Holiday Countdown- Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa and more!

HOLIDAY COUNTDOWN

Do your children celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, or Three Kings Day? Maybe they celebrate St. Lucia Day or Ramadan. December offers great opportunities for teaching about our multicultural world.

Join us for the month of December, as we explore a Month of Multicultural Holiday Celebrations!

Few months present the multicultural "teachable moments" that December does! The following multicultural events and celebrations are among those that will happen this December:

Hanukkah (Jewish) -- begins sundown November 29
Saint Nicholas Day (Christian) -- December 6
Eid al-Fitr (Muslim) -- December 6
Fiesta of Our Lady of Guadalupe (Mexican) -- December 12
St. Lucia Day (Swedish) -- December 13
Christmas (Christian) -- December 25
Boxing Day (Australian, Canadian, English, Irish) -- December 26
Kwanzaa (African American) -- December 26
Omisoka (Japanese) -- December 31


Click here for Hanukkah activities, books, songs, art and crafts


Click here for Christmas Art and Craft ideas, activities, games, stories, family fun holiday ideas and more!


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Do your children celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, or Three Kings Day? Maybe they celebrate St. Lucia Day or Ramadan. Join us for the month of December, as we explore a Month of Multicultural Holiday Celebrations!

Click here for KIDS Holiday Fun

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^
Sandra,
Tim's better half and Mommy to Michael

CHECK OUT
Michael's webpage
Our NEW Family Webpage!***updated NOVEMBER 20th***

My Parenting Journal

Moderator of
RAINY DAY ACTIVITIES

Co-Moderator of
CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS and RELATIONSHIPS

Hanukkah: The Festival of Lights

The Jewish holiday Hanukkah literally lights up the home. The eight-day, 2,000-year-old holiday, also called the Festival of Lights, celebrates God's glory, an ancient victory of the Jews over their enemies, and the freedom Jews enjoy today.

The story of Hanukkah begins in strife. Antiochus, a Greek who was king of Syria, marched with an army of soldiers into the kingdom of Judea, home to many Jews. He insisted that the Jews worship the Greek gods rather than the one God they worshipped. When the Jews refused to worship the Greek gods, the soldiers attacked the Temple in Jerusalem and killed countless Jews. They stole holy objects. They even stole the sacred lamp, called the menorah, that stood before the altar. The lamp's flame, which always burned brightly, went out. That had never happened before. Special oil stored in small containers called cruses was always used to keep the flame alive. The soldiers dumped the oil all over the floor. As a last insult, they let pigs roam in the Temple.

The king returned to his own country, but the soldiers stayed on. They did not respect the Jewish Temple. They brought food and drink in, played noisy games, and shouted and laughed there. Jews could not say their prayers in the Temple.

One old man, Mattathias, wanted to fight to take back the Temple. He went with his five sons into the wilderness, where other families joined them. The men began to fight the enemy anywhere and in any way they could.

Mattathias became sick. He named one of his sons, Judah the Maccabee, the leader of the fighting band. For two years the Jews fought their enemy. Then one night they attacked Jerusalem, the enemy stronghold. Judah the Maccabee and his followers camped outside Jerusalem all winter. When the people inside had little food or water left, they attacked and overwhelmed the enemy. The Jews were free!

One of the first tasks of the Jews was to clean up the Temple. They restored the holy lamp -- the menorah -- but found only enough clean and holy oil to last one day. Yet the flames of the menorah burned steadily for eight days. With each passing day, the flames grew brighter.

From then on, every year at that time, Jews have celebrated with the Festival of Lights. Candles are lit at sundown for eight nights in a row. Today's menorahs have nine branches; the ninth branch is for the shamash, or servant light, which is used to light the other eight candles. People eat potato latkes, exchange gifts, and play dreidel games. And as they gaze at the light of the menorah, they give thanks for the miracle in the Temple long ago.

click here for HANUKKAH: Art, activities, reading, crafts, etc.

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Do your children celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, or Three Kings Day? Maybe they celebrate St. Lucia Day or Ramadan. Join us for the month of December, as we explore a Month of Multicultural Holiday Celebrations!
Click here for KIDS Holiday Fun

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^
Sandra,
Tim's better half and Mommy to Michael

CHECK OUT
Michael's webpage
Our NEW Family Webpage!***updated NOVEMBER 20th***

My Parenting Journal

Moderator of
RAINY DAY ACTIVITIES

Co-Moderator of
CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS and RELATIONSHIPS

Saint Nicholas Day: December 6th

The character of Santa Claus is copied from the life of a real person, a saint named Saint Nicholas. The name 'Saint Nicholas' even sounds like 'San-ta claus,' especially in the Dutch language. The Dutch veneration of 'Sinter Klaus' was brought to North America with the Dutch settlers and eventually became the story of Santa Claus that everyone knows.

