You have probably noticed how schools and some organizations view the Christmas period as winter holiday. With this in mind, join me to view three major celebrations.
Kwanzaa
This is a celebration of family, community and culture established in 1966. Kwanzaa is based on the agricultural celebration of Africa and is derived from the words matunda ya kwanzaa, which means "first fruits." This is a time for African-Americans to celebrate their heritage. Most people are aware of the seven symbols of Kwanzaa.
Crops are the rewards of productivity, the mat is a symbol of history, the candleholder symbolizes people's roots, corn is the symbol of the children and their future, seven candles symbolize the seven principles, the set of values which African-Americans are urged to live by and construct their lives. The unity cup is necessary as the foundation of the principles and gifts mean labor and love of parent to child.
Important also is the tricolor flag: black for the people, red for their struggle and green for the future.
This was all established by Maulana Karenga, an author and scholar-activist.
Hanukkah
Known as the "festival of lights," this is an eight-day celebration beginning on the 25th day of the Jewish month of Kislev.
This holiday has become very well known, not because of religion but probably because it is so close to Dec. 25.
The lights and the candles are arranged in a candelabrum - called a menorah which holds nine candles - one for each night and a shamas candle in the center.
Antiochus, the Greek king of Syria, outlawed Jewish rituals and ordered the Jews to worship Greek gods.
In 168 B.C.E. the Jews' holy Temple was seized and dedicated to the worship of Zeus.
Hanukkah commemorates the victory of the Maccabees, a Jewish rebel army, over the Syrians in 165 B.C.E., as well as the subsequent rededication of the holy Temple in Jerusalem.
In the Temple, there was little light left in the menorah - only for one day - but miraculously the oil burned for eight days. It was considered a miracle. Each day, of course, has its significance.
Gift-giving is not part of the holiday except to the family's children.
The dreidel game is played during this celebration.
Christmas
To Christians around the world, the birth of Christ on Dec. 25 is the biggest celebration of all. Although Roman Catholics and Protestants observe Christmas on Dec. 25, Orthodox Christians celebrate under the Julian calendar, Jan. 6.
Why Dec. 25? No one knows for sure. The Romans observed Saturnalia, a feast for Saturn, the harvest god, on Dec. 17 and it became a festival stretching to Dec. 23.
Supposedly the date of Dec. 25 was made permanent for easier conversion of the pagans.
Some of the traditions include Kris Kringle or Santa Claus, which is the name used in Germany in 1600 by the Protestants who accepted Dec. 25 as the birthday of Christ. Another tradition is mistletoe. A kiss under the mistletoe symbolizes acceptance and reconciliation of God to mankind, the joining of heaven and Earth.
Holly's sharp edges symbolize the crown of thorns at the Crucifixion, the "J" shape of the candy cane represents Jesus Christ, the color white is purity and red is the blood shed. Christmas cards are a tradition started in England as an easy way to send a greeting. The Christmas tree was brought to Pennsylvania by German immigrants and it has remained an important symbol of Christmas.
