There is an amazing amount of diversity in Indonesia. All the diversity brings many holidays in Indonesia. During these holidays, Indonesians do all kinds of celebrations. Here are 12 Most Popular Holiday in Indonesia. Read the many ways they welcome these holidays.
1. Eid
Eid is one of the most celebrated holiday in Indonesia. It also goes by the name Lebaran. Eid marks the end of Ramadan. It is Muslim’s holiest month after fasting for a month. People celebrate the Eid in Indonesia with close family members and friends. Indonesians use this holiday as a rare opportunity to catch up with the people they love. They have feast, visit each other’s house or simply have long road trips back to the village to celebrate even more.
2. Christmas
Another popular holiday in Indonesia is Christmas. People in Indonesia call it Natal. All throughout December, there are decorations put up all over public places such as twinkle lights and ornaments. Moreover, some may put out fake Christmas tree to thicken the feel that Christmas is near. During Christmas in Indonesia, Christians in Indonesia attend the church to worship. There are so many live musical performances in Indonesia during the holiday. You may also want to know the Christmas celebrations in Bali.
3. New Year’s Day
People all over the world celebrate New Year’s day but so do Indonesians. During the New Year’s week, there are plenty of street vendors selling various kinds of fireworks and firecrackers. Young children love to light them up. Other than that, some people may attend big parties or small ones to celebrate the event. When the clock strikes midnight, huge fireworks are released into the sky to mark the peak New Year celebration in Indonesia. People at home can also enjoy watching the fireworks from afar.
4. Indonesia Independence Day
Indonesian Independence day is very popular and widely celebrated. The celebration may even take place for over a month. The holiday occurs on August 17th. People call this day as Hari Merdeka. So many kinds of events happen during the day. There is always a flag raising ceremony held in every city. Small neighbourhoods will hold games and competitions. They include sack race, cooking competition and eating. Moreover, there is also climbing extremely tall trees or poles that have gifts hanging on them.
5. Chinese New Year
The Chinese New Year celebration occurs on every new lunar year in Indonesia. People in Indonesia call it Imlek. Chinese in Indonesia enthusiastically celebrate the holiday. There are feasts among family and friends during Chinese New Year in Indonesia. Furthermore, people always share the famous red envelope in Indonesia. The red envelopes contain money. Children and elderly most often receive these red envelopes.
6. Balinese Hinduism New Year
In Indonesia, Balinese Hinduism New Year is Hari Raya Nyepi. The holiday is very popular in Bali as you can read the whole history behind Hinduism in Bali. People celebrate the holiday for some days. Moreover, they celebrate the Balinese Hinduism new year by not using electricity anywhere. Other than that, they do not travel to any other place. People who celebrate the holiday believes that it is the perfect day to reflect on oneself. Without any distractions, people can think over their actions for the year.
7. Waisak Day
In Indonesia, the Buddhists celebrate Waisak day. It is a holiday to remember the life, the death and the enlightenment of Buddha. There are various kinds of celebrations for the holiday. For example, Buddhists in Indonesia would go to temples for ceremonies. In Bali, the Buddhists will visit the Buddhist temple in Bali Indonesia for the celebration. Moreover, they will give flowers and offerings to the Buddha statue. Also, they release many lanterns into the sky at night.
8. Easter Holiday
Christians in Indonesia celebrate Easter holiday. But the holiday doesn’t exclude those who aren’t Christians. There are many activities during the holiday that people from all sorts of backgrounds and religions can enjoy. Many public places such as the malls and hotels would often hold events. There could be egg hunts, balloon shaping and small parties for children during Easter in Indonesia.
9. Labour Day
Indonesians also celebrate May day. The specific holiday is called as Labour day in the country. It is a very popular holiday to the workers in Indonesia. The reason for its popularity is because Indonesia still needs to work on a lot of worker’s rights. Even though the holiday is a day of celebration, it is also a reminder to keep improving the law for workers. Labour day takes place on May 1st each year.
10. Idul Adha (Eid al-Adha)
Idul Adha is the Muslim day for sacrifice. It is very popular in Indonesia. During the holiday, the Muslims will go to Mosques to attend service. Moreover, there is also meat sharing. The meat of an animal, usually a cow or a goat, is shared among the people. The people who are poor in Indonesia will also get a share of the meat. The day is filled with warmth and caring for those who are less fortunates.
11. Isra Mi’raj
Isra Mi’raj is another popular holiday in Indonesia. The Muslims would attend services in Mosques. Since the holiday allows them a break from work, many use this opportunity for socialising. There would be family and friends gathering. Moreover, there are also small feasts within the family. Some of the food could be famous Indonesian food.
12. Pancasila Day
Last but not least is Pancasila Day. The holiday occurs on June 1st. That was the date when Sukarno, Indonesia’s first president, gave his speech. He declared the five important principles in Pancasila. Indonesians know all the 5 principles by heart. They also try to practice them in their every day lives. The principles hold strong life philosophy and Indonesian core values for Indonesians. It is no wonder that people highly honour this holiday.
Each year, people wait for these holidays to happen. They take their time off to celebrate and share their love with their friends, family and their neighbours.
