1. New Year’s Eve/Festival - Star Trek: The Original Series
Once a year at 6pm on the planet of Beta III, Festival begins. Also known as the Red Hour, this 24 period when lawlessness and debauchery reign are a release for the tranquil, violence-free society. Unlike New Year’s Eve, however, their are no consequences, legally or morally, for bad decisions the next day.
2. Valentine’s Day/Eros Day - Battlestar Galactica
Eros was one of the founding gods of the Battlestar Galactica world, leaving the human homeworld of Kobol to help found the 12 colonies. His holiday is celebration of love and affection. Much like our Valentine’s Day, cards and gift are exchanged between loved ones, though the fictional holiday has a more religious bend.
3. Mother’s Day - Futurama
Mother’s Day is a celebration in which robots show their thanks to Mom, their creator. Much like children during modern day Mother’s Day, robots from all over the universe get to together to send heartfelt gifts to Mom. Robots love the holiday and are known to actually buy gifts instead of stealing them.
4. Independence Day/Colonial Day - Battlestar Galactica
Colonial Day is an annual holiday that celebrates the official signing of the Articles of Colonization, a treaty that unified the twelve colonies. Before this, each colony was a sovereign nation but after the Cylons turned on the humans, everyone put aside their differences with this treaty. While Independence Day celebrates the end of a war, Colonial Day is more a celebration of coming together to fight a common enemy.
5. Independence Day/Freedom Day - Futurama
Freedom Day is one of the most important Earthican holidays, similar to the current American 4th of July. It is celebrated with festivities around the planet such as the Freedom Tub, or nude group hot tubbing, and the traditional Freedom Day Parade. Much like 4th of July parades, it is a patriotic display which culminates in a fireworks extravaganza.
6. Inverted Independence Day/Unification Day - Firefly
Celebrated by pro-Alliance citizens throughout the Verse, Unification Day is the day when the Unification War between the Alliance and outer planets (Browncoats) ended with a resounding defeat of the Independent forces. Unlike the 4th of July which is a celebration of freedom from the monarchy, Unification Day is a celebration of the triumph of the monarchy.
7. Dia de Muertos/Day of the Dead Ceremony - Babylon 5
The Brakiri Day of the Dead ceremony is a religious festival in which the dead literally return for one night every 200 years. Unlike the Earth Día de Muertos, which is a celebration to remember and honor relatives who have passed on, the Brakiri version is a physical family reunion. Though it is called the ‘Day’ of the Dead, the ceremony actually takes place at night as Brakiri are a a naturally nocturnal race.
8. Thanksgiving/Celebration Of Life - Babylon 5
This ritual of the Centuri dates back to the beginning of the republic. During the War of 20 Million Deaths, once a year the Centauri would count how many of them had survived and, as a culture, celebrate their good fortune, much like Thanksgiving celebrates the Pilgrims surviving their first winter in New England. The Ceremony itself is a satire of Thanksgiving, celebrated with a feast that can last up to a week, with guests continuously eating, drinking and purging.
9. Chanukah/Robanukah - Futurama
Though technically a fictional fictional holiday, created by Bender to get out of work, Robanukah is still the “holiest two weeks on the robot calendar”. Traditional Robanukah celebrations include not working, drinking alcohol, dancing the “Robot,” carving industrial barrels like Jack-O-Lanterns, making paper robot cut-outs and watching Fembot wrestle in oil. There are also more recognizable traditions lifted from Chanukah, like lighting eight beer bottles like candles and playing games with a Droidel.
10. Christmas/Life Day - Star Wars
Life Day is a Wookiee holiday. It is a celebration of their planet’s diverse ecosystem and also a time to remember family who had died, and celebrate new generations. Much like our Christmas, Life Day is separated into the serious religious aspect and the secular merry-making side. Launching fireworks, trimming the holiday tree, exchanging gifts with loved ones and consuming the Star Wars versions of hot chocolate and sugar cookies are all traditional Life Day customs.