Event planning calendar
2026 Spring term
Popular spring term events include Burns Night, Lunar New Year, Pancake Day, Valentine’s Day, Leap Day (2028), World Book Day, Comic/Sport Relief, Mother’s Day, Easter and April Fool’s Day. Discover more spring term ideas.
January
|
DATE |
EVENT |
TYPE |
LINKS |
|
1 |
New Year’s Day |
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3 |
J R R Tolkien (b. 1892) |
Author |
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5 |
Wassail |
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6 |
RSPB’s Big Schools’ Birdwatch (6 Jan to 13 Feb 2026) |
Campaign |
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8 |
Stephen Hawking (b. 1942) |
Physicist |
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13 |
Michael Bond (b. 1926) 100 years |
Author |
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17 |
Lunar New Year 2026 (Horse) |
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18 |
A A Milne (b. 1882) Arthur Ransome (b. 1884) Raymond Briggs (b. 1934) |
Authors |
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19 |
Activist |
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23 |
RSPB's Big Garden Birdwatch (23-25 Jan 2026) |
Campaign |
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25 |
Burns Night |
Local observance (Scotland) |
Step-by-step: Ceilidh |
|
27 |
Lewis Carroll (b. 1832) Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (b. 1756) 270 years |
Author Composer |
|
|
28 |
International LEGO Day |
Awareness |
Hold your own keyring fundraiser |
February
|
DATE |
EVENT |
TYPE |
LINKS |
|
Feb |
LGBT+ History Month (UK) |
Awareness |
|
|
1 |
Tu Bishvat (1-2 Feb 2026) Let's Create Art |
Jewish celebration Events |
Step-by-step: Art exhibition |
|
2 |
National Storytelling Week (2-8 Feb 2026) |
Campaign |
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5 |
Time To Talk Day 2026 |
Awareness |
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6 |
NSPCC’s Number Day 2026 |
Campaign |
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7 |
Charles Dickens (b. 1812) |
Author |
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9 |
Children’s Mental Health Week (9-15 Feb 2026) Student Volunteering Week (9-15 Feb 2026) |
Awareness |
|
|
10 |
Lucy Cousins (b. 1964) Safer Internet Day 2026 |
Author-Illustrator Event |
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11 |
Campaign |
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12 |
Judy Blume (b. 1938) Charles Darwin (b. 1809) |
Author Biologist |
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13 |
Awareness |
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14 |
Valentine’s Day International Book Giving Day |
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15 |
Galileo Galileo (b. 1564) |
Polymath |
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17 |
Random acts of kindness day Ramadan starts 2026 (17 Feb to 18 Mar) |
Muslim |
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|
19 |
Nicolaus Copernicus (b. 1473) |
Astronomer |
Step-by-step: Stargazing and space fundraiser |
|
21 |
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23 |
George Frideric Handel (b. 1685) Shropshire Day |
Composer County day |
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|
27 |
Wear Red Day 2026 |
Awareness |
|
|
29 |
Leap Year (2028) |
March
|
DATE |
EVENT |
TYPE |
LINKS |
|
1 |
St David’s Day Frederic Chopin (b. 1810) Ron Weasley (b. 1980) |
National day (Wales) Composer Literary character |
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|
2 |
Dr. Suess (b. 1904) Purim (2-3 Mar 2026) |
Author Event (UK) Jewish celebration |
Request donations of ‘old stuff’ (unwanted items) for tombola prizes, on National Old Stuff Day! |
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3 |
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4 |
Antonio Vivaldi (b. 1678) Holi Festival of Colour (4 Mar 2026) |
Composer Hindu holiday |
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5 |
Cornwall Day (St Piran’s Day) World Book Day 2026 |
County day Event |
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6 |
British Science Week a 10 day celebration (6-15 Mar 2026) Michaelangelo (b. 1475) |
Campaign Artist |
Step-by-step: Art exhibition |
|
8 |
Campaign |
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|
13 |
The Great British Spring Clean (13-29 Mar 2026) |
Keep Britain Tidy campaign |
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14 |
