Celebrating holidays long distance: festival dates around the world

Holidays are often the hardest days of a long distance relationship. Everyone around you is celebrating with the people they love, and the person you are thinking of is on the other side of the world. But a holiday apart doesn’t have to be a holiday alone. Some of the best long distance dates happen on exactly those days.

When your match lives in another country, their festivals are a window into their world: the lights, the music, the food, and the stories behind it all. On fondly, they can take you there live.

Festivals worth sharing

• Cherry blossom season in Japan. In spring, people gather under the blossoms in parks and along rivers. A slow walk under the trees is a gentle, beautiful date.
• Santos Populares in Lisbon. In June, the old neighbourhoods fill with music, paper decorations and grilled sardines, especially around the feast of Saint Anthony.
• Día de Muertos in Mexico. In early November, families remember loved ones with marigolds, altars and candlelit streets: colourful, warm and full of stories.
• Lantern festivals in Asia. In many countries, nights of floating or hanging lanterns light up rivers, temples and streets.
• Christmas markets and winter lights. Lights, warm drinks and wooden stalls make a cosy date, whether it is snowing or not.
• New Year, wherever it falls. From fireworks at midnight to the Lunar New Year, a countdown shared across time zones is unforgettable.

Why festivals make great live dates

There is always something happening, so the conversation never stalls. Your match can explain the traditions behind what you see, which is a lovely way to learn about their culture, and about them. And celebrating something together, even from two countries, gives you a shared memory to talk about for a long time.

How to celebrate a holiday long distance

• Plan it ahead. Festivals are busy. Agree on the time and the place in advance.
• Check the time difference. Make sure you are awake for the best part, like the fireworks or the lantern release. Our guide to dating across time zones helps.
• Bring a bit of the festival to your side. Cook a dish from their tradition, light a candle, or wear the colour of the day.
• Ask about the story. What does this day mean to them? What did they do as a child?
• Share your own traditions too. Next time, it can be your turn to show them yours.

Tips for the date itself

• Use headphones: festivals are loud, and you will want to hear your date.
• Expect a busy connection in big crowds. Quieter corners help.
• Keep the phone steady and slow when moving. It makes a big difference on the other side.
• Take a moment to just watch together. You don’t have to talk all the time.

More ideas for the rest of the year

Not every date has to be a festival. Our list of long distance date ideas has 12 more, from markets to rooftops at night.

A holiday apart can still be a holiday together. Find someone whose world you would like to see, and you could be celebrating their next festival with them, live.