Your first big festival away from home can feel quiet. The US has large communities for almost every culture, and with a little planning your festival can still feel like home.
Why the date moves every year
Many festivals follow the moon, not the Western calendar:
Diwali, Dashain, Tihar and Holi follow the Hindu lunar calendar, so they fall on different dates each year, usually between late September and mid-November for Dashain, Tihar and Diwali, and in March for Holi.
Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha follow the Islamic lunar calendar, which is about 11 days shorter than the Western year. Eid moves earlier each year. Some US mosques decide by moon sighting and others by calculation, so two mosques may celebrate on different days.
Lunar New Year falls between late January and mid-February.
Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur and Hanukkah follow the Hebrew calendar and begin at sunset.
Because of time zones, the US date can be one day different from home. Check the app's calendar and your local temple, mosque or association.
Search a map app for "Hindu temple", "mosque", "gurdwara", "Buddhist temple" or "Nepali community" near you.
Look for cultural associations at universities and in cities. Many hold Diwali nights, Dashain tika gatherings, Eid prayers and Lunar New Year parades.
Follow their social media pages; that is where events are announced.
Under federal law (Title VII), employers with 15 or more workers must make reasonable changes for your religion, like a day off or a shift swap, unless it causes substantial difficulty for the business.
Ask your manager in writing early, weeks before: "I would like to take Friday off for Eid, a religious holiday. Can I use a vacation day or swap shifts?"
Offer a solution: work another day or trade with a coworker.
Your employer may ask you to use vacation or unpaid time.
Schools: public schools must treat religious absences fairly compared with other excused absences. Send the teacher a note early. Rules differ by state and school district.
Fireworks rules are set by states, counties and cities. Some places ban them; some allow only sparklers. Check with your local fire department before you buy any. In apartments, check your lease about candles and diyas, and never leave flames alone.
Sending money and gifts home
Send money a week or more early. Banks close on weekends and US holidays, and transfer services get busy before festivals.
For an international money transfer, the provider must show fees and the exchange rate before you pay. You usually have 30 minutes to cancel for a full refund.
Mail packages several weeks early; customs can be slow.
Making it special for kids
Keep traditions: new clothes, special food, rangoli, tika, lanterns or red envelopes.
Offer to share the festival at school, with a story, food or craft, if the teacher agrees.
Video call grandparents during the celebration.
Invite neighbors or classmates to share sweets.