In our country the famous celebration is 17th August. That’s our country independence day. All people schools, offices, villages which spread around Indonesia must celebrate that day. In schools and offices we celebrate it by holding a flag ceremony and some ceremony as praying for our heroes and sing some national song which is used to give “spirit” to the heroes in the old ages. President and all his staff have this celebration is his Palace (Istana Negara). In school and villages, usually we have some “traditional” competitions.

This competition can be varied and very unique. It is sometimes related with the culture of certain tribe in Indonesia. Example for this competition is “Bakiak Race”, “palm-tree climber” and many more. Every competition is very interesting. But the most interesting for us is “ The palm-tree climbing”. There are many men should co-operate one another to achieve the top. Many times they had to go down and own because of the oil .

This celebration is related to our culture as well as to the political view. Since this background history is freedom of our country from colonialism. ( Our country had been occupied by the Dutch for 350 years and Japan for 3,5 years). So this celebration is still very famous and really respected by all people in our country.

Sarong Race as one of the Competition on August 17

Their famous most highly recognized celebrations are Christmas Day and Independence Day/July 4th. These 2 holidays are different, but the spirit of the country is the same when these 2 holidays come around. Christmas is religious holiday but it is celebrated by almost every one regardless of their religion. People give gifts to loved ones and friends on this day and you wrap them is pretty wrapping paper with ribbons and bows. You buy a Christmas tree and the presents are put under the tree and families with children usually bring out the presentswhen the children are sleeping the night before on Christmas breakfast and Christmas stories and dinner later that night with the rest of the family. Every one has the Christmas spirit of gift giving and being kind and grateful for family and friends.

On July 4th, which day they received their Independence from England in 1776, there are celebrations everywhere with parties and fireworks. Fireworks are loud and sparkle up in the sky. On this day everyone is at beach or park and families have barbecues and picnics and spend the day having lots of fun relaxing in the sun. July in New York City is usually very hot, so people like to go to pools and the beach to play in the ocean or water parks. The them of this holiday is the American Flag and the colors, Red White, and Blue.

The famous celebration in their country is Hari Raya Aidilfitri. Hari Raya begins in the heart of Muslims three to four months before the auspicious day itself. The countdown begins with the onset of the fasting month, bulan Ramadhan. Hari Raya is the time for keeping in touch because people are too busy to visit one another at other times of the year. Visiting elders and relatives is a must. Hari Raya is a joyous time, not only for Muslims but also for non-Muslims because this is the time for them to strengthen ties with their Muslim friends. The fast starts at the moment when it is possible to distinguish between a white thread and a black thread held against the rising sun. It ends at sunset when the last rays of the sun disappears.

A spirit of merriment prevails at the breaking of fast which usually begins with sweets and cooling drinks. These can be bought at roadside stalls which mushroom all over the place. Working parents usually stop by these stalls on their way home from work. The fasting month is as much a part of the Hari Raya as the day itself. In the last one or two weeks before the Hari Raya, there is a flurry of activities in the Muslim homes. The women are on their feet most of their free time baking an assortment of cakes and cookies. The men do their part in painting the house and clearing the garden to prepare for the day. This is also the time when they go to the tailors for the baju kurung and baju Melayu.

The adults usually get very tired preparing for the Hari Raya but children love this busy atmosphere. Everything looks new, from the food to the carpet. These would be curry, rendang and ketupat for visitors who come on the morning of the first day. By afternoon, these delicacies have disappeared but there are plenty of cakes and other savory foods to last a whole month. Besides this, sometimes, they also will held a opening-house( rumah terbuka) to invite friends and family to visit each other. It makes the celebration so unique and special to our country. The celebration is meaningful because it can build up a harmonious and tolerance community among the different races in Malaysia.

In order to "catch up" with the solar calendar the Chinese insert an extra month once every few years (seven years out of a 19-yearcycle). This is the same as adding an extra day on leap year. This is why, according to the solar calendar, the Chinese New Year falls on a different date each year. Prior to New Year's Day, Chinese families decorate their living rooms with vases of pretty blossoms, platters of oranges and tangerines and a candy tray with eight varieties of dried sweet fruit. On walls and doors are poetic couplets, happy wishes written on red paper. These messages sound better than the typical fortune cookie messages.

During the lunar New Year's Eve, family members who are no longer living at home make a special effort to return home for reunion and share in a sumptuous meal. At that time, family members hand out "lucky money" in red envelopes to elders and children and stay up all night to welcome the New Year. Chinese people have long believed that staying awake all night on New Year's Eve would help their parents to live a longer life. Thus, lights are kept on the entire night--not just to drive away Nien, as in ancient times, but also as an excuse to make the most of the family get-together.

Some families even hold religious ceremonies after midnight to welcome the God of the New Year into their homes, a ritual that is often concluded with a huge barrage of firecrackers. Although this, in Malaysia people are not allowed to light the firecrackers and fireworks because it is violate the laws.

On New Year’s Day, everyone had on new clothes, and would put on his best behavior. It was considered improper to tell a lie, raise one’s voice, use indecent language, or break anything on the first day of the year. Starting from the second day, people began going out to visit friends and relatives, taking with them gifts and Lai-See for the children. Visitors would be greeted with traditional New Year delicacies, such as melon seeds, flowers, fruits, tray of togetherness, and NIANGAO, New Year cakes.

It goes back to the colony, on the eve of lent, when people in Santo Domingo disguised themselves to imitate the European Shrovetide. Originally of European origin, the custom of carnival was a religious celebration on the date of Corpus Christi. However it eventually evolved into a pagan celebration usually celebrated the last Sunday of February or on the 27th of February, Dominican Independence Day. Original mask, costumes, floats and masqueraded dance groups from different regions of the country come together to celebrate.

In some towns the masqueraded dance groups parade the streets each Sunday of February while in other towns carnival traditions differ completely as to format and dates. For example in Santiago costumes represent the diablos cojuelos ( devils ) with galactic design: in Cotui costumes are platnuses and papeluses; in Monte Cristi it is torros ( bulls ) and Cabral is famous for its cachuas y civiles. The most popular of all is in La Vega where thousands of people go every Sunday of February.

The Bonao carnival on the same date is also popular. No matter from which region or which form it takes, Dominican carnival is always a grand collage of color, music, frenetic, and exciting dances, different masks impressively decorated, a fusion of culture and religion and the inner joy of the Dominican. The community gets involved. Most of the people take this day