IN HOLLAND
Children going door to door with paper lanterns on St. Martin's Day in the Netherlands
The day is celebrated on the evening of November 11 (the day Saint Martin died) in some parts of the Netherlands, where he is known as Sint-Maarten. As soon it gets dark, children up to the age of 11 or 12 (primary school age) go door to door with hand-crafted lanterns made of hollowed-out sugar beet or, more recently, paper, singing songs such as "Sinte Sinte Maarten," hoping to receive candy in return, similar to Halloween. In the past, poor people would visit farms on November 11 to get food for the winter. In the 1600s, the city held boat races on the Ij. 400 to 500 light craft, both rowing boats and sailboats, took part under the eyes of a vast crowd on the banks
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Martin's_Day
IN THE UNITED STATES
Veterans Day is observed in the United States on 11 November, and is both a federal holiday and a state holiday in all states. However, the function of the observance elsewhere is more closely matched by Memorial Day in May. In the United States, and some other allied nations, 11 November was formerly known as Armistice Day; in the United States it was given its new name in 1954 at the end of the Korean War to honour all veterans. Veterans Day is observed with memorial ceremonies, salutes at military cemeteries, and parades.
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