2008 Chinese Holiday Calendar - Year of the Rat

February
8 - Chinese New Year
21 - Lantern Festival

April
5 - Ching Ming - Tomb Sweeping Festival



May
12 - Cheung Chau Bun Festival

June
8 - Dragon Boat Festival

August
7 - Chinese Valentine's Day
14 - Hungry Ghost Festival

September
14 - Mid-Autumn Festival

October
7 - Double Ninth Day (Chung Yeung, Elder's Day)

2008 Korean Holidays

Early Korea used a lunar calendar and eventually migrated to the solar calendar. However, much of the country still uses the lunar calendar to keep track of births and deaths and some traditional holidays. Many people celebrate their birthdays according to both calendars, and the first days of each calendar are national holidays. (Source: Life in Korea)

Solar
January
1,2 - New Year's

March
1 - Independence Movement Day

April
5 - Arbor Day

May
5 - Children's Day

June
6 - Memorial Day

July
17 - Constitution Day

August
15 - Liberation Day

October
3 - Foundation Day

December
25 - Christmas Day

Lunar
1st day of 1st month, plus the day before and after - New Year's (Seol-nal)
8th day of 4th month - Buddha's Birthday (Seokka Tanshin-il)
16th days of 8th month - Harvest Moon Festival (Chuesok)

2008 Japanese Holidays

January
1 - New Year (shogatsu)
Second Monday of January - Coming of Age (seijin no hi)


February
3 - Beginning of spring (setsubun)
11 - National Foundation Day (kenkoku kinenbi)
14 - Valentine's Day

March
3 - Doll's Festival (hina matsuri)
14 - White Day
20 - Spring Eqinox Day (shunbun no hi)
29 - Showa Day (Showa no hi)

May
3 - Constitution Day (kenpo kinenbi)
4 - Greenery Day (midori no hi)
5 - Children's Day (kodomo no hi)

July/August 7
Star Festival (tanabata)
21 - Ocean Day (umi no hi)

September
15 - Respect for the Aged Day (keiro no hi)
23 - Autumn Equinox Day (shubun no hi)

October
Second Monday of October - Health and Sports Day (taiiku no hi)

November
3 - Culture Day (bunka no hi)
15 - Seven-Five-Three (shichigosan)
23 - Labour Thanksgiving Day (kinro kansha no hi)

December
23 - Emperor's Birthday (tenno no tanjobi)
24-25 - Christmas