St. Nicholas, whose feast day is December 6, is the patron of seafarers, scholars, bankers, pawnbrokers, jurists, brewers, coopers, travelers, perfumers, unmarried girls, brides, and - robbers. But most of all, he is the very special saint of children.

Devotion to St. Nicholas is found in every European country. He is pictured in the old world as an ascetic-looking bishop, with white beard, red robes, mitre, and crozier but since crossing the ocean he has turned into a fat, jolly, red-nosed gentleman in a snowsuit and red cap.

In Holland and Germany he was portrayed traveling on a white horse, while in other areas on foot or by goat or on a donkey. In the old country he comes on the evening before his feast day ( December 6) accompanied by the "Krampus" an ugly, chain-rattling little devil, who has to deal with children who have been naughty. St. Nicholas is much too kind to do the punishing and scolding himself.

History and legend are intertwined in the story of Nicholas's life, but we do know that he really lived in the fourth century, that he was the holy bishop of Myra (now in Turkey) and has been widely honored as a saint since the sixth century. No less than 21 "miracles" have been attributed to him. He became known for his holiness, zeal, and astonishing miracles. Nicholas was quite young when his parents died of the plague leaving him the sole heir of their vast possessions. He determined to devote his inheritance to works of charity.

The most famous story told about St. Nicholas has to do with three young sisters who were very poor. Their parents were so poor that they did not have enough money for the daughters to get married. Every young girl needed money to pay for the wedding and to set up house for themselves.

Nicholas heard about this family and wanted to help them, but he did not want anyone to know that he was the one who was helping them.

The story is told in a few different ways. In one version, he climbed up on their roof three nights in a row and threw gold coins down their chimney so that they would land in the girls' stockings, which had been hung by the fire to dry. After two of his daughters had been able to marry because of the money mysteriously appearing in their stockings, the father was determined to find out who was helping them, so he hid behind the chimney the next night. Along came Bishop Nicholas with another bag of money.

When he was discovered, he asked the father not to tell anyone else, but the father wanted everyone to know what a good and generous man the Bishop Nicholas was, so he told everyone he knew. That is how we have the story and the tradition of stocking full of gifts today.

source: THE DOMESTIC CHURCH.COM

RESOURCES FOR MORE INFORMATION

Dutch/German-St. Nicholas Day, December 6
http://www.earth-dancing.com/day6-1.htm

St. Nicholas Day
http://www.umkc.edu/imc/stnick.htm

Saint Nicholas Day December 6th
http://www.wf-f.org/st.nicholas.html


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Do your children celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, or Three Kings Day? Maybe they celebrate St. Lucia Day or Ramadan. Join us for the month of December, as we explore a Month of Multicultural Holiday Celebrations!
Click here for KIDS Holiday Fun
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^
Sandra,
Tim's better half and Mommy to Michael

CHECK OUT
Michael's webpage
Our NEW Family Webpage!***updated NOVEMBER 20th***

My Parenting Journal

Moderator of
RAINY DAY ACTIVITIES

Co-Moderator of
CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS and RELATIONSHIPS

Eid al-Fitr (Muslim): December 6th

History of Eid Al-Fitr

'Eid' means recurring happiness or festivity. Eid is celebrated with much enthusiasm and fervor and Muslims from all strata of life can be seen adorned in beautiful new clothes, visiting the mosques to attend Salatul Eid (Eid prayers). Greetings of "Eid-Mubarak" or "a blessed Eid" are exchanged.
A very important aspect of eid is the charity which all the Muslims are expected to extend to the needy. Earlier, this was in the form of gifts in kind but now cash is given to the needy. The first Eid of the year, is known as "Eid Al-Fitr". Al Fitr literally means breaking of fast. Thus Eid Al Fitr is celebrated on the first day of Shawaal, the tenth month in the Muslim calendar, to mark the end of a month long fast during the month of Ramadan.

It is believed that the Koran was revealed during this month. Coming with the full moon, Eid Al Fitr is a day of joy and thanksgiving. On this day, Muslims show their joy for the health, strength and opportunities of life, which Allah has given them to fulfill their obligations of fasting and other good deeds during the month of Ramadan. It is considered unholy to fast on this day.

