Happy Holidays

The month of December is filled with celebration each year. The holiday season is a time in which we celebrate various things such as camaraderie and respect. For many it is a time for remembrance of the hardships their people have overcome. The means in which you celebrate or for what you celebrate matter not, for each individual has their own beliefs and values. To this end I say not Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwanzaa, or even Merry Christmas, for I respect all people and their views. To my friends and family of which I know your faith I will say the appropriate Salutation to your beliefs out of respect. To all others I will say Happy Holidays and Seasons Greetings, because everyone has a reason to celebrate something.

Hanukkah

Hanukkah is the Jewish Feast of Lights or Feast of Dedication. The Hebrew word Hanukkah (also written Hannuka or Chanukah) means dedication. The Hanukkah holiday begins on the eve of the 25^th day of the Hebrew month of Kislev (approximately December) and lasts for eight days.

During Hanukkah, gifts are exchanged and contributions are made to the poor. On the first evening, one candle is lighted on a specialized eight branched candelabrum called a menorah. One candle is added every night until the total reaches eight on the last night. These candles are lighted by a separate candle each night called a shamash.

The two books of Maccabees in the Apocrypha tell the story of Hanukkah. In 165 B.C., after a three year struggle led by Judah Maccabee, the Jews in Judea defeated the Syrian tyrant Antichus IV. The held festivities in the Temple of Jerusalem and dedicated it to God.

According to the Talmud, written many centuries after the event, when the Jews cleaned the Temple of Syrian idols, they found only on small jug of oil in which to light their holy lamps. Miraculously, the oil in that single jug provided them with enough oil for all eight days. Other sources mention a torchlight parade in the Temple, which may have also contributed to the tradition of lighting candles for Hanukkah.

Kwanzaa

            Kwanzaa is an African-American holiday that begins on December 26^th and lasts for seven days. The word Kwanzaa, sometimes spelled Kwanza, comes from the Swahili phrase matunda ya kwanza, which means the first fruits in Kiswahili, an east African language.

            The holiday was developed in 1966 in the United States by Maulana Karenga, a professor of Pan-African studies and a black cultural leader. The holiday centers on the Nguzo Saba, seven principles of black culture developed by Karenga. These principles are Umoja (unity), Kujichagulia (self determination), Ujima (collective work and responsibility), Ujamaa (cooperative economics), Nia (purpose), Kuumba (creativity), and Imani (faith).

            There are also seven symbols of Kwanzaa; mazao (the fruits of the harvest), mkeka (a mat on which the fruit is arranged), kinara (a candleholder), mishumaa saba (candles), muhindi (ears of corn, one for each child in the family), and the Kikombe cha unoja (the chalice of unity). It is customary for families to exchange gifts, which are often homemade. Each evening families light one of the seven candles in the kinara and discuss the day’s principle.

Christmas

            Christmas is a Christian holiday that celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ. Nobody knows the exact date of Christ’s birth, but Christmas is observed on December 25^th. On this day many go to church, where they take part in special religious services. During the Christmas season they decorate their homes with greenery such as holly, mistletoe, a Christmas tree and lights. On Christmas day it is customary to exchange gifts with family and friends. The word Christmas comes from Cristes Maesse, an early English phrase that means Mass of Christ.

            The story of Christmas comes mainly from the Gospels of Saint Luke and Saint Matthew in the New Testament of the Bible. According to Luke, an angel appeared to shepherds outside the little town of Bethlehem and told them of Jesus’ birth. Matthew tells of how the wise men, called Magi, followed a bright star that led them to the baby Jesus.

In the 1800’s, sending Christmas cards to loved ones and decorating Christmas trees became a popular tradition. Around this time Santa Claus also replaced Saint Nicholas as their holiday symbol of giving.