#44 - Happy Holidays

Happy holidays to you!

And happy holidays to you, too!

We’re right in the middle of the time of the year we call “the holidays”.

What is a “holiday?”   It comes from an old English word that meant “holy day”. The word was first used a long time ago - before the 12th century. The word was used for days that were special religious days, holy days. People had religious festivals, and they did not work; they had the day “off”. Now “holiday” is used for days that we celebrate.  Some holidays are religious, some are cultural some holidays celebrate a national event. The 4th of July or Veteran’s Day are holidays that celebrate a national event. Thanksgiving is a cultural holiday. Christmas and Easter are of course, religious holidays.

December is full of holidays. Let’s talk about three of them. 

Christmas - On December 25th Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus. Christmas is celebrated with Christmas songs – or carols. We decorate Christmas trees with colored glass balls and lights. We hang colored lights outside our houses and public buildings. Santa Claus or Father Christmas brings gifts to children.  Where did that tradition of giving gifts come from? Well, in the Bible story of Jesus’ birth, the three wisemen or Magi followed a star to the place where Jesus was born. They brought gifts for the baby. In the US, Christmas is the dominant holiday in December. Many people who are not religious Christians take part in some of the Christmas traditions.          

                Hanukkah is a Jewish holiday that is also celebrated in December. Hanukkah is a Hebrew word that means “dedication”.     Hanukkah  is also known as “the festival of lights”. What does Hanukkah celebrate? 2000 years ago, the Jewish people drove the Greek-Syrian rulers out of Jerusalem.  To celebrate, the people lit a lamp in the temple.  The lamp had only enough oil to last 1 day, but the lamp burned for eight days. That’s the reason that Hanukkah lasts for eight days. The Menorah is the symbol of Hanukkah. The  Menorah is a candelabra (candle holder) that has 8 candles the same size and a ninth candle that stands apart. The dates for  Hanukkah change every year. This year, 2024, Hanukkah is Dec 25 – Jan 2.

Let’s talk about one more holiday that is celebrated in December, Kwanzaa. That’s an interesting word that comes from a Swahili phrase,“matunda ya kwanza”. Swahili is a language that people in many countries in East Africa speak.  “Matunda ya kwanza” means “first fruits of the harvest”  Kwanzaa celebrates African American culture and heritage. It is celebrated for 7 days and each day a different guiding principal is celebrated.  Kwanzaa is celebrated December 26 – January 1. 

Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa are all in December. These holidays remind us that the United States is a multicultural nation. We respect the rights and freedom of everyone to celebrate their special holidays. So, if you celebrate Christmas, a very Merry Christmas to you! If you celebrate Hanukkah, have a Happy Hanukkah! If you celebrate Kwanzaa, Happy Kwanzaa! 

And to all of you, we wish you Happy Holidays! 

We’ll see you next year in 2025!

Tacomaliteracy.org