Festivals and holidays from all around the world

This time of year is festive all around the world and in all cultures and religions. Last month we had celebrations in the UK for Guy Fawkes night, Thanksgiving for the USA, Diwali for any Hindus and many other celebrations, and December brings Christmas, Hanukkah, New Years  and much more. This blog post is simply a way to recognise all the different celebrations in different religions and cultures around the world this time of year. 

Christmas

Christmas is very widely celebrated in the UK, and is a Christian holiday marking the birth of Jesus and the end of Advent (the 24 days leading up to Christmas). Christmas has a lot of tradition surrounding it, with Christmas trees, stories about Santa and his reindeer, gift giving and much more. Christmas traditions and customs vary around the world as Christmas is a very global holiday, from a 13m tall Yule Goat built in Sweden to a Kentucky Fried Christmas Dinner in Japan. 

New Years

Another famous and global holiday (although the new year occurs at different times globally due to time zone differences) is the beginning of the new year of the gregorian calendar. This is often celebrated with parties, fireworks in many major cities around the world and general festivities. It is a time to spend with loved ones as you usher in a new year. 

Hanukkah

Hanukkah is the Jewish festival of lights and lasts eight days and nights. It celebrates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem after the Jews had risen up to their Syrian-Greek oppressors. The legend is that after revolting against the Syrian King who wished to convert them to the Greek religion, they reclaimed the Second Temple and lit a flame. However, the flame only had enough oil to last a day, but miraculously, it lasted 8 days and 8 nights, allowing the Jews enough time to find more oil. This is why during Hanukkah, a Menorah is lit - it is a candle holder with 8 branches and a central branch - every night, a candle is lit on the branches from the central candle.

Kwanzaa

Kwanzaa is an African-American celebration created by Dr Maulana Karenga in 1966. After the Watts Riots in LA, he wanted to find a way to bring African Americans together. The word Kwanzaa is derived from the Swahili ‘matunda ya kwanza’ which means ‘first fruits’. Kwanzaa is a festival that combines elements of harvest festivals from all over Africa, and is therefore celebrated differently in each household, but involves food, storytelling, song and dance and music. Every night for 7 nights, a candle is lit on a Kinara (candleholder) and one of the 7 principles are discussed - unity, self-determination, collective work and responsibility, cooperative economics, purpose, creativity and faith. 

I hope this has been an insight into some festivals around the time at this festive period, and best wishes to everyone from me, regardless of what they celebrate!