What is Hanukkah?
Hanukkah is a Jewish festival that reaffirms the ideals of Judaism and commemorates in particular the rededication of the Second Temple of Jerusalem by the lighting of candles on each day of the festival. Although not mentioned in the Hebrew Scriptures, Hanukkah came to be widely celebrated and remains one of the most popular Jewish religious observances.
Who Celebrates it?
This holiday is celebrated around the world by those who are a part of the Judaism faith. In Israel, it is considered a national holiday, where much like other religions, it is a government holiday for businesses, people sing songs, have parties, and decorations are displayed everywhere.
What does Hanukkah entail?
Unlike other holidays that only last a day or two, Hanukkah lasts for eight. This is because according to the Talmud (writings that hold a place in the Jewish religious tradition), when Judas entered the Second Temple of Jerusalem he found a jar of oil that contained enough to burn for one day. By a miracle, the oil burned for eight days until new consecrated oil could be found, establishing the precedent that the festival should last eight days.
Some history as to how this holiday came to be:
The events that inspired the Hanukkah holiday took place during a particularly turbulent phase of Jewish history. Around 200 B.C., Judea—also known as the Land of Israel—came under the control of Antiochus III, the Seleucid king of Syria, who allowed the Jews who lived there to continue practicing their religion. His son, Antiochus IV Epiphanes, proved less benevolent: Ancient sources recount that he outlawed the Jewish religion and ordered the Jews to worship Greek gods. In 168 B.C., his soldiers descended upon Jerusalem, massacring thousands of people and desecrating the city’s holy Second Temple by erecting an altar to Zeus and sacrificing pigs within its sacred walls.
Led by the Jewish priest Mattathias and his five sons, a large-scale rebellion broke out against Antiochus and the Seleucid monarchy. When Matthathias died in 166 B.C., his son Judah, known as Judah Maccabee (“the Hammer”), took the helm; within two years the Jews had successfully driven the Syrians out of Jerusalem, relying largely on guerilla warfare tactics. Judah called on his followers to cleanse the Second Temple, rebuild its altar, and light its menorah—the gold candelabrum whose seven branches represented knowledge and creation and was meant to be kept burning every night.
How it is often celebrated:
The celebration of Hanukkah includes a variety of religious and nonreligious customs. Like Purim, Hanukkah is a joyous festival that lacks the work restrictions characteristic of the major festivals of Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur. The Hanukkah celebration revolves around the kindling of a nine-branched menorah, known in Hebrew as the Hanukiah. On each of the holiday’s eight nights, another candle is added to the menorah after sundown; the ninth candle called the shamash (“helper”), is used to light the others. Jews typically recite blessings during this ritual and display the menorah prominently in a window as a reminder to others of the miracle that inspired the holiday.
In another allusion to the Hanukkah miracle, traditional Hanukkah foods are fried in oil. Potato pancakes (known as latkes) and jam-filled donuts (sufganiyot) are particularly popular in many Jewish households. Other Hanukkah customs include playing with four-sided spinning tops called dreidels and exchanging gifts. In recent decades, particularly in North America, Hanukkah has exploded into a major commercial phenomenon, largely because it falls near or overlaps with Christmas.
The Hanukkah observance is also characterized by the daily reading of Scripture, recitation of some of the Psalms, almsgiving, and singing of a special hymn. The liturgy includes Hallel, public readings from the Torah, and the ʿal ha-nissim (“for the miracles”) prayer. There are also a number of nonreligious customs associated with Hanukkah, including festive meals, songs, games, and gifts to children.
This information is gathered from Britannica and History.
What is Christmas?
Christmas was traditionally a Christian festival celebrating the birth of Jesus, but in the early 20th century, it also became a secular family holiday, observed by Christians and non-Christians alike. The secular holiday is often devoid of Christian elements, with the mythical figure Santa Claus playing the pivotal role.
Who Celebrates it?
Christmas is celebrated by many Christians on December 25 in the Gregorian calendar. For Eastern Orthodox churches that continue to use the Julian calendar for liturgical observances, this date corresponds to January 7 on the Gregorian calendar. Gifts are exchanged on Christmas Eve in most European countries and on Christmas morning in North America.
