"per month, or 63 per quarter. Out of a possible 365 days, 104 days are weekend days (Saturday and Sunday) when the stock exchanges are closed. All nine holidays which close the exchanges fall on weekdays. There are three shortened trading sessions: on Tuesday, July 3 (the day before Independence Day), on Friday, November 23 (the day after Thanksgiving Day), and on Monday, December 24, (Christmas Eve). On December 5, 2018, all trading activities (except for stock market futures) were canceled due to the state funeral of George H. W. Bush. There are exactly 252 trading days in 2019. February"
"the law in 1991 (see Scottish term days), and in much of northern England until the 18th century, Candlemas was one of the traditional quarter days when quarterly rents were due for payment, as well as the day or term for various other business transactions, including the hiring of servants. In the United Kingdom, good weather at Candlemas is taken to indicate severe winter weather later: """"If Candlemas Day is clear and bright, / winter will have another bite. / If Candlemas Day brings cloud and rain, / winter is gone and will not come again."""" It is also alleged"
"Scottish term days Scottish term and quarter days are the four divisions of the legal year, historically used as the days when contracts and leases would begin and end, servants would be hired or dismissed, and rent, interest on loans, and ministers' stipends would become due. The Term Days are Whitsunday and Martinmas, and together with Candlemas and Lammas they constitute the Quarter Days. Although they were fixed by the Term and Quarter Days (Scotland) Act 1990 as falling on the 28th day every three months, they originally occurred on holy days, corresponding roughly to old quarter days used in"
"April to early July) terms. In the ancient universities, the academic terms were named after Martinmas, Candlemas and Whitsun, and at the University of St Andrews the two semesters continue to be named Martinmas and Candlemas. Scottish term days Scottish term and quarter days are the four divisions of the legal year, historically used as the days when contracts and leases would begin and end, servants would be hired or dismissed, and rent, interest on loans, and ministers' stipends would become due. The Term Days are Whitsunday and Martinmas, and together with Candlemas and Lammas they constitute the Quarter Days."
"performance on Candlemas Day 1602. It remains one of the Scottish quarter days, at which debts are paid and law courts are in session. The Feast of the Presentation depends on the date for Christmas: As per the passage from the Gospel of Luke () describing the event in the life of Jesus, the celebration of the Presentation of the Lord follows 40 days after. The blessing of candles on this day recalls Simeon's reference to the infant Jesus as the ""light for revelation to the Gentiles"" (). Modern Pagans believe that Candlemas is a Christianization of the Gaelic festival"
"to be the date that bears emerge from hibernation to inspect the weather as well as wolves, who if they choose to return to their lairs on this day is interpreted as meaning severe weather will continue for another forty days at least. The same is true in Italy, where it is called . The Carmina Gadelica, a seminal collection of Scottish folklore, refers to a serpent coming out of the mound on ""Latha Fheill Bride"", as the Scots call Candlemas. This rhyme is still used in the West Highlands and Hebrides. In the United States, Candlemas coincides with Groundhog"
"term would start on 29 September, and thus continues to be called the ""Michaelmas term"", especially at more traditional universities. Prior to the Christianization of Ireland in the 5th century AD, the Celtic quarter days were observed: These are now called cross-quarter days since they fall about halfway into each of the English quarters. The ""Old Scottish term days"" corresponded approximately to the old Celtic quarter days: These were also the dates of the Quarter Days observed in northern England until the 18th century. The dates for removals and for the employment of servants of Whitsunday and Martinmas were changed"
"are wide-ranging, from a ""festival of lights"" at the Scottish Maritime Museum & Harbourside, to a variety of Hogmanay events across Scotland. Scotland's Winter Festival Scotland’s Winter Festival is an annual, nationwide festival that takes place across the winter months of November, December and January. Three particular events are highlighted: St Andrews Day, Hogmanay and Burns night. Winter has always been an important time in the Scottish calendar, encompassing many cultural events and historical traditions, such as Halloween and Beltane - including the three national days of St Andrews Day, Hogmanay and Burns Night. Scotland's Winter Festival works these events"
