Teachers'Day
People in many countries celebrate World Teachers' Day on 5 th October, but in Argentina(阿根廷) it is on 11 th September—the anniversary(周年纪念日) of the death of former president, Domingo Faustino Sarmiento in 1888. Sarmiento believed passionately in the importance of education: he wrote “Schools are the very basis of civilization.” Children traditionally write poems for their teachers and give them an apple, make a cake or buy flowers. In Vietnam(越南), Educators' Day is in November. Everyone has a day off school, and many students visit their former teachers in their homes to give them presents, or give news about themselves. And at some schools in India, senior students become teachers, and teachers become students for the day!
World Book Day
In many countries, Book Day is on 23 rd April every year. It originated(起源于) in Catalonia(加泰罗尼亚) in 1923 when booksellers decided to honour the Spanish author Miguel de Cervantes who died on that day in 1616. In 1995, World Book Day became an international event, celebrating books and reading. People exchange presents – usually a book and a rose. There are also events such as writing competitions, and in Madrid(马德里) there is a public reading of Cervantes's greatest work – Don QuijoteSSS – which lasts 48 hours! In the UK and Ireland, all schoolchildren receive a one-pound book token(购书券), and many children now dress up as their favourite character from fiction!
Respect for theAged Day
Grandparents' Day is popular in many countries, but in Japan—a country where nearly 30 percent of the population are over 60 – people treat older people with special respect. The third Monday of September is 'Respect for the Aged Day' (Keiro-no-hi) which became a national holiday in 1966. Everyone has a day off school or work and people organize celebrations for the older people of the village or community where they live, Young people dress up in traditional clothes. They sing and dance and they either prepare a special meal for the older people, or eat out as a family. Nowadays, people also visit relatives and the older people in their families, for a three-day weekend.