Merry Christmas!
Christmas is celebrated on Dec. 25 and is both a sacred religious, Christian holiday and a worldwide cultural and commercial phenomenon. Christians celebrate Christmas Day as the anniversary of the birth of Jesus of Nazareth. In the traditional Christian narrative, Jesus was born in Bethlehem, in accordance with messianic prophecies. When Joseph and Mary arrived in the city, the inn had no room, and so they were offered a stable where the baby Jesus was soon born, with angels proclaiming this news to shepherds who then spread the word. The Christmas holiday season is a time of God showing His great love for us by sending His son to the world. During this joyful time people celebrate by going to church, singing carols, exchanging gifts, decorate their homes with holly, mistletoe, lights, poinsettias, Christmas trees and get together with family and loved ones.
Did You Know Where Santa Claus Comes From?
The legend of Santa Claus can be traced back to a monk named St. Nicholas who was born in Turkey around 280 A.D. St. Nicholas gave away all his inherited wealth and traveled the countryside helping the poor and sick, becoming known as the protector of children and sailors.
St. Nicholas first entered American popular culture in the late 18th century in New York, when Dutch families gathered to honor the anniversary of the death of “Sint Nikolaas” (Dutch for Saint Nicholas), or “Sinter Klaas” for short. “Santa Claus” draws his name from this abbreviation.
Kwanzaa
The name Kwanzaa is derived from the phrase “matunda ya kwanza” which means “first fruits” in Swahili. As an African American and Pan-African holiday celebrated by millions throughout the world, Kwanzaa brings a cultural message which speaks to the best of what it means to be African and human in the fullest sense. It is celebrated from Dec. 26 through Jan. 1, and during the holiday, families and communities organize activities around the Nguzo Saba (The Seven Principles): Umoja (Unity), Kujichagulia (Self-Determination), Ujima (Collective Work and Responsibility), Ujamaa (Cooperative Economics), Nia (Purpose), Kuumba (Creativity) and lmani (Faith). On each of the seven nights, the family gathers and a child lights one of the candles on the Kinara (candleholder), then one of the seven principles is discussed. Participants also celebrate with feasts (karamu), music, dance, poetry, narratives and end the holiday with a day dedicated to reflection and recommitment to The Seven Principles and other central cultural values. This holiday is relatively new and was first created in the U.S. by Dr. Maulana Karenga in 1966. He created this holiday in response to the Watts Riots in Los Angeles in 1965 as a way to bring African Americans together as a community.
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