"Scotland's Winter Festival Scotland’s Winter Festival is an annual, nationwide festival that takes place across the winter months of November, December and January. Three particular events are highlighted: St Andrews Day, Hogmanay and Burns night. Winter has always been an important time in the Scottish calendar, encompassing many cultural events and historical traditions, such as Halloween and Beltane - including the three national days of St Andrews Day, Hogmanay and Burns Night. Scotland's Winter Festival works these events into a winter long festival across Scotland. In 2017 the festival encompassed 23 events across 17 local authority areas. The events included"
"begins on 1 June and ends on 31 August. In Celtic nations such as Ireland (using the Irish calendar) and in Scandinavia, the winter solstice is traditionally considered as midwinter, with the winter season beginning 1 November, on All Hallows, or Samhain. Winter ends and spring begins on Imbolc, or Candlemas, which is 1 or 2 February. This system of seasons is based on the length of days exclusively. (The three-month period of the shortest days and weakest solar radiation occurs during November, December and January in the Northern Hemisphere and May, June and July in the Southern Hemisphere.) Also,"
"according to the religious law, followed by Jesus' presentation in the Jerusalem temple, and this explains the formal names given to the festival, as well as its falling 40 days after the Nativity. In Swedish and Finnish Lutheran Churches, Candlemas is (since 1774) always celebrated on a Sunday, at earliest on 2 February and at latest on 8 February, except if this Sunday happens to be the last Sunday before Lent, i.e. Shrove Sunday or Quinquagesima (, ), in which case Candlemas is celebrated one week earlier. In the Armenian Apostolic Church, the Feast, called ""The Coming of the Son"
"January, and at Septuagesima Sunday it is out again until Low Sunday, at which time it comes in again, and goes not out until Rogation Sunday ; from whence it is unforbidden till Advent Sunday, but then it goes out, and comes not in again till 13 January next following."" Like nearly all of the other cultures, Scottish culture considers May an unlucky month. 3 May is a particularly unlucky date for a wedding. 1 January, on the other hand, is the luckiest day of the year for any novel experience because of the introduction of the New Year. Unlike"
"blessing of candles. On the day following Candlemas, the feast of St. Blaise is celebrated. It is connected to the rite of Blessing of the Throats – which is, for to be available to reach more people, also often transferred to Candlemas day. By coincidence, the rite includes crossed candles. As the poem by Robert Herrick records, the eve of Candlemas was the day on which Christmas decorations of greenery were removed from people's homes; for traces of berries, holly and so forth will bring death among the congregation before another year is out. In Scotland, until a change in"
"moves each year, the legal Term Day of Whitsun was fixed in Scotland as 26 May in the Julian Calendar, which became 15 May under the Gregorian Calendar, adopted in Scotland in 1599. Lammas was celebrated on 1 August, the day the first fruits of the harvest were offered, the name coming from the Anglo-Saxon for 'loaf-mass' or 'bread-feast'. Martinmas, on 11 November, was originally the feast of Saint Martin of Tours, a 4th-century bishop and hermit. In Scotland, 1886 saw the term dates for removals and the hiring of servants in towns changed to 28 February, 28 May, 28"
"(1 February), Beltane (1 May), Lughnasadh (1 August), or Samhain (1 November). In Scotland, by the village of Munlochy on the A832, is a clootie well at an ancient spring dedicated to Saint Curetán, where rags are still hung on the surrounding bushes and trees. Here the well was once thought to have had the power to cure sick children who were left there overnight. In the heart of Culloden woods near the battlefield is a walled clootie well also known as St Mary's well. This well was traditionally visited on the first Sunday in May up until the early"
"the dead called Parentalia, it is more typically linked to the Celtic festival of Samhain, which comes from the Old Irish for 'summer's end'."" Samhain () was the first and most important of the four quarter days in the medieval Gaelic calendar and was celebrated on 31 October – 1 November in Ireland, Scotland and the Isle of Man. A kindred festival was held at the same time of year by the Brittonic Celts, called Calan Gaeaf in Wales, Kalan Gwav in Cornwall and Kalan Goañv in Brittany; a name meaning ""first day of winter"". For the Celts, the day"
"Samhain Samhain (; ) is a Gaelic festival marking the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter or the ""darker half"" of the year. Traditionally, it is celebrated from 31 October to 1 November, as the Celtic day began and ended at sunset. This is about halfway between the autumn equinox and the winter solstice. It is one of the four Gaelic seasonal festivals, along with Imbolc, Bealtaine and Lughnasadh. Historically, it was widely observed throughout Ireland, Scotland and the Isle of Man. Similar festivals are held at the same time of year in other Celtic lands;"