Albert Einstein (b. 1879) |
Theoretical physicist |
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15 |
Mother’s Day (UK) 2026 |
Mother’s Day (UK) |
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16 |
Neurodiversity Celebration Week (16-20 Mar 2026) Sustrans Big Walk and Wheel |
Awareness Campaign |
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17 |
St Patrick’s Day Shrove Tuesday (Pancake Day) 2026 |
Bank holiday (Northern Ireland) Christian |
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18 |
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||
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19 |
Eid al-Fitr (19-20 Mar 2026) |
Islamic celebration |
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20 |
*Comic Relief (Red Nose Day) 2026 County Durham Day March Equinox |
UK charity County day Season |
|
|
21 |
World Poetry Day |
Literacy |
See our PTA poems |
|
23 |
Schools' Football Week (23-29 Mar 2026) (news) |
Sports week |
|
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26 |
World Maths Day 2026 |
Campaign |
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27 |
Dick King-Smith (b. 1922) Wear A Hat Day 2026 |
Author Campaign |
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29 |
West Riding Day Piano Day 2026 Daylight Savings Time starts (2026) |
County day
|
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28 |
Easter Holiday (28 Mar to 12 Apr 2026) |
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30 |
World Bipolar Day Vincent Van Gogh (b. 1853) |
Awareness Artist |
Step-by-step: Art exhibition |
|
31 |
J S Bach (b. 1685) |
Composer |
|
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Mar |
*Sport Relief is evolving into a year-round celebration linked with major sport events and partnerships throughout the year. |
|
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April
|
DATE |
EVENT |
TYPE |
LINKS |
|
Apr |
National Pet Month (1 Apr to 1 May 2026) |
Campaign
|
|
|
1 |
April Fool’s Day Passover (Pesach) (1-9 Apr 2026) |
Jewish celebration |
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2 |
Hans Christian Andersen (b. 1805) |
Author |
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|
3 |
Good Friday 2026 |
Bank holiday (UK) |
Fundraising for Easter |
|
5 |
Easter Sunday 2026 |
Christian |
Fundraising for Easter |
|
6 |
Easter Monday 2026 |
Bank holiday (Eng, Wal, NI) |
Fundraising for Easter |
|
7 |
Observance |
||
|
12 |
Easter Holiday (28 Mar to 12 Apr 2026) |
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|
Have we missed something? Email us at info@pta.co.uk.
2026 Summer term
Popular summer celebrations include The London Marathon, May Day, VE Day, Father’s Day, sports day and leavers’ events as well as summer fairs and festivals. Find more summer event inspiration.
April
|
DATE |
EVENT |
TYPE |
LINKS |
|
13 |
International Dark Sky Week (13-20 Apr 2026) |
Event |
Step-by-step: Stargazing and space fundraiser |
|
15 |
Leonardo da Vinci (b. 1452) Cressida Cowell (b. 1966) 60 years International Micro-volunteering Day |
Artist/Inventor Author & Children’s Laureate (2019-2021) Event |
Step-by-step: Art exhibition |
|
16 |
Orkney Day |
County day |
|
|
20 |
Allergy Awareness Week (20-26 Apr 2026) |
Awareness |
Catering for PTA events |
|
22 |
Stephen Lawrence Day |
Observance |
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23 |
St George’s Day Shakespeare Day |
National day (England) Observance |
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25 |
Huntingdonshire Day |
County day |
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|
26 |
The London Marathon 2026 |
Event |
Success story: London Marathon fundraiser |
May
|
DATE |
EVENT |
TYPE |
LINKS |
|
May |
Campaign Literacy Community |
||
|
1 |
May Day Staffordshire Day |
County day |
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3 |
International Compost Awareness Week (ICAW) (3-9 May 2026) |
Awareness |
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4 |
Early May bank holiday 2026 Lag BaOmer (4-5 May 2026) Sun awareness week (4-10 May 2026) |
Bank holiday (UK) Jewish celebration Campaign |
|
|
7 |
Pytor Ilyich Tchaikovsky (b. 1840) |
Composer |
|
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8 |
VE Day |
National event |
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9 |
J M Barrie (b. 1860) |
Author |
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10 |
National Children’s Day UK (2026) |
Campaign |
