India is a land of festivals, and no month passes by without a festival being celebrated. There is a lot of pomp, splendour and gaiety associated with each festival. Sharing of gifts, gift articles and tokens of money are a part of such celebrations. Some of the major festivals are mentioned below with a description of each festival mentioned underneath.
 

Children's Day - 14th November 2009

Children's day in India is celebrated on 14th November 2009 - the birthday of India's first Prime Minister - Jawahar Lal Nehru. Celebrating this day means giving children the right to enjoy their childhood and grow to become healthy and educated children of the country.

Thanksgiving Gifts - 26th November 2009

Thanksgiving Day is a traditional North American Holiday, which is a form of harvest festival. It is celebration as a way of thanks for whatever one has at the end of the harvest season.

Christmas - 25th December, 2009

Christmas is traditionally celebrated on 25th December of every year with aplomb and much gaiety as the birth of Jesus Christ. Although a Christian holiday, it is also observed as a cultural holiday the world over. On this day, Jesus was born in a manger. He has millions of followers all across the world. People celebrate Christmas by attending mass in churches and giving Holy Christmas gifts to each other.

New Year - 1st January, 2009

New Year day celebrates the end of one year and the beginning of another year. New Year is celebrated by many cultures and countries around the world including the United States, the United Kingdom, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and India.

Lohri - 13th January, 2010

Lohri is an annual thanksgiving Indian festival at the end of the harvest season that is celebrated with much joy and gaiety especially in Northern India.

Makar Sakranti / Uttarayan - 14th January, 2010

Makar Sankranti celebrates the transition journey of the sun from the Saggitarius to Capricon (Makar Rashi). This festival is celebrated in various ways in many states across India. In Gujarat, people celebrate this occasion by flying kites. In other states, people exchange sweets made from jaggery, sesame seeds, and puffed rice. This festival is also known as Uttarayan - the transition of the sun towards the northern hemisphere.

Pongal - 14th January, 2010

Pongal is the annual harvest festival in southern India, especially in the Southern State of Tamil Nadu. It marks the auspicious beginning of Uttarayan - the transition of the sun towards the northern hemisphere. This festival lasts four days.

Valentine's Day - 14th February, 2010

Valentine's Day is a cultural holiday on which lovers express their love for one another by sending greeting cards and gifts to each other. It is essentially a western festival and is celebrated by western and western influenced cultures. Recenty, the trend of celebrating St.Valentine's day is picking up in India as well. Historically, it is the name of several martyred saints of ancient Rome.

Women's Day - 8th March, 2010

Womens day observed on 8th March every year in India and all across the World & celebrates the spirit of womanhood. An epitome of care, love and sacrifice, the women plays an all-enveloping character of a mother, daughter, wife, sister, friend, and many more. Womens day is indeed a fitting tribute to the economic, social, cultural and political achievements made by women over the years.

Holi - 1st March, 2010

Holi is the festival of colours celebrated on the full moon day of the month of Phagun, which falls in late February or early March according to the Gregorian calendar. On Holi eve, people burn a bonfire of Holika. According to legend, Holika was King Hiranyakashyap's sister who was endowed with a boon that she would remain protected even if she would enter fire.

Mother's Day in UK - 14th March, 2010

Mother's day in the UK is the equivalent of Mother's day in other countries. It is celebrated on the fourth Sunday of Lent. This festival is celebrated since at least the 16th century. It is a time when children honour their mothers by giving them gifts and cards.

Gudi Padva / Ugadi - 16th March, 2010

Gudi Padva is an auspicious festival celebrated by Hindus in the Maharashtra and Konkan region. This day marks the end of one harvest and the beginning of another. It also signifies the beginning of Chaitra - the month signifying the beginning of spring. This festival essentially venerates Lord Brahma - the first mentioned in the Hindu Trinity. On this day, a Gudhi - flag of Brahma is hoisted prominently in many Maharashtrian and Konkani households. On this day, people exchange gifts and sweets with each other.
 

Mother's Day in USA - 9th May, 2010

Mother's day is a secular festival that is celebrated to honour motherhood and the positive contribution of mothers to American society. On this day, children give cards and gifts to their mothers as a token of appreciation.
 

Mother's Day in India - 9th May, 2010

Mother's day is celebrated to honour motherhood and the positive contribution of mothers to Indian society. People take this day as a time to reflect the positive difference that mother's day makes to their lives and present gifts and cards to their mothers.

Mahavir Jayanti - 28th March, 2010

Mahavir Jayanti is the celebration of the birth of Lord Mahavir, who was born on the the 13th day of the rising moon in the Hindu month of Chaitra. It coincides with late march of early April according to the Gregorian calendar. On this day, Jain temples are decorated with flags and the idol of Lord Mahavir is taken for a procession after a morning ritual called 'abhiskek' in which the idol is bathed and offered milk, rice, fruits, and other auspicious items. 

Easter - 4th April, 2010

Easter is commemorated as the day on which Jesus Christ rose from the dead on the third day after his crucifixion. On this day, people gift Easter eggs, cakes, pastries, Easter baskets, and other gifts to each other.

Baisakhi - 13th April, 2010

Baisakhi is celebrated as the beginning of the solar year and the harvest festival of Punjab. People visit Gurudwaras, attend processions and take part in social gatherings on this day.  

Father's Day - 20th June 2010

This is a secular festival that commemorates fathers and forefathers. It is related to mother's day and it celebrates parenting by fathers and guardians. It is celebrated in many countries including India. On this day, children exchange gifts and cards with their fathers...  

Parent's Day - 25th July 2010

Parent's day is celebrated as the fourth Sunday of July every year. This festival honours mothers and fathers for their devotion and sacrifices made to provide a secure and promising future for their children. On this day, children give gifts and cards to express their love and honour for their parents.  

Friendship Day - 01st August, 2010

Friendship Day is celebrated to honour the relationship between friends. This festival first originated in the USA. On this day, people spend time with friends and exchange cards and gifts.  

Raksha Bandhan / Rakhi - 24th August 2010

Raksha Bandhan is an Indian festival in which sisters tie a sacred thread of protection around their brother's wrists. By accepting a thread from his sister, the brother is bound to protect his sister from harm.

The frail rakhi thread is considered stronger than iron chains in India as it binds brothers and sisters in a bond of everlasting trust and love. Sisters apply 'tikka' on their brother's foreheads and brothers reciprocate by giving them gifts and tokens of cash.

In turn, sisters buy gifts and sweets for their brothers. The meaning of this festival has expanded, so those who do not have brothers tie rakhis to others and initiate a new brother-sister relationship that usually continues for a lifetime...  

Janmashtami - 2nd September, 2010

Janmashtami is the festival that celebrates the birth of Lord Krishna on the eight day of the Hindu month of Shravana, which coincides with the 28th of August according to the Gregorian calendar