The month of December Global Holidays is fun and a festive month that is often referred to as”the “World of Holidays” Indeed the month of December is a time of celebrations where people from all over the world celebrate ceremonies of cultural, religious, or even corporate-related ceremonies and celebrations. In this article, we’ll look into the history and traditions of some famous December-related global holiday celebrations. Stay with us and continue reading.
Hanukkah
Hanukkah is a Jewish festival that is also called Chanukkah or the Festival of Light. It is a long, eight-day celebration that is traditionally celebrated to commemorate the dedication of the second temple of Jerusalem. Hanukkah starts on the 25th day of the month of Kislev according to the Hebrew calendar. There is however an alternative for the exact date due to the Gregorian calendar. It falls between late November and the end of December.
In 2022 it will be observed during the period from December 18 through 26.
Chanukkah is a celebration of a miracle, in which a day’s worth of oil is burnt in the Jewish church for eight weeks. Today, Jewish families burn their candles inside a menorah, the candle holder. They light the candle every night in the menorah. Then they start the next one by lighting the candle that was lit up. Jewish families celebrate the holiday by gift-giving to each other and preparing festive meals such as the Lteks (potato pancakes) and jam-filled donuts referred to as sufganiyot. They also play games and read blessings.
Santa Lucia
In accordance with the Christian calendar, St. Lucia day is observed on the 13th day of the month of December every year. It is also called the celebration of lights. It is observed in Sweden and the Swedish-speaking regions of Finland in honor of St. Lucia. As the martyr of her time, she was murdered because of accusations that she knowingly offered food to Christians who lived inside the tunnels of the city’s underground.
This festival is celebrated by young girls wearing white dresses and wreaths placed on their heads and walking around with candles in their palms. The winter festival is marked with symbolic music and procession as illumination and hope in the darkness.
December Solstice and Yule
Yule is known as “Yuletide” and is celebrated as the winter solstice in the northern hemisphere. Yule is among the pagan festivals that are connected with the moment of midwinter known as the winter solstice. It’s which is celebrated on the 21st of December. The solstice of winter is known as the day with the least length on the north equator as well as the longest day on the south equator.
Germans celebrate Yule and many German communities celebrate this holiday across the globe. It is rooted in Pgagon and that goes all the way back to Norse God Odin. It is a tribute paid to Odin.
Furthermore, people are also celebrating Yule by lighting the huge log on a bonfire and enjoying all night outdoors. The Yule altars are built by people who make evergreen wreaths for Yule. Candle-light dinners are served at night, and nature-based gifts are exchanged. ornaments for trees are commonplace.
Christmas
Christmas is certainly the most celebrated and popular of all worldwide Christmas celebrations. It is traditionally celebrated as the birthday celebration of Jesus Christ. It also has religious and cultural beliefs. Many non-christian groups and nations celebrate Christmas.
In many areas around the globe, the night of Christmas, which falls on the 24th of December is considered vital and Christmas is celebrated on the 25th of December.
There are numerous ways to celebrate Christmas, like decorating the Christmas trees and exchanging presents. It’s a celebration for the whole family. children await gifts from friends, family, and Santa Claus. Everyone enjoys Christmas in a different way filled with excitement and joy. Many people gather to go to church.
There are people who take vacations visit bars and restaurants and host events to enjoy the celebration. Different nations have their own ways to celebrate Christmas. Christmas is for all communities and countries.
Kwanzaa
In the month of Kwanza, an entire week of celebration takes place from December 26 until January 1. It is an African American cultural tradition that the late was created by Dr. Maulana Karenga created in 1966 following the riots that broke out that occurred in Los Angles, California. The term Kwanzaa is derived from the Swahili word mutandaya kwanza meaning ‘the first fruit.’
Many millions of Americans celebrate Kwanzaa. African attire is used during the holiday celebration. The celebration is marked with music and dances, stories poems, and African concepts and values discussed at the event. Additionally, they decorate their homes with fresh fruits and vegetables and light the candles inside the kinara that children light at the end of the night.
Each day’s end is marked by dinner, however, on December 31st the people have a huge dinner known as “Karamu.”
New Year’s Eve
Based on the Georgian calendar, the 31st day of December, the day that is the end of the calendar, will be observed as New Year’s Eve. New year’s Eve is the most well-known among December worldwide holidays and is celebrated across the globe. People celebrate by having celebrations, music, and dining out at restaurants. Some countries permit fireworks on new year’s celebrations.
Additionally, special prayers are also held in churches and nearly all religions around the world believe in God to have an enjoyable new year. People make resolutions for the upcoming year, and they pray to have the most successful coming year.
Omisoka
Omisoka can be observed on new year’s Eve in Japan. The people from Japan are able to celebrate by cleaning their homes and getting rid of home clutter. They organize huge celebrations with their friends and family members and cook traditional Japanese dishes.
While it’s not particularly well-known among the global holiday celebrations of December however, the majority of people who are a fan of Japanese culture prefer to celebrate it across the globe.
Bottom Line
The month of December is, without doubt, the most loved month of the year, as everyone around the world enjoys many religious and cultural celebrations throughout the month. It’s the best time to show appreciation to those who have made this year a living by showering gifts upon them. There is a myriad of prominent holidays that are celebrated in December The most significant among them are Hanukkah, Santa Lucia, Soslctice & Yule, Kwanzaa New Year’s Eve, and Omisoka.
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