🌍 Cultural & Religious Holidays: November 2025 – January 2026
A guide to winter holidays for accounting firms to build awareness, inclusion, and respect across teams and clients
In the accounting profession, we spend so much time focused on deadlines, deliverables, and client needs that it’s easy to overlook how our calendars and schedules can affect the people around us. Whether your team is local, national, or global, being mindful of cultural and religious holidays is one small but meaningful way to show respect and inclusion.
I put together this Cultural & Religious Holiday Calendar to help firms like ours recognize key observances from November 2025 through January 2026. These are months packed with traditions around gratitude, light, renewal, and community — themes that align perfectly with who we are as professionals and people.
🗓️ Why this matters for accounting firms
Inclusive awareness isn’t just about HR policy — it’s about how we collaborate and plan. Knowing what holidays teammates and clients may be observing can help us:
- Avoid scheduling major deadlines during significant observances.
- Be more understanding of time-off requests and family priorities.
- Build stronger connections through curiosity and empathy.
- Encourage firm-wide reflection on gratitude, unity, and respect.
📸 Explore the Calendar
Here are the highlights for November, December, and January, along with tips for how to use this calendar in your firm.
Each image can be shared internally (Slack, Teams, newsletters) or on social media.
November – Gratitude and Remembrance
🕯️ November 1 – All Saints’ Day
Christian feast honoring all saints and martyrs, widely observed in Catholic and Anglican traditions.
- Observed by: Western Christian communities; public holiday in parts of Europe and Latin America.
- Workplace Awareness: Be mindful of closures for international offices or clients.
💐 November 2 – All Souls’ Day / Día de los Muertos
Day of remembrance for departed loved ones, blending Catholic and Indigenous traditions in Mexico and Latin America.
- Celebrations: Colorful ofrendas (altars), marigolds, candles, food offerings, and storytelling.
- Workplace Awareness: Opportunity for cultural reflection; consider inclusive discussions around remembrance.
🍁 November 27 – Thanksgiving (U.S.)
National holiday giving thanks for blessings and harvest.
- Workplace Awareness: Encourage inclusive language (“gratitude season”); recognize global staff may not celebrate.
- Celebrations: Family meals, volunteer work, parades, football, gratitude traditions.
December – Festivals of Light and Reflection
🕎 December 14–22 – Hanukkah (2025)
Jewish Festival of Lights marking the rededication of the Second Temple.
- Celebrations: Menorah lighting, games (dreidel), traditional foods like latkes and doughnuts.
- Workplace Awareness: Evening observances may affect after-hours availability.
🌞 December 21 – Winter Solstice (Yule)
Shortest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere; symbolizes renewal and light’s return.
- Observed by: Pagan, Wiccan, and many modern spiritual traditions.
- Workplace Awareness: Opportunity for messaging around rest, balance, and renewal.
🎄 December 25 – Christmas Day
Christian holiday celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ; also cultural celebration worldwide.
- Celebrations: Religious services, gift-giving, community meals, decorations.
- Workplace Awareness: Inclusive phrasing like “holiday celebration” helps all staff feel represented.
⚫🟥🟩 December 26–January 1 – Kwanzaa
Cultural holiday celebrating African-American heritage and the Nguzo Saba (Seven Principles).
- Celebrations: Lighting the kinara, family gatherings, art, reflection, and discussion.
- Workplace Awareness: Highlight principles like unity and creativity to align with firm culture.
January – Renewal and New Beginnings
🎆 January 1 – New Year’s Day
Marks the first day of the Gregorian calendar year; celebrated globally.
- Celebrations: Fireworks, countdowns, family meals, resolutions.
- Workplace Awareness: Acknowledge that Lunar New Year (late Jan or Feb) may hold greater significance for Asian colleagues.
👑 January 6 – Epiphany / La Befana (Italy and Christian traditions)
Commemorates the visit of the Magi to the Christ child; in Italy, La Befana brings gifts to children on Epiphany Eve.
- Celebrations: Church services, processions, pastries, gift-giving traditions.
- Workplace Awareness: Public holiday in many European countries; great time for messages of generosity and new beginnings.
💬 How to use this in your firm
- Calendar integration: Add these holidays to your shared Outlook, Teams, or Google calendars.
- Team engagement: Feature one holiday per week in your internal newsletter or DEI chat channel.
- Inclusive communication: Use terms like holiday season, celebrations of light, or season of gratitude.
- Cultural respect: Encourage curiosity and conversation — ask teammates what traditions are meaningful to them.
- Global awareness: Remember your clients and colleagues may celebrate different dates or traditions around the same season.
✨ A note of gratitude
As we move through this busy time of year, let’s remember that inclusion doesn’t require grand gestures — it’s built through daily awareness and small acts of kindness. Sharing a calendar like this is a reminder that our work, and our humanity, are both stronger when everyone feels seen and respected.
Explore how accounting firms can build awareness and inclusion during the holiday season. This 2025–2026 Cultural & Religious Holiday Calendar highlights major observances from November through January, with practical DEI tips to foster respect, gratitude, and connection in your firm. Download the printable calendar or share it with your team to inspire inclusive planning.
If cultural awareness and inclusiveness intrest you, check out my Reflecting on Columbus Day and Indigeneous Peoples’ Day.
