024
cards/flowers : Probably linked with a celebration in England in the 1600s ( Mothering Sunday ). Honored all mothers in England. Mothering Sunday gave poor servants who lived and worked for the wealthy a day off to actually go home and dedicate time to their mothers. Mothering Cake , a special cake, was common for the celebration.
Ascension holiday - Hemelvaart (end)
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Monday may 13, 2024
School holidays :
Mid-term holiday (end) - French schools
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Monday may 13, 2024
School holidays :
Pentecost holiday (beginning)
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Friday may 17, 2024
School holidays :
Pentecost
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Sunday may 19, 2024
Catholic or protestant : Not a paid holiday
Whit Monday
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Monday may 20, 2024
Catholic or protestant : Seven weeks after Easter Monday -Marking the day the Holy Spirit entered the disciples left behind and the beginning of their ministry.
Pentecost holiday (end)
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Tuesday may 21, 2024
School holidays :
European elections
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Thursday june 6, 2024
Special Events :
Parliamentary election
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Sunday june 9, 2024
Special Events :
Fathers' Day
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Sunday june 9, 2024
cards/flowers : except in Antwert
Summer holiday (beginning) - Flemish schools
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Friday june 28, 2024
School holidays :