By Kaila Howard

Winter Festivities

Winter is upon us in the northern hemisphere and people of many cultures are getting ready for the holiday festivities. Some of the most interesting celebrations happen around this time of year, during the Winter Solstice when we experience the shortest day and longest night of the year. This happens due to the earth’s poles being at the maximum tilt away from the sun. It happens in December in the northern hemisphere and in June in the southern hemisphere. People of all different cultures and religions celebrate during this time of year and we’re going to take a look at a few of these festivities that take place from port to port.

Yule

Celebrated primarily by Germanic and Celtic Pagans, Yule (or Yuletide) is an ancient sabbat that dates back even before Christmas. It celebrated different things depending on the group of people, but the idea of the sun’s rebirth after the longest night of the year was a common theme. Today, neopagans and Wiccans celebrate Yule by getting together and burning a yule log, sharing sweets, lighting candles, singing, and leaving offerings of different plants and stones as gifts to the gods and goddesses. The time in which this sabbat is celebrated varies each year, but this year it will be observed from December 22nd to January 1st.

Hanukkah

Hanukkah is a Jewish holiday that lasts eight days. It celebrates the victory of the Jews in the Maccabean Revolt when they reclaimed a holy temple in Jerusalem from the invading Greeks. When they went to go light the Menorah in the temple, they found that there was not much oil. They lit it anyway, not expecting a long-lasting flame, but by a miracle, the Menorah stayed aflame for eight days. Today, Jewish people celebrate Hanukkah by lighting a menorah each of the eight nights of the celebration, as well as exchange gifts, eat fried foods, sing songs, and say special prayers.

Soyal

Soyal is a Solstice celebration observed by the Pueblo, Zuni, and Hopi Native American tribes, also known as the Great Feast of the Winter Solstice. During this festival, those celebrating say special prayers, have a feast, and the celebrations are concluded with a Kachina dance. These traditions and rituals are meant to bring the sun back out from its hibernation. It marks the beginning of the change in season and brings hopes of the warmer weather to come.

Kwanzaa

Kwanzaa is a holiday celebrated by African-Americans, honoring their roots and celebrating family and faith. It was actually created rather recently in 1966 as a response to the growing commercialization of Christmas, meant to be a special holiday for African-American people. The holiday lasts seven days, each day representing a different principle, those being: Unity, Self-determination, Collective Work and Responsibility, Cooperative Economics, Purpose, Creativity, and Faith. Like the Menorah, Kwanzaa has a special candelabra as well, with seven candle holders for each of the principles. Some Kwanzaa traditions include gift-giving, having a large meal made up of different African recipes, and having a day of meditation on the final day of Kwanzaa.

Dōngzhì

The Chinese holiday Dōngzhì (冬至) translates to “the arrival of winter” and is similar to some of the other holidays that celebrate the winter solstice. It is mainly celebrated in China but also similarly observed by some other Asian cultures. It is a time for many people to visit the tombs of their ancestors and give offerings to them. Families also gather together for a large meal, including a traditional recipe of glutinous rice balls, known as tang yuan. The name translates to “family reunion”. It is clear that this, and many of the other celebrations are very family-oriented and so many different cultures have similar values

Whatever it is you celebrated or are celebrating this year, we hope you enjoy and wish you a happy holiday!