Children's Day

Children's Day

Various

Many countries have set aside a day on which children are allowed to participate in church services, in government, and in various cultural and recreational activities. In the United States, Children's Day was first celebrated in June 1856 at the Universalist Church in Chelsea, Massachusetts. By 1868 its date had been set on a nationwide basis as the second Sunday in June.
Children's Day is also celebrated in the Democratic Republic of Congo (Dec. 25), Iceland (April 24), Indonesia (June 17), Japan ( see Kodomo-no-Hi), Nigeria (May 27), and Turkey. The Turkish Children's Day on April 23 gives 400 students the educational opportunity to take seats in the national government in Ankara. The same thing takes place on a smaller scale in cities and towns all over the country.
See also Turkey National Sovereignty and Children's Day and Urini Nal

SOURCES:
AnnivHol-2000, pp. 66, 68, 109, 190, 194
BkFestHolWrld-1970, p. 80
DaysCustFaith-1957, p. 157
RelHolCal-2004, p. 97

Celebrated in: Japan, Laos, South Korea, Vanuatu

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Children's Day (former Yugoslavia)

December; three Sundays before Christmas

On the third Sunday before Christmas, known as Dechiyi Dan or Children's Day, parents in the former Yugoslavia tie up their children and refuse to release them until they have promised to be good.
And, although many people think that Mother's Day originated in the United States, Slavs traditionally set aside a Sunday in December to visit their mothers and bring them small gifts. Young children, on the other hand, honor their mothers by tying them up and refusing to release them until they have paid a "ransom" of sweets and goodies. Sometimes the mother hides small gifts under her mattress so that if the children tie her up before she gets out of bed in the morning, she'll have something to offer them. Considering that mothers tied up their children on the previous Sunday, this custom isn't as outrageous as it seems.
The Sunday following Materitse is Ochichi or Ocevi (Father's Day). Boys and girls tie their fathers to his chair or bed. The ransom in this case is even higher, as the father must promise to buy them coats, shoes, dresses, or other expensive items before they let him go. These promises are usually fulfilled a short time later as Christmas gifts.

SOURCES:
BkFest-1937, p. 344
FolkWrldHol-2000, p.
(c)

Celebration days: Dec 22 - Dec 24