Few months offer as many multicultural celebrations as December. From Christmas to Omesuka, the last month of the year is considered the “world of holidays.” Let’s take a look at some of the December holidays around the world.
Christmas
In Christian belief, Christmas is the historical celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. Whether it is celebrated for this religious reason or simply for a cultural celebration, Christmas traditions vary around the world. While Americans celebrate with Christmas trees, visits from Santa Claus, and dreams of snowy landscapes, Christmas falls during the summer of Australia, when it is popular to go camping or go to the beach during the holiday. Some Australians decorate the ‘Christmas bush’ which is a native Australian tree with small green leaves and flowers that turn red during the summer.
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In England, Christmas traditions are similar to those in the United States, but instead of leaving milk and cookies to Santa Claus, children leave mince pies and brandy for Father Christmas. In Iceland, the capital, Reykjavik, turns into a winter wonderland with a Christmas market, and for children, there are none other than thirteen Santas, known as Yule Lads. One arrives every night in the thirteen days leading up to Christmas, leaving small gifts in shoes to be left on window sills. Read more about how Christmas is celebrated around the world here.
Hanukkah
Hanukkah, or Hanukkah, is an eight-day Jewish celebration commemorating the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem after the Maccabean Revolt. Those who participated in the rededication witnessed what they believed to be a miracle. Although there was only enough unpolluted oil to keep the menorah candles burning for a day, the flames continued to burn for eight nights.
Also known as the Feast of Lights, Hanukkah begins on the 25th of the month Kislev according to the Hebrew calendar. Celebrations revolve around the lighting of the menorah. On each of the eight holiday nights, another candle is added to the menorah after sunset. The ninth candle, called the shams (“helper”), is used to light the other candle. Blessings are usually recited and traditional Hanukkah foods such as potato pancakes (latex) and jam-filled cakes (suffganyot) are fried in oil. Other Hanukkah customs include playing with dreads and exchanging gifts. Learn more about Hanukkah here.
kwanzaa
Kwanzaa was created by Dr. Maulana Karenga in 1966 after the Watts riots in Los Angeles. He founded an American cultural organization, and began researching African “first fruit” (harvest) celebrations. From there, he combined aspects of the many different harvest ceremonies to form the basis of Kwanzaa.
The name Kwanzaa comes from the phrase “Matunda ya Kwanza” which means “first fruit” in Swahili. Each family celebrates Kwanzaa in their own way, but the festivities often include songs and dances, African drums, storytelling, poetry reading, and a large traditional meal. On each of the seven nights, families gather and a child lights one of the candles on the Kinara, then one of the Seven Principles, the values of African culture, is discussed. An African holiday, called Karamu, is held on December 31. Learn more about the Kwanza principles here.
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boxing day
Boxing Day takes place on December 26. It is celebrated only in a few countries, and the holiday originated in the United Kingdom during the Middle Ages. This was the day when the alms box, collection boxes for the poor often kept in churches, were opened, and their content distributed, a tradition that still occurs in some areas. It was also the day that servants were usually given a day off to celebrate Christmas with their families.
Boxing Day is now a public holiday in the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, among other countries. In England, football matches and horse races are often held on Boxing Day. The Irish refer to the holiday as Saint Stephen’s Day, and they have their own tradition called wren hunting, in which boys tie a fake bird to a pole and parade it through town. The Bahamas celebrate Boxing Day with a street parade and a festival called Junkanoo. Learn more about the origins of Boxing Day here.
Ōmisoka
Omesuka, New Year’s Eve, is considered the second most important day in Japanese tradition as it is the last day of last year and on New Year’s Eve, the most important day of the year. Families in Omesuka gather for one last time in the old year to eat a bowl of toshikoshi soba or toshikoshi udon, a tradition based on eating long noodles to pass from year to year.
At midnight, he visits many of the shrines or temples of Hatsumōde. Shinto shrines are a surprise to pass on to crowds, and most Buddhist temples contain large bells that ring once for each of the 108 earthly desires believed to cause human suffering.
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