This year has been a busy one, so it’s no surprise if you haven’t had time to plan your diary for the next few years. The good news is that there are plenty of exciting events happening in 2023, which means you can start planning holidays and celebrations now! These are just a few of the Important dates for your advertising diary in 2023
Monday 3 January 2023 – New Year’s Day
The first day of the year is set aside for a holiday, but there are many more holidays to come in 2023.
Tuesday 14th February – Valentine’s Day
It’s the day when people show their affection for another person or people by sending cards, flowers or chocolates with messages of love.
Tuesday 21st February – Shrove Tuesday (Pancake Day!)
Here’s our favourite pancake recipe
Thursday 2 March 2023 – Ash Wednesday
Ash Wednesday is the first day of Lent. It is a day when Christians are called to repentance and self-denial, as well as prayer. On Ash Wednesday, Christians traditionally observe a fast in preparation for Easter Sunday—a time when they focus on the crucifixion of Jesus Christ and his resurrection. In addition to fasting, some people choose to give up another indulgence like chocolate or alcohol during this time. In addition to fasting and abstinence from meat on Ash Wednesday, many churches hold services in which ashes (from burned palms taken from Palm Sunday) are placed on the foreheads of congregants with a blessing: “Remember that you are dust and unto dust you shall return.”
Monday 14 March 2023 – St Patrick’s Day
In the United Kingdom, St Patrick’s Day is celebrated on 17 March. The Bank Holiday Act 2003 allows any day that falls within the period of the Easter bank holiday to become a public holiday. In Scotland and Ireland, it is one of four days that can be observed as a national holiday (alongside Christmas Day, Boxing Day and Good Friday).
Sunday 19th March – Mother’s Day
Mother’s Day is observed on the 4th Sunday of Lent. It is a time to honour mothers, grandmothers, and great-grandmothers for their contribution to family and society. Since it is not a bank holiday, businesses may be open or closed as any other Sunday.
Friday 25 March 2023 – Good Friday
Good Friday is the Friday before Easter Sunday, and it is a Christian holiday that commemorates the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. It occurs during Holy Week (the week leading up to Easter), which begins on Palm Sunday and ends on Holy Saturday. Good Friday is also known as Black Friday in some parts of the world due to its association with mourning for Christ’s death. The date for Good Friday varies from year to year based on when Easter falls, but in 2023 it will fall on 25 March. In Ireland and the United Kingdom, this day will be a public holiday; however, it may not be recognised as such in other parts of the world or by certain religious groups who observe different holy days throughout this time period such as Jews observing Passover or Muslims observing Ramadan.
Sunday 27 March 2023 – Easter Sunday
Easter Sunday marks the first Sunday after the first full moon after the vernal equinox (which is usually around 21 March), and because it occurs on a different day each year, there’s no way of knowing exactly when it will fall—but you can get close! According to NASA’s ‘Moon Phases’ calendar tool, this year’s Easter Sunday falls on 25 April.
In fact, this has been happening every year since 1698 when Parliament passed an Act enforcing Easter as being fixed on the first Sunday after 4 May. That date was decided upon because it represented both Passover and Firstfruits at once—two important religious occasions for ancient Israelites who followed Jewish tradition.
Monday 28 March 2023 – Easter Monday
Easter Monday is the first Monday after Easter Sunday, and it’s a public holiday in the UK and Ireland. It’s also a bank holiday in Ireland, but not in the US or Canada. Australia doesn’t have an Easter Monday holiday.
Monday 7 June 2023 – Queen’s official birthday (also known as Queen’s Birthday)
Monday 7 June 2023: The British monarch’s official birthday is celebrated on this day. In recent years, it has been marked by gun salutes at London’s Royal Artillery and naval stations, including the Tower of London and Edinburgh Castle. Queen Elizabeth II was born on 21 April 1926, so her actual birthday is celebrated in early summer each year.
Sunday 18th June – Father’s Day
In the United Kingdom Father’s Day is annually celebrated on the third Sunday in June. This day is not a public holiday in the UK but is actively observed by the majority of the population. Generally, cards or gifts are given to fathers by their children on Father’s Day, and fathers may be treated to a special meal out or at home.
Saturday 15 October 2023 – Diwali/Deepavali
Diwali is a Hindu festival of lights. It’s celebrated on the new moon of Kartik and marks the start of the Hindu New Year. It is one of the most popular festivals in India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Singapore. It’s also widely celebrated by Indian communities around the world as well as in other countries like Trinidad & Tobago and Guyana.
Diwali celebrates major events from the life of Lord Rama:
● The return home to Ayodhya after 14 years’ exile from his kingdom due to a war with Ravana (the demon king)
● The battle between Rama’s army and Ravana’s forces at Kishkindha
Friday 5 November 2023 – Bonfire Night/Fireworks Night/Guy Fawkes Night (celebrated in England and Scotland only)
As a reminder, Bonfire Night is an annual celebration in the United Kingdom and Ireland, held on November 5. It commemorates the failure of Guy Fawkes’ Gunpowder Plot in 1605 to blow up the Palace of Westminster and kill King James I. Bonfire Night or Guy Fawkes Night is also known as Fireworks Night or Fireworks Day. The holiday is celebrated with fireworks shows all around Britain, here are some great ideas to make your Bonfire night go with a bang!
Saturday 26 November 2023 – St Andrew’s Day (celebrated in Scotland only)
St Andrew’s Day is an annual public holiday in the United Kingdom and Ireland. It is an official celebration of the patron saint of Scotland, Saint Andrew. In Scotland, St Andrew’s Day became a bank holiday in 1759 and remained such until 1858 when it was moved to November 30th. In 2004, it became a celebration on its own with no religious connotations associated with it.
In Northern Ireland and England/Wales, St Andrew’s Day has always been a public holiday since 1871 (when it replaced St David’s Day) but only became officially known as “St Andrew’s Day Bank Holiday” in 2007 when all banks were required by law to close for two days prior to the date so that staff could enjoy some extra time off work!
December
Friday 24th – Christmas Eve
Saturday 25th – Christmas Day
Sunday 26th – Boxing Day
I hope this blog has been helpful to you and that you now have the important dates for your advertising diary in 2023. If anything, it’s a good reminder of how much time we have ahead of us! To book your advertising spot in any of our local magazines just get in touch here!
