National holidays

NATIONAL HOLIDAYS
New Year is one of the most beloved holidays on the Uzbekistan calendar. As preparations begin in early December, the weeks leading up to the New Year are very celebratory in themselves. City streets, transformed by New Year trees and glittering garlands, are filled with people rushing to buy toys, gifts, savory delicacies and enough sweets to last for days. Santa Claus and his granddaughter Snow Maiden can be seen at restaurants, shops and plazas throughout the holiday season.
As New Year is a family holiday in Uzbekistan, most people prefer to spend New Year's Eve at home with their family and relatives. Yet from mid-December until the Old New Year on January 13, celebrations are held with friends, colleagues and classmates in gatherings which typically include an entertainment program, special menu and various surprises. Read more...
January 14, Homeland Defenders’ Day (Men’s Day)
On January 14, 1992, the Armed Forces of Uzbekistan were organized under the newly independent state, prompting the government to declare this date as Homeland Defenders’ Day.
Although not counted among public holidays in Uzbekistan, Homeland Defenders’ Day is a significant event. Celebrations involving the Ministry of Defense, Ministry of the Interior, National Security Service and other agencies are held in city plazas, where congratulations and awards are issued by the government.
In addition to being a professional military holiday, Homeland Defenders’ Day is widely observed as Men’s Day in Uzbekistan. At home, school and the workplace, men are congratulated with gifts and treated to special meals as a show of respect and admiration for their role in the family and their military service. Read more...
March 8, International Women's Day
International Women's Day, celebrated on March 8th, coincides with the first awakenings of spring. The holiday has long been synonymous with beauty and femininity and is a day to shower women with special attention, flowers and gifts. Jewelry, perfumes, chocolates, cakes and the like disappear from store shelves in Uzbekistan as women are honored in ever sphere of society. Special meals are prepared and toasts, poems and songs are recited in honor of the female gender, with both professional and small-scale performances held throughout the country. Although in many ways the 8th of March serves as the equivalent of Mother’s Day in Uzbekistan, its scope is broader and includes recognition of all wives, mothers, sisters, daughters, girlfriends and female classmates. Read more...