Spiritual Events
Cāga Holiday Season
A season of gratitude, giving, family and service as the school year closes.
What it is, and when it falls
December, at the close of the school year (Term 4).
Cāga is the Pali word for generosity — literally, letting go. The Cāga Holiday Season is not a single day but a season of it, kept through December as the school year closes and families gather.
Preparation begins in the final weeks of the school term. Through the season the community turns its attention outward: gratitude expressed, gifts given, service done, and time made for family.
Why it matters
Generosity is the first training in this tradition, taught before discipline and wisdom because it is the easiest to begin and the hardest to outgrow.
The end of the year is when giving is most natural — and so the season simply gives it a direction.
How the day runs
| Time | What happens | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| In the weeks before | Preparation | The community plans its acts of giving and service in the final weeks of Term 4. |
| Through December | Acts of giving | Gratitude expressed, gifts offered, and service done — by families, not on their behalf. |
| Through December | Family and rest | Time deliberately given to family, in keeping with the season's theme. |
Who leads
Lay members and families lead the season; the Sangha Council gives a teaching on generosity.
What a visitor should know
- There is no single ceremony to attend — the season is kept through what families do in their own lives.
- Ask about current acts of giving and service when you visit, or through Contact.
How to take part
- Take up one act of giving or service for the season.
- Offer help with the community's preparations through Get Involved.