It is also a day of forgetting old grudges and ill feelings towards other fellow men. The second important Eid celebration is called "Eid Al-Adha".

Source: http://eid-al-fitr.holiday.com/

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Do your children celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, or Three Kings Day? Maybe they celebrate St. Lucia Day or Ramadan. Join us for the month of December, as we explore a Month of Multicultural Holiday Celebrations!
Click here for KIDS Holiday Fun
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^
Sandra,
Tim's better half and Mommy to Michael

CHECK OUT
Michael's webpage
Our NEW Family Webpage!***updated NOVEMBER 20th***

My Parenting Journal

Moderator of
RAINY DAY ACTIVITIES

Co-Moderator of
CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS and RELATIONSHIPS

Fiesta of Our Lady of Guadalupe: December 12th

Before the Christmas season "officially" begins on December 16, day when the first Posada takes place, Mexicans join together for the festivities of Our Lady of Guadalupe, on December 12. This is one of the most important dates in the Mexican calendar.

On this date, thousands of the faithful from around the country make the most important pilgrimage of all those undertaken during the year to the Basílica of Guadalupe, in Mexico City, where the miraculous image of la Virgen Morena is kept.

On the day before the great celebration, thousands and thousands of people start to arrive. Many of them make the trip from their place of origin by bicycle. Trucks follow them to provide assistance and for them to have a place to rest if necessary. I was very moved when I saw all these riders, mainly men, tirelessly riding their bikes kilometer after kilometer, with their hearts set on seeing la Morenita - our Lady of Guadalupe. The monumental atrium of more than 46 thousand square meters begins to fill up.

Some of the pilgrims arrive on their knees as a sign of their enormous devotion and gratitude for a favor received. There are many groups of dancers and musicians that have come to offer their art to the Virgin. By nighttime, the atrium is filled to bursting with pilgrims. People of all ages and of all regions of the country gather together, physically as well as spiritually.


A mass is officiated inside the Basilica and it is at this moment that I could really feel the warmth and spiritual richness of the people.

Although it is in the Basílica de Guadalupe where the most important rituals and celebrations of this special date take place, there are fiestas all over the country in Honor of Mexico's Patron Saint.

Practically everywhere where there is an altar to the Virgin, a special celebration is held on her day.

By the early hours of the morning, in every niche and cranny of the country, the burst of fire crackers is heard and their brilliant lights crown this great fiesta dedicated to the Mother of all Mexicans...Our Lady of Guadalupe.

Source: http://www.inside-mexico.com/guadalupe.htm

RESOURCES for more Information

Our Lady of Guadalupe Feast Day
http://go-southwest.com/culture/nuestra.shtml

Our Lady of Guadalupe
http://www.nache.org/che/Advent98/a98_05.pdf

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Sandra,
Tim's better half and Mommy to Michael



Do your children celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, or Three Kings Day? Maybe they celebrate St. Lucia Day or Ramadan. Join us for the month of December, as we explore a Month of Multicultural Holiday Celebrations!
Click here for KIDS Holiday Fun
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^
CHECK OUT
Michael's webpage
Our NEW Family Webpage!***updated NOVEMBER 20th***

My Parenting Journal

Moderator of
RAINY DAY ACTIVITIES

Co-Moderator of
CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS and RELATIONSHIPS

St. Lucia Day (Swedish): December 13th

In Sweden, December 13th is a special day that children look forward to all year long:

St. Lucia Day is a festival of lights celebrated in Scandinavia. Lucia means "light" as well as "Lucina," "Lucy," and "Lucinda." The Scandinavian countries are close to the North Pole where there is no sun at all for several days in December.

St. Lucia Day is celebrated in Sweden, Norway and the Netherlands. The family's oldest daughter wears a crown of candles set on a wreath. She wears a white dress with a red sash. On the morning of St. Lucia Day, she wakes up with the family just before dawn and serves them special yellow buns and coffee. They sing an Italian song about St. Lucia, a martyr was killed for her beliefs in 304 BC. The Scandinavian communities in Canada often choose a young woman to be the Queen of Light. She presides over a big feast called a smorgasbord during the Christmas season.

St. Lucia's Day in Scandinavia is a day for boisterous winter fun, first sleigh rides of the season and ice skating. Singing must be loud enough to frighten off the gnomes. Loaves of ceremonial bread are baked in shape of cats (echo of pre-Christian sacrifices to earth powers) formerly a procession followed a cow with candles on her horns. In Hungary, witches ride broomsticks while children pull all the pranks they can get away with.

