Holidays

Holidays

Christmas begins, and does not end, the year—it falls on 7 January. On Christmas, a special game is played by some Ethiopians that is not played at any other time of the year. Similar to field hockey, it is said to derive from an old story that shepherds, brimming with joy to hear of the birth of Jesus Christ, spontaneously used their hooked staffs to make up a game that expressed their happiness. It is called Ganna.
The Epiphany, or Visit of the Three Magi, is celebrated on 19 January. Victory Day is on 6 March, and Patriots’ Victory Day on 6 April. Good Friday, the Friday preceding Easter, is a holiday in Ethiopia, and Easter, called Fasika, is the most important holiday of the year.