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|
11 |
Salvador Dalí (b. 1904) Somerset Day |
Artist County day |
Step-by-step: Art exhibition |
|
12 |
National Limerick Day Mental Health Awareness Week (12-18 May 2025) (2026 date TBC) |
Literacy Awareness |
|
|
15 |
L. Frank Baum (b. 1856) 170 years |
Author |
|
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16 |
Middlesex Day Eurovision Song Contest 2026 (Grand Final), Innsbruck, Vienna, (70th edition) National Doughnut Week (16-24 May 2026) |
County day Event Food week |
|
|
18 |
Walk to School Week (18-22 May 2026) |
Campaign |
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20 |
Campaign |
||
|
21 |
Shavuot (21-23 May 2026) |
Jewish celebration |
|
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23 |
National Children’s Gardening Week (23 May to 31 May 2026) |
Campaign |
|
|
25 |
Spring bank holiday 2026 |
Bank holiday (UK) |
|
|
26 |
Kent Day National BBQ Week (26 May to 1 June 2026, 30th edition) |
County day Event |
|
June
|
DATE |
EVENT |
TYPE |
LINKS |
|
1 |
Dorset/Pembrokeshire Day Volunteers' Week (1-7 June 2026) Fiver Challenge (1-26 June 2026) |
County days Event Campaign |
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|
4 |
Devon Day |
County day |
|
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5 |
Allan Ahlberg (b. 1938) Wiltshire Day National Doughnut Day 2026 |
Author County day Food day Nature |
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6 |
The Great Big Green Week (6-14 June 2026) The Big Lunch 2026 (6-7 June 2026) |
Campaign National event |
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7 |
The Big Help Out 2024 (7-9 June 2024) (The Big Help Out will return in 2026 |
Volunteering initiative |
Read more about The Big Help Out |
|
8 |
Tim Berners-Lee (b. 1955) |
Computer Scientist Campaign |
|
|
9 |
BNF Healthy Eating Week (9-13 June 2025) Bike Week (9-15 June 2025) (2026 date TBC) |
Awareness Campaign |
|
|
11 |
Jacques Cousteau (b. 1910) |
Oceanographer |
|
|
16 |
Sussex Day |
County day |
|
|
18 |
International Picnic Day |
Event |
|
|
21 |
Shetland/Suffolk Day Father’s Day 2026 Summer solstice |
County days Event Father’s Day Season |
|
|
22 |
Windrush Day National Insect Week (22-28 June 2026) |
Observance Campaign |
Step-by step: Beetle Drive |
|
25 |
Eric Carle (b. 1929) National Writing Day 2025 (2026 date TBC) |
Author Literacy |
|
|
27 |
Global pride day |
Awareness |
|
July
|
DATE |
EVENT |
TYPE |
LINKS |
|
July |
Campaign |
||
|
6 |
Frida Khalo (b. 1907) National School Sports Week (6-12 July 2026) |
Artist Campaign |
Step-by-step: Art exhibition |
|
7 |
World Chocolate Day |
Food day |
|
|
10 |
International Don’t Step on a Bee Day |
Awareness |
|
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12 |
Battle of the Boyne |
Bank holiday (Northern Ireland) |
|
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15 |
Edvard Grieg (b. 1843) |
Composer UN initiative |
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17 |
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20 |
Kenneth Grahame (b. 1859) |
Author |
|
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22 |
Tisha B'av (22-23 July 2026) |
Jewish celebration |
|
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25 |
Rosalind Franklin (b. 1920) |
Biologist |
|
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27 |
Norfolk Day |
County day |
|
|
28 |
Beatrix Potter (b. 1866) 160 years |
Author-Illustrator/ Scientist/Conservationist |
|
|
29 |
Buckinghamshire Day |
County day |
|
|
31 |
JK Rowling (b. 1965) Harry Potter (b. 1980) |
Author Literary character |
August
|
DATE |
EVENT |
TYPE |
LINKS |
|
1 |
Yorkshire Day |
County day |
|
|
3 |
Summer bank holiday (Scotland) 2026 |
Bank holiday (Scotland) |
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5 |
Northumberland Day |
County day |
|
|
11 |
Enid Blyton (b. 1897) |
Author |
|
|
12 |
UN initiative |
||
|
19 |
World Photo Day |
|
How to take better event photos |
|
22 |
North Riding Day |
County day |
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24 |
East Riding Day |
County day |
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31 |
Summer bank holiday (England, Wales, Northern Ireland) 2026 |
Bank holiday (Eng, Wal, NI) |
|
Have we missed something? Email us at info@pta.co.uk.
2025 Autumn term
Popular autumn events include Halloween, Bonfire Night, Remembrance Day, Children in Need and Christmas. Explore our ideas for more autumn events.