A thousand years ago in Sweden, King Canute declared that Christmas would last a month, from December 13, the feast of St. Lucia until January 13, or Tjugondag Knut (St. Canute's Day). No one is quite sure why Lucia, a 4th century Sicilian saint, came to be so revered in Sweden. Some say she once visited the country, and others believe that Christian missionary stories of her life entranced the Swedish people. Whatever the origin, these new Christians who converted to Christianity around 1000 acquired a special fondness for the saint whose feast day marked the return of the sun and whose name itself means "light."

For information on the history of St. Lucia Day, visit the link below:
http://www.umkc.edu/imc/stlucia.htm

More Resources

December 13th Santa Lucia Day
http://www.jeannepasero.com/Christmas/december13.html

St. Lucia Day
http://www.earth-dancing.com/stluciasday.htm

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Sandra,
Tim's better half and Mommy to Michael



Do your children celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, or Three Kings Day? Maybe they celebrate St. Lucia Day or Ramadan. Join us for the month of December, as we explore a Month of Multicultural Holiday Celebrations!
Click here for KIDS Holiday Fun
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^
CHECK OUT
Michael's webpage
Our NEW Family Webpage!***updated NOVEMBER 20th***

My Parenting Journal

Moderator of
RAINY DAY ACTIVITIES

Co-Moderator of
CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS and RELATIONSHIPS

Christmas (Christian) -- December 25

In the Western world, the birthday of Jesus Christ has been celebrated on December 25th since AD 354, replacing an earlier date of January 6th. The Christians had by then appropriated many pagan festivals and traditions of the season, that were practiced in many parts of the Middle East and Europe, as a means of stamping them out.

There were mid-winter festivals in ancient Babylon and Egypt, and Germanic fertility festivals also took place at this time. The birth of the ancient sun-god Attis in Phrygia was celebrated on December 25th, as was the birth of the Persian sun-god, Mithras. The Romans celebrated Saturnalia, a festival dedicated to Saturn, the god of peace and plenty, that ran from the 17th to 24th of December. Public gathering places were decorated with flowers, gifts and candles were exchanged and the population, slaves and masters alike, celebrated the occasion with great enthusiasm.

In Scandinavia, a period of festivities known as Yule contributed another impetus to celebration, as opposed to spirituality. As Winter ended the growing season, the opportunity of enjoying the Summer's bounty encouraged much feasting and merriment.

The Celtic culture of the British Isles revered all green plants, but particularly mistletoe and holly. These were important symbols of fertility and were used for decorating their homes and altars.

New Christmas customs appeared in the Middle Ages. The most prominent contribution was the carol, which by the 14th century had become associated with the religious observance of the birth of Christ.

In Italy, a tradition developed for re-enacting the birth of Christ and the construction of scenes of the nativity. This is said to have been introduced by Saint Francis as part of his efforts to bring spiritual knowledge to the laity.

Saints Days have also contributed to our Christmas celebrations. A prominent figure in today's Christmas is Saint Nicholas who for centuries has been honoured on December 6th. He was one of the forerunners of Santa Claus.

Another popular ritual was the burning of the Yule Log, which is strongly embedded in the pagan worship of vegetation and fire, as well as being associated with magical and spiritual powers.

Celebrating Christmas has been controversial since its inception. Since numerous festivities found their roots in pagan practices, they were greatly frowned upon by conservatives within the Church. The feasting, gift-giving and frequent excesses presented a drastic contrast with the simplicity of the Nativity, and many people throughout the centuries and into the present, condemn such practices as being contrary to the true spirit of Christmas.

The earliest English reference to December 25th as Christmas Day did not come until 1043.

