In December, around the world, holidays begin to be celebrated. Whether it’s lighting eight candles, or spinning a top, all holidays have special meaning. Holidays also come with traditions from centuries ago and new traditions are being made all the time. How many are there, and which are the most popular?
One holiday that is celebrated and cheered is known as Hanukkah! Hanukkah is a Jewish holiday celebrated typically around the second half of December. It’s celebrated for eight days and one of its most famous tradition is lighting a candle for each night! On each night when a candle is lit the family or person joins in festivities like feasting on traditional food such as latkes, or playing games like dreidel. Spinning the dreidel is a game where you spin a top and whatever it lands on is how much you win! Then to end the night you exchange gifts around their Hanukkah bush.
Yule is a widely celebrated holiday brought from Germany. The Yule holiday is a festival of the celebration of the Norse God Odin and the Mother of Creation. The Yule holiday’s traditions are decorating a tree, creating a wreath, and burning a Yule log. Much like Hanukkah, Yule is celebrated for many days–twelve! This holiday brings families together around an open hearth of a burning yule log while honoring their traditions, like their large feasts with family while sharing what they love most in winter, or staying up late while singing around the hearth!
Finally, the holiday everyone knows about and is known for the holly jolly chubby man, Christmas! Christmas is a holiday celebrating the birth of a god’s child and is most commonly known for putting a star on a tree. On this day the Jewish would put their shoes out due to the tale of the jolly man who would put toys and treats in them. Christmas would then transform into candy in stockings, and presents under a decorated tree! Christmas holidays have many similar traditions to the other two like feasts and presents! Unlike the others, Christmas is celebrated for one or two days if you count Christmas Eve. Share cookies and stay up late to catch Santa Claus!
Despite the different holiday traditions, each one is about bringing family and friends closer together and are all equally important! Whether you choose to light up the candles, chop up the Yule log, or put a star on the tree, spend it with those around you and have a Happy/Merry Hanukkah/Yule/Christmas/ Etc.!!!
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