A similar tradition to Serbia is prominent in Macedonia, where celebrations traditionally start a few days earlier on December 5, a day called 'Kolede'Kolede
This is the day Spaniards traditionally start their summer holidays, switching off from the country's depressing economic and political climate for a month.
Muslims traditionally start and end each day with a plump date, liquid like tea, a hard-boiled egg or some yogurt or cheese.
The Olympics will run from 27 July to 14 August, clashing directly with the festivals, which traditionally start around the first or second weekend of August.
Many of the films that have begun to rack up statuettes and nominations on the sometimes gilded, sometimes barbed path to the Oscars (the Gothams traditionally start off the campaigning in New York) deal with the existential crises of men.
That is because manufacturers offer generous incentives on current-year models to clear them out and make room on dealer lots for vehicles from the next model year, which traditionally start arriving this month.
If Mr. Giuliani were to have surgery in early June, shortly after the Republican state convention on May 30, he could presumably be at full speed by September at the latest, when candidates traditionally start running all out.
At his Republican coronation in Cleveland, Donald Trump plans choreography of a different sort: a series of "showbiz" performances to enliven the once "boring" speeches that traditionally start the race to the White House.
When an aunt who was an actress helped him find a job in the William Morris mailroom, where would-be agents traditionally start, the salary was not enough to support him, so he took a second job working as a stockboy at a Macy's in New Jersey.
Temperatures reach 50C in Qatar during June when World Cups traditionally start - but Platini says the tournament could be played earlier in the year.