September
|
DATE |
EVENT |
TYPE |
LINKS |
|
Sept |
Snack-tember helping children and young people (aged 5-16 years) have healthier snacks |
Campaign |
|
|
1 |
Jane Hissey (b. 1952) Zero Waste Week (1-5 Sept 2025) |
Author-Illustrator National week |
|
|
4 |
Joan Aiken (b. 1924) |
Author |
|
|
7 |
Eric Hill (b. 1927) |
Author |
|
|
13 |
International Chocolate Day Roald Dahl Day (b. 1916) Rutland Day |
Food day Author County day |
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|
16 |
Julia Donaldson (b. 1948) |
Author |
|
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19 |
Hermione Granger (b. 1979) Talk Like a Pirate Day |
Literary character |
|
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22 |
Michael Faraday (b. 1791) Derbyshire Day September equinox 2025 (UK) Rosh Hashana (22-24 Sept 2025) Recycle Week (22-28 Sept 2025) |
Chemist County day Season Jewish celebration Awareness |
|
|
24 |
World School Milk Day 2025 National Fitness Day 2025 |
Food day Campaign |
|
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25 |
Monmouthshire Day |
County day |
|
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26 |
National Teaching Assistants' Day 2025 Macmillan World’s Biggest Coffee Morning 2025 British Food Fortnight (26 Sept to 12 Oct 2025) George Gershwin (b. 1898) |
Campaign Food fortnight (UK) Composer |
|
|
29 |
Westmorland Day |
County day |
|
October
|
DATE |
EVENT |
TYPE |
LINKS |
|
Oct |
Black History Month International School Library Month National Pizza Month |
Campaigns Food month |
|
|
1 |
Lincolnshire Day Yom Kippur (1-2 Oct 2025) International Coffee Day National Vegetarian Week (1-7 Oct 2025) |
County day Jewish celebration Food day/week
|
|
|
2 |
National Poetry Day 2025 |
Literacy |
See our PTA poems |
|
5 |
Grandparents’ Day 2025 |
Observance Grandparents’ Day |
|
|
6 |
Sukkot (6-8 Oct 2025) |
Jewish celebration |
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|
9 |
Event |
||
|
10 |
World Porridge Day |
Food day |
|
|
11 |
World Egg Day |
Food day |
|
|
14 |
National Baking Week (14-20 Oct 2025) Simchat Torah (14-15 Oct 2025) |
UK food week Jewish celebration |
|
|
16 |
World Food Day |
Food day |
|
|
19 |
Oxfordshire Day |
County day |
|
|
21 |
Alfred Nobel (b. 1833) Apple Day (UK) National Honey Day (UK) |
Chemist Food days |
|
|
22 |
National Nut Day |
Food day |
|
|
21 |
Diwali (21 Oct 2025) Bandi Chhor Divas (21 Oct 2025) |
Hindu holiday Sikh holiday |
|
|
24 |
Global Champagne Day 2025 |
Food day |
|
|
25 |
Pablo Picasso (b. 1881) Northamptonshire Day World Pasta Day |
Artist County day Food day |
Step-by-step: Art exhibition
|
|
26 |
Essex Day |
County day |
|
|
27 |
UK Sausage Week (27 Oct to 2 Nov 2025) |
Food week |
|
|
31 |
Halloween |
Observance |
|
November
|
DATE |
EVENT |
TYPE |
LINKS |
|
1 |
All Saint’s Day World Vegan Day |
Christian Food day |
|
|
2 |
All Soul’s Day |
Christian |
|
|
5 |
Bonfire Night |
Observance |
|
|
7 |
Marie Curie (b. 1867) |
Physicist |
|
|
10 |
Anti-Bullying Week (10-14 Nov 2025) National School Meals Week (10-14 Nov 2025) Odd Socks Day 2025 |
Awareness UK food week Awareness |
|
|
11 |
Remembrance Day/Armistice Day |
Observance |
|
|
14 |
World Diabetes Day BBC Children in Need 2025 (appeal show date) |
Awareness Campaign |
|
|
19 |
Campaign |
|
|
|
20 |
Edwin Hubble (b. 1889) |
Astronomer |
Step-by-step: Stargazing and space fundraiser |
|
24 |
Frances Hodgson Burnett (b. 1849) Scott Joplin (b. 1868) |
Author Composer |
|
|
25 |
Georgia O’Keeffe (b. 1887) |
Artist |
Step-by-step: Art exhibition |
|
26 |
Charles M Schulz (b. 1922) |
Author |
|
|
27 |
Lancashire Day |
County day |
|
|
28 |
Bedfordshire/Caernarfonshire Day |
County days |
|
|
29 |
C S Lewis (b. 1898) |
Author |
|
|
30 |
St Andrew’s Day |
National day (Scotland) |
|
December
|
DATE |
EVENT |
TYPE |
LINKS |
|
2 |
English Breakfast Day |
Food day |
|
|
5 |
UN initiative |
Volunteering is good for you | |
|
10 |
Ada Lovelace (b. 1815) |
Mathematician and writer |
|
|
11 |
Christmas Jumper Day 2025 |
Awareness |
|
|
14 |
First day of Hanukkah 2025 (Last day of Hanukkah (22 Dec 2025)) |
Jewish celebration |
|
|
16 |
Ludwig van Beethoven (b. 1770) 255 years |
Composer |
|
|
21 |
December solstice (2025) |
Season |
|
|
22 |
Mick Inkpen (b. 1952) Last day of Hanukkah 2025 |
Author Jewish celebration |
|
|
24 |
Christmas Eve |
Observance |
|
|
25 |
Christmas Day Sir Isaac Newton (b. 1642) |
Bank holiday Physicist |
|
|
26 |
Boxing Day Charles Babbage (b. 1791) |
Bank holiday Computer Scientist |
|
|
30 |
Rudyard Kipling (b. 1865) 160 years |
Author |
|
|
31 |
New Year’s Eve |
Observance |
|
Have we missed something? Email us at info@pta.co.uk.