However, over the years, many people who are not of the Christian faith celebrate the holiday. Their reasoning can be anything from wanting to spread joy and visit loved ones to having similar religious elements that Christianity has made popular.
What does Christmas entail?
Christians celebrate Christmas Day as the anniversary of the birth of Jesus of Nazareth, a spiritual leader whose teachings form the basis of their religion. Although within history, around the time of Christmas, there have been many different holidays and festivals such as Rome's Saturnalia (holiday for honoring Saturn, god of agriculture), Juvenalia (feast honoring the children of Rome), or the birthday of Mithra (god of the unconquerable sun). Along with the winter solstice also celebrated around the same time of year, Christmas, which is always on the same date, seems to be a common day for celebrating all of these things.
Some history of how this holiday came to be:
During the first two centuries of Christianity, there was strong opposition to recognizing the birthdays of martyrs or, for that matter, of Jesus. Numerous Church Fathers offered sarcastic comments about the pagan custom of celebrating birthdays when, in fact, saints and martyrs should be honored on the days of their martyrdom—their true “birthdays,” from the church’s perspective.
The precise origin of assigning December 25 as the birth date of Jesus is unclear. The New Testament provides no clues in this regard. December 25 was first identified as the date of Jesus’ birth by Sextus Julius Africanus in 221 and later became the universally accepted date.
How it is often celebrated:
Popular customs include exchanging gifts, decorating Christmas trees and homes, attending church, sharing meals with family and friends, and, of course, waiting for Santa Claus to arrive.
This information is gathered from Britannica and History.
What is Kwanzaa?
Kwanzaa is an annual holiday celebrated primarily in the United States from December 26 to January 1. It emphasizes the importance of the pan-African family and corresponding social values. Kwanzaa peaked in popularity during the Afrocentrist movement of the 1980s and 1990s.
Who Celebrates it?
Kwanzaa was created for and is celebrated by Black Americans. Although it waned in popularity following its peak during the 1980s and 1990s, the holiday is still annually celebrated by millions of Americans. It is also celebrated by Black people in Canada and the Caribbean.
What does Kwanzaa entail?
Each day of Kwanzaa is tied to one of the holiday’s seven principles: unity (umoja), self-determination (kujichagulia), collective responsibility (ujima), cooperative economics (ujamaa), purpose (nia), creativity (kuumba), and faith (imani). Each day, families bring out corresponding symbols and light a new candle on the kinara (candleholder). On the final day a feast is held, called the karamu.
The seven principles, or Nguzo Saba, are a set of ideals created by Dr. Maulana Karenga. Each day of Kwanzaa emphasizes a different principle: Mazao (the crops), Mkeka (Place Mat), Vibunzi (ear of corn), Mishumaa Saba (the seven candles), Kinara (the candleholder), Kikombe Cha Umoja (unity cup), and Zawadi (gifts).
Some history of how this holiday came to be:
Dr. Maulana Karenga, professor and chairman of Black Studies at California State University, Long Beach, created Kwanzaa in 1966. After the Watts riots in Los Angeles, Dr. Karenga searched for ways to bring African Americans together as a community. He founded the US, a cultural organization, and started to research African “first fruit” (harvest) celebrations. Karenga combined aspects of several different harvest celebrations, such as those of the Ashanti and those of the Zulu, to form the basis of the week-long holiday. Kwanzaa 2021 will take place Sunday, December 26, 2021, through Saturday, January 1, 2022.
How it is often celebrated:
Each family celebrates Kwanzaa in its own way, but celebrations often include songs and dances, African drums, storytelling, poetry reading, and a large traditional meal. On each of the seven nights, the family gathers and a child lights one of the candles on the Kinara (candleholder), then one of the seven principles is discussed. The principles, called the Nguzo Saba (seven principles in Swahili) are values of African culture that contribute to building and reinforcing community among African Americans. Kwanzaa also has seven basic symbols which represent values and concepts reflective of African culture. An African feast, called a Karamu, is held on December 31.
This information is gathered from Britannica and History.
What is Yule?
