December’s Bounty of Religious Holidays

If I have missed any religious holidays below, I apologize, and please add them in comments. To me, learning is understanding, and understanding removes fear and promotes harmony. My family is proud to enjoy friendships with folks both religions and non-religious. I pulled the below information from Diversity Resources and Desert News, two online sites.

December 7 – 15th is Hanukkah, the Jewish Festival of Lights which commemorates the Maccabean recapture and rededication of the Jerusalem Temple. Believers light the eight-candle menorah and come together for special readings and singing. For Rabbi Zippel personally, Hanukkah represents the “victory of light over darkness, of freedom over oppression,” and “of good over evil. I think those are messages that are extremely applicable today.”

Cantor Wendy Bat-Sarah said although Hanukkah is a minor holiday on the Jewish calendar, it’s still important to American Jewish children who typically receive presents on all eight nights. Families eat fried foods such as potato pancakes (latkes) and jelly doughnuts (sufganiyot), attend parties and often engage in charitable activities.

“Historically, Hanukkah commemorates a time when Jews were struggling against losing our religion and culture. In modern times it has come to celebrate religious freedom which we Americans hold so dear,” she said. “Jews have always been a tiny minority of the world’s population, and yet, by focusing on our core ethical values and by taking care of each other, we have outlasted all of the regimes and social movements that have tried to erase us from history. For me, this is the enduring understanding of Hanukkah.”

December 8th is Rohatsu or Bodhi Day – Buddhism – and marks when Buddha attained enlightenment while sitting under the Bodhi Tree. He taught his followers to live in harmony in their communities. Buddhists will often eat a meal of rice and milk on this day and children make cookies in the shape of a leaf or tree to symbolize the Bodhi Tree.

December 15th is Posadas Navidenas, a Hispanic Christian tradition that reenacts Mary and Joseph searching for shelter in Bethlehem. During a church service, two people dress up as Mary and Joseph and travel to posadas/inns, represented by different doors in the church. The group gathered with them sings while they are turned away. At the final posada, they are let in. Prayers, such as the rosary are offered, followed by a meal with music and the pinata activity. The pinata’s significance is that a seven-pointed star represents the seven deadly sins of greed, pride, envy, sloth, anger, lust and gluttony. The stick signifies hope in the prayer to destroy sin. The various treats which fall out represent the graces and good things received from God.

December 18th is Simbang Gabi, a Filipino Catholic tradition consisting of nine Masses leading up to Christmas. During Mass people will be in procession with star-shaped lanterns, representing the start that guided the three wise men to Bethlehem to see the child Jesus in the manger.

December 21st is Winter Solstice – a Yule, Litha, Wicca/pagan holiday acknowledging when the North Pole’s tilt away from the sun creates the longest night of the year in the Northern Hemisphere. “Since a large swath of pagan traditions are centered on a nature-based calendar, they have great significance,” said Daniel Cureton of the Salt Lake Pagan Society. He continued with, “Litha is a time when I enjoy having outdoor activities to connect to the land and build my kinship with friends. Yule is when we stay indoors, discuss our plans for the new year and reflect on what we’ve accomplished over the course of the year. …Yule isn’t about the presents under the tree, but about rebirth and ensuring family and friends make it through the long winter to the new year to begin anew.”

December 22 – Guru Gobind Singh’s Birthday celebrates the birthday of the tenth Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singh, today. This poet, philosopher, and most importantly, warrior, was formally made a Sikh leader at the age of nine. The core beliefs of Sikhism, articulated in the Guru Granth Sahib, include faith and meditation in the name of the one creator; divine unity and equality of all humankind; engaging in seva (‘selfless service’); striving for justice for the benefit and prosperity of all; and honest conduct and livelihood while living a householder’s life.

December 24/25th is Midnight Mass for Christians, when they begin celebrating at midnight the coming of true light into the world, mentioned Father Delka.

December 25th is the Feast of the Nativity celebrated by Orthodox Christians which commemorates the birth of Christ in Bethlehem, the adoration of the shepherds, and the arrival of the wise men with gifts. It’s considered one of the “most joyful days” of the Orthodox Church.

December 25 – Christmas celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ by Christians around the world. It is celebrated with large get-togethers of family and friends, gift exchanges, and caroling.

December 26 – January 1 – Kwanzaa is an African American cultural observance, first held in 1966, and spans seven days of celebrating each of the seven principles of Kwanzaa (Nguzo Saba) by lighting a candle every day.

However you celebrate, may December bring peace, joy and a smile at our 2023 ‘unique’ tree. We planted several fruit trees in the yard to balance the removal. The lake is now visible from the house, and no critters were displaced. A row of similar trees and several giants remain. Happy trails, Sally