"August and 28 November. The original dates are now referred to as ""Old Scottish Term Days"". The dates were regularised by the Term and Quarter Days (Scotland) Act 1990. The usage of term days is now virtually obsolete, and any reference to them tends to be historical or ceremonial. The College of Justice (supreme courts of Scotland) no longer uses the term or quarter days to determine the terms of the Court of Session or High Court, instead dividing the legal year into winter (late September to last Friday before Christmas), spring (early January to late March) and summer (late"
"between this world and the afterlife is at its thinnest point of the whole year, making it easier to communicate with those who have left this world. Holidays Calendars Early Irish literature Samhain Samhain (; ) is a Gaelic festival marking the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter or the ""darker half"" of the year. Traditionally, it is celebrated from 31 October to 1 November, as the Celtic day began and ended at sunset. This is about halfway between the autumn equinox and the winter solstice. It is one of the four Gaelic seasonal festivals, along"
"Lammas Lammas Day (Anglo-Saxon ""hlaf-mas"", ""loaf-mass""), is a holiday celebrated in some English-speaking countries in the Northern Hemisphere, usually between 1 August and 1 September. It is a festival to mark the annual wheat harvest, and is the first harvest festival of the year. On this day it was customary to bring to church a loaf made from the new crop, which began to be harvested at Lammastide, which falls at the halfway point between the summer Solstice and Autumn September Equinox. The loaf was blessed, and in Anglo-Saxon England it might be employed afterwards to work magic: a book"
"Party politicians who have argued that the Saltire should fly on 30 November instead. However, the Union Flag is flown by the British Army at the Castle as it is an official British Army flag flying station. In Scotland, and many countries with Scottish connections, Saint Andrew's Day is marked with a celebration of Scottish culture with traditional Scottish food, music and dance. In Scotland the day is also seen as the start of a season of Scottish winter festivals encompassing Saint Andrew's Day, Hogmanay and Burns Night. There are week-long celebrations in the town of St Andrews and in"
"the Baptist, is one of the quarter days in England. Midsummer festivals are celebrated throughout Scotland, notably in the Scottish Borders where Peebles holds its Beltane Week. The Eve of St. John has special magical significance and was used by Sir Walter Scott as the title, and theme, for a pseudo-ballad poem. He invented a legend in which the lady of Smailholm Tower, near Kelso, keeps vigil by the midnight fires three nights in a row (see above) and is visited by her lover; but when her husband returns from battle, she learns he slew that lover on the first"
"for parents and others. In Scotland the academic year usually begins in the third week of August. In October, there are one or two weeks off, which is the half-way point between Summer and Christmas holidays. The Christmas holiday usually begins a few days before December 25 and ends a few days after January 5. There is up to a week off half-way through the Spring term and a two-week break for Easter. After Easter is Summer term and the 3rd half term break is the half-way point to the summer holidays. The summer holiday usually begins at the end"
"and many more were injured. At the day's end, races were held, with prizes given to the townspeople. Lughnasadh or Lammas is also the name used for one of the eight sabbats in the Neopagan Wheel of the Year. It is the first of the three autumn harvest festivals, the other two being the autumn equinox (also called Mabon) and Samhain. In the Northern Hemisphere it takes place around 1 August, while in the Southern Hemisphere it is celebrated around 1 February. Lammas is one of the Scottish quarter days. ""Lammas leaves"" or ""Lammas growth"" refers to a second crop"
"century. Since the later 20th century, Celtic neopagans and Wiccans have observed Samhain, or something based on it, as a religious holiday. Neopagans in the Southern Hemisphere often celebrate Samhain at the other end of the year (about 1 May). In Modern Irish as well as Scottish Gaelic the name is . Older forms of the word include the Scottish Gaelic spellings and . In Manx Gaelic the name is . These are also the names of November in each language, shortened from ""Mí na Samhna"" (Irish), ""Mì na Samhna"" (Scottish Gaelic) and ""Mee Houney"" (Manx), meaning ""month of Samhain""."
