Tis’ the Season to Celebrate

This is the season for celebrations, often it is used to bring people together. Do you know why this is an important time for most people? Could it be that it is the holiday season, enjoyed by people of all nationalities and cultures? Well, people may have Japanese, French, Hispanic and or American citizenships, but experience various cultures. Individual cultures are shaped by one’s upbringing from family, friends and schools.

The following holidays are shared as traditions and are more aligned with one’s culture; may we seek to explore their differences:

• Bodhi Day December 8 marks the day Siddhartha Gautama became the Buddha. Some pray and adorn trees with lights and enjoy special meals with rice and milk.

• Christmas December 25 is a Christian holiday celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ. Friends and families share gifts, attend religious church services and decorate trees with string lights and ornaments.  

• Hanukkah is celebrated between December 25 and January 2 which is the Jewish festival of lights. This holiday is celebrated for eight days and allows the menorah to be lit in the evening. Observers play games with a dreidel or spinning top and may offer a gift each night of the celebration.

• Kwanzaa is a celebration of life in the African American and Pan-African holiday. It is centered upon five common values and seven principles that resemble American Thanksgiving between December 26 and January 1.  Dr. Maulana Karenga, an activist, author and professor, created this holiday in concerns for Christmas being too commercialized.

• Omisoka a Japanese word for New Year’s Eve is a time of preparation for the new year. Individuals seek to purify the body and cleanse their homes. Their celebrations take place when the children and college students are on holiday, which allows them to share the events. Traditionally, one hour before midnight, observers share bowls of udon and at midnight, they visit a temple (Marinlibrary.org).

During this holiday season, what kind of things are you doing to bring people together in community? Many churches including my own, have massive campaigns to strategically invite people to attend Christmas Eve services to learn about Jesus Christ, the Savior of the World being born.

Enjoy this season! Wherever you fit on the cultural spectrum, be bold and share with others, giving them a glimpse of your traditional experiences.