Source: http://www.christmas-time.com/cp-hist.html

RESOURCES FOR MORE INFORMATION

The History of Christmas
http://www.holidays.net/christmas/story.htm

The Origins of Christmas( The History of Christmas, The Birth of Jesus, Herod The King, The History of Carols, The Nativity,
Old Christmas Day, The Twelve Days of Christmas)
http://www.christmas-time.com/ct-history.htm

Christmas: Birth of Jesus, Origin of Santa Claus, origin of gift
giving
http://www.ridgenet.org/Szaflik/history.htm

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Sandra,
Tim's better half and Mommy to Michael



Do your children celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, or Three Kings Day? Maybe they celebrate St. Lucia Day or Ramadan. Join us for the month of December, as we explore a Month of Multicultural Holiday Celebrations!
Click here for KIDS Holiday Fun
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^
CHECK OUT
Michael's webpage
Our NEW Family Webpage!***updated NOVEMBER 20th***

My Parenting Journal

Moderator of
RAINY DAY ACTIVITIES

Co-Moderator of
CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS and RELATIONSHIPS

I too love learning about how other people celebrate holidays around the world. Whne I used to teach preschool, I took in consideration my students who celebrated other holidays. It was always an opportunity to teach the students about different cultures.

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Sandra,
Tim's better half and Mommy to Michael



Join us for the month of December, as we explore a Month of Multicultural Holiday Celebrations including Hanukkah, Christmas and Kwanzaa!
Click here for KIDS Holiday Fun
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^
CHECK OUT
Michael's webpage
Our NEW Family Webpage!***updated NOVEMBER 20th***

My Parenting Journal

Moderator of
RAINY DAY ACTIVITIES

Co-Moderator of
CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS and RELATIONSHIPS

Kwanzaa December 26th- January 1st

Habari Gani? -- What's the News?

Learn about Kwanzaa, the world's fastest growing holiday

Kwanzaa is an African-American holiday started in the United States in 1966 by Dr. Maulana Karenga. Dr. Karenga started Kwanzaa as a holiday for African American people to celebrate and learn about their African customs and history.
Kwanzaa is a Swahili (an East African language) word that means "first fruits of the harvest." Kwanzaa starts on December 26 and lasts for seven days. Each day represents one of the seven reasons or principles of Kwanzaa.

The Seven Principles or Nguzo Saba

Umoja -- unity
Kujichagulia -- self-determination
Ujima -- collective work and responsibility
Ujamaa -- cooperative economics
Nia -- purpose
Kuumba -- creativity
Imani -- faith

Learn more about Kwanzaa at these sites:

Everything About Kwanzaa.The International Kwanzaa Exchange.
http://www.tike.com/celeb-kw.htm

The Kwanzaa Information Center at Melanet.
http://new.melanet.com/kwanzaa/

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Sandra,
Tim's better half and Mommy to Michael



Join us for the month of December, as we explore a Month of Multicultural Holiday Celebrations including Hanukkah, Christmas and Kwanzaa!
Click here for KIDS Holiday Fun
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^
CHECK OUT
Michael's webpage
Our NEW Family Webpage!***updated NOVEMBER 20th***

My Parenting Journal

Moderator of
RAINY DAY ACTIVITIES

Co-Moderator of
CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS and RELATIONSHIPS

BOXING DAY(Australian, Canadian, English, Irish) December 26th

On December 26 countries such as the U.K., Canada, Australia, and New Zealand give gifts to those who provide services thoughout the year.

BOXING DAY IN AUSTRALIA

Boxing Day Decamber 26th is a public holiday in Australia. The day probably takes its name from the fact that on the day after Christmas in Britain, the alms boxes which had been placed in the churches over the Christmas period were opened. The contents were distributed to the poor. On the same day, apprentices and servants broke open small earthenware boxes in which their masters had deposited small sums of money. In large households, the family may have used this day to distribute Christmas boxes to their staff.

In Canberra it is the start of the annual exodus to the beach and a holiday at the coast.

Suggested Activities on Boxing Day

Collect canned goods for a local food charity organization. Collect used clothing for needy families. Decorate the collection boxes and prepare information sheets about your collections.

Write a thank you card or letter to someone who has helped you at some time.


Links to Boxing Day and St. Stephen's Day

Christmas in the British Isles
http://www.cvc.org/christmas/british.htm

Nobel Web: St. Stephen's Day in Ireland
http://www.noblenet.org/year/ststephen.htm

Boxing Day in Australia
http://www.kidlink.org/KIDPROJ/MCC/mcc0064.html

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Sandra,
Tim's better half and Mommy to Michael



Join us for the month of December, as we explore a Month of Multicultural Holiday Celebrations including Hanukkah, Christmas and Kwanzaa!
Click here for KIDS Holiday Fun


Click here for Christmas around the World links!
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CHECK OUT
Michael's webpage
Our NEW Family Webpage!***updated NOVEMBER 20th***

My Parenting Journal

Moderator of
RAINY DAY ACTIVITIES

Co-Moderator of
CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS and RELATIONSHIPS