The Real Meaning of the Season
Whether you're celebrating Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Chinese New Year, Boxing Day or National Chocolate-Covered Anything Day (yes, that is a real holiday!), this can be a festive time of year! The wonderful diversity of our nation brings us a rich variety of holiday traditions.
For those of us who have experienced many a holiday, vivid memories of the season with its fragrant aromas, brightly-colored costumes and tasty treats galore bring much anticipation for the festivities to begin.
But no matter what holiday you observe or even none at all, the season is a chance to celebrate something all people have in common: our humanity. This is a season to celebrate by giving of ourselves and caring about each other. If you look closely at many religious or seasonal observances, you may find we have a lot more in common than different.
For me, Christmas conjures up images of festive holiday decorations adorning the house, my mom in the kitchen creating mouth-watering treats we would devour well before Christmas Day and carols playing joyfully in the background.
But what meant the most to me was the Christmas spirit: finding the perfect gift that really brought someone joy, sharing good fortune by bringing a food basket for a total stranger, and celebrating our family and our faith.
Click here to learn more about the traditions of Advent.
Years ago, my son and I, both Christians, decided to visit a synagogue to experience Hanukkah. While many of the rituals were a bit of a mystery to us, I was surprised at how much Judaism had in common with the Christian faith.
Hanukkah is celebrated over eight days and is often a time for families to spend time together, playing with the dreidel and lighting candles on the nine-branched ceremonial lamp called the menorah.
What do the candles on the menorah represent? Click here to learn more.
Kwanzaa has always intrigued me so I explored a bit and discovered some interesting facts about the holiday. Kwanzaa is a week-long celebration held in the United States and in other nations of the Western African diaspora in the Americas.
Kwanzaa is not a religious holiday nor is it meant to replace Christmas. The celebration honors African heritage in African-American culture, and is observed from December 26 to January 1, culminating in a feast and gift giving.
Click here for a K-12 activity guide to Kwanzaa.
The Chinese (Lunar) New Year has always been a favorite for me: the vibrant and jewel-adorned costumes, the parades, music and other festivities, all replete with deep-rooted tradition. But the holiday is more than just a parade--it is the most important holiday for the Chinese.
This festival marks the start of the new year, beginning on the second new moon after the winter solstice and ending on the full moon fifteen days later. It is often celebrated with visits to family and friends, special meals, fireworks, and gift giving. Each new lunar year is represented by a different animal (repeating every 12 years), referred to as the Chinese Zodiac.
Which Chinese Zodiac sign were you born under? Click here to find out!
While there are far more seasonal celebrations that just these, it does remind us that although we may have different cultural or religious traditions, understanding and celebrating each of us as individuals not only opens our minds, but hopefully our hearts to come together for a common good--the real meaning of the season!
If you'd like to learn more about different cultural celebrations and holiday craft ideas, we have several classes that offer many great ideas to get you started!
For everyone, we wish you all the happiest of seasons and joy throughout the year!