"of the New Year. A roast dinner would be eaten to celebrate the festival. ""Handsel"" was a word for gift and hence ""Handsel Day"". In modern Scotland this practice has died out. Hogmanay Hogmanay (; ) is the Scots word for the last day of the year and is synonymous with the celebration of the New Year (Gregorian calendar) in the Scottish manner. It is normally followed by further celebration on the morning of New Year's Day (1 January) or, in some cases, 2 January—a Scottish bank holiday. The origins of Hogmanay are unclear, but it may be derived from"
"of Glamis Castle, the childhood home of Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother. The festival is the largest event of its kind in the east of Scotland. Events hosted at Scotland's Countryside Festival include: Dundee Courier Image Gallery Scotland's Countryside Festival Scotland's Countryside Festival is an annual two-day event which takes place at Glamis Castle, by Forfar. The festival originally came about in the wake of the 2007 outbreak of foot and mouth disease. The organisers hoped to try to develop something that would be good for the rural economy after the devastation that disease brought. During the outbreak, businesses closed"
"festivals which are celebrated in various regions around the world. The festival of Yule is observed during Christmas celebrations whereby a log is burnt to commemorate the winter solstice. The festival of Hogmanay is celebrated on new year’s day. The fire festival of Stonehaven in Scotland is the direct descendant of lighting winter solstice bonfires. Another event is observed every 11 January when the flaming Clavie (a barrel full of staves) is carried round in Burghead and is wedged on the Doorie Hill. When it is burnt out, people take the smouldering embers to bring good luck for the coming"
"international brands such as Coca-Cola. Scotland has a strong philosophical tradition, unusual for such a small country. Duns Scotus was one of the premier medieval scholastics. In the Scottish Enlightenment Edinburgh was home to much intellectual talent, including Francis Hutcheson, David Hume, and Adam Smith. Other cities also produced major thinkers at that time: e.g. Aberdeen's Thomas Reid. Halloween, on the night of October 31, is a traditional and much celebrated holiday in Scotland. The name ""Halloween"" was first attested in the 16th century as a Scottish shortening of ""All-Hallows-Eve"", and according to some historians it has its roots in"
"The Church of Scotland no longer holds Hogmanay services on New Year's Eve, however. The Christmas Eve Services are still very popular. On Christmas Eve, the Christ Candle in the center of the Advent wreath is traditionally lit in many church services. In candlelight services, while singing ""Silent Night"", each member of the congregation receives a candle and passes along their flame which is first received from the Christ Candle. Lutherans traditionally practice Christmas Eve Eucharistic traditions typical of Germany and Scandinavia. ""Krippenspiele"" (Nativity plays), special festive music for organ, vocal and brass choirs and candlelight services make Christmas Eve"
"between the autumn equinox and winter solstice (or the full moon nearest this point). In the Northern Hemisphere, this midpoint is when the ecliptic longitude of the Sun reaches 225 degrees. In 2015, this is on 7 November, at 17:44 GMT. Like other Reconstructionist traditions, Celtic Reconstructionist Pagans emphasize historical accuracy. They base their celebrations and rituals on traditional lore as well as research into the beliefs of the polytheistic Celts. Celtic Reconstructionist Pagans (or CRs) often celebrate Samhain on the date of first frost, or when the last of the harvest is in and the ground is dry enough"
"Hogmanay Hogmanay (; ) is the Scots word for the last day of the year and is synonymous with the celebration of the New Year (Gregorian calendar) in the Scottish manner. It is normally followed by further celebration on the morning of New Year's Day (1 January) or, in some cases, 2 January—a Scottish bank holiday. The origins of Hogmanay are unclear, but it may be derived from Norse and Gaelic observances. Customs vary throughout Scotland, and usually include gift-giving and visiting the homes of friends and neighbours, with special attention given to the first-foot, the first guest of the"
"Hen Galan) and Switzerland (as alter Silvester). In Scotland, the Old New Year has traditionally been held on 12 January. In the first half of the 20th century, large segments of the Scottish Gaelic community still observed the feast and today, it is still marked in South Uist and Eriskay as Oidhche Challaig and as Oidhche Challainn in Glenfinnan. Also in Scotland, the coastal town of Burghead in Morayshire celebrates the eve of the Old New Year with ""The Burning o' the Clavie"". Old New Year is the 12th of January in this district as well. The Berbers of North"