Yuke coincides with the winter solstice (December 21–22 in the Northern Hemisphere; June 20–21 in the Southern Hemisphere). The pre-Christian festival originated in Scandinavia and was later subsumed, along with other pagan celebrations, into the Christian holiday of Christmas. Some modern celebrations of Yule attempt to re-create ancient traditions, while others have been adapted or reimagined to suit contemporary personal and religious practices.
Who Celebrates it?
Yule is a festival observed historically by Germanic peoples, Norwegian peoples, Swedish peoples, and in modern times primarily by Neo-Pagans.
What does Yule entail?
Yule is often seen as a festival for the winter solstice and marks the shortest day and longest night of the year. This is why light and fire are often used to celebrate this holiday. Yule has historically been happening since the neolithic period (the last part of the Stone Age) beginning around 10,200 BC and is one of the longest reigning celebrations in history. It is often seen as a rebirth of light (also associated with the sun) and allows for deep spiritual reflection for the coming years.
Some history of how this holiday came to be:
Yule is one of the oldest winter solstice festivals, with origins among the ancient Norse thousands of years ago. Its roots are complicated and difficult to trace, although there are several theories about how and why the festival was celebrated. It is generally agreed that Yule celebrations began as a Norse festival called jol, although assessments of the purpose and traditions vary.
How it is often celebrated:
In recognition of the return of the sun, fathers, and sons would bring home large logs, which became known as Yule logs. They would set one end of these logs on fire. The people would feast until the log burned out, which could take as many as 12 days.
The Norse believed that each spark from the fire represented a new piglet or calf that would be born during the coming year. Although, in Scandinavia, it is an honor for St. Lucia. Lucia and her feast day blended naturally with solstice traditions such as lighting fires to scare away spirits during the longest, darkest night of the year. On St. Lucia’s Day, girls in Scandinavia wear white dresses with red sashes and wreaths of candles on their heads, as an homage to the candles Lucia wore on her head to light her way as she visited imprisoned Christians, carrying forbidden food in her arms.
Often times people also celebrate with food, presents, family and friends, and self-reflection. This is often associated with and thought to be adopted by Christianity as they also celebrate in many of these ways for Christmas.
This information is gathered from Britannica and History.
What is Bodhi?
Bodhi, (Sanskrit and Pāli: “awakening,” “enlightenment”), in Buddhism, the final Enlightenment, which puts an end to the cycle of transmigration and leads to Nirvāṇa, or spiritual release; the experience is comparable to the Satori of Zen Buddhism in Japan. The accomplishment of this “awakening” transformed Siddhārtha Gautama into a Buddha (an Awakened One).
What is the Bohi Tree?
According to Buddhist tradition, the specific sacred fig (Ficus religiosa) under which the Buddha sat when he attained Enlightenment (Bodhi) at Bodh Gaya in Bihar, India. The Mahabodhi Temple, which marks the place of the Buddha’s Enlightenment, features a descendant of the original Bodhi tree and is a major site of pilgrimage.
Who Celebrates it?
Buddhists and those who participate and believe in Buddhism.
What does Bodhi entail?
There is no single Buddhist symbol, but a number of images have evolved that represent Buddhist beliefs, including the lotus flower, the eight-spoked dharma wheel, the Bodhi tree, and the swastika (an ancient symbol whose name means "well-being" or "good fortune" in Sanskrit).
After six years of searching, Buddhists believe Gautama found enlightenment while meditating under a Bodhi tree. He spent the rest of his life teaching others about how to achieve this spiritual state.
Some history of how this holiday came to be:
When Gautama passed away around 483 B.C., his followers began to organize a religious movement. Buddha’s teachings became the foundation for what would develop into Buddhism. And to celebrate the finding of enlightenment for the first time, the Bodhi tree and Bodhi Day had come to be a symbol of hope that it is possible to reach enlightenment.
How it is often celebrated:
Often times the day is celebrated by meditating and praying, and those who are lucky will be able to do so in the presence of the bodhi tree descendent (clipping from the original tree that is sent and planted all over the world). Some might even decorate a bodhi tree with lights and/or display statues of Buddha. Prayer beads made of sacred fig seeds are highly esteemed as well.
This information is gathered from Britannica and History.
