We’re curious to know how you’re going to spend this holiday season with your family & friends.
Are you already out shopping, trying to score “deals” on advertised goods? Or are you more of a “make it and gift” giver? Do you upcycle items to reuse? Or shop second hand or thrift stores to find unique gifts?Do you travel to see your family? Or do they come to see you?
There are literally thousands of different ways for folks to spend the holidays with one another, family and friends alike, and we thought we’d share some of the neat traditions we’ve been able to find below.
- The Yule Book Flood: In Iceland, they gift one another books on Christmas Eve and spend the evening reading. With a hot cup of tea & roaring fire, that sounds delightful!
- Gift experience instead of presents – talk about memories to last a lifetime! This means no stumbling over left out toys!
- Japan celebrates Christmas Eve by eating, of all things, Kentucky Fried Chicken. Are you down to start this tradition in your home? Sound off in the comments!
- The Giant Lantern Festival of the Philippines is held the Saturday before Christmas Eve in San Fernando. Spectators across the globe now attend!
- Gävle Goat in Sweden is a fun tradition – a 13 foot Christmas Goat is built in the town square for the Advent… but another tradition has popped up… people trying to burn it down! Since 1966 it’s been successfully burned down 29 times, the latest in 2016!
- We’re not really a fan of it, but Austria is becoming more well known for their scary interpretation of Saint Nicholas’ evil accomplice, Krampus. Yikes!
- Columbia celebrates with a sweet tradition Dia de las Valitas, or Day of the Little Candles, to mark the start of the Christmas Season. People place candles and paper lanterns in their windows, balconies and front yards, in honor of the Virgin Mary and the Immaculate Conception. Elaborate displays continue to pop up through the years, with neighbors often trying to outcompete one another.
Did you know there are multiple holidays between in December?
We’ve got a list of them for you to check out below!
St. Nicholas Day – December 6
This holiday honors the birth of Saint Nicholas, who serves as a role model for gift-giving, charity and kindness. He is more commonly known as Santa Claus, according to Interfaith Calendar.
Bodhi Day – December 8
This is a Bhuddist holiday which celebrates the day the traditional Bhudda, Siddhartha Gautama, found enlightenment, otherwise known as Bodhi.
He had spent years sitting under a peepal tree trying to figure out the root of all suffering and how to end it. Observance of this day includes mediating, having a meal of cakes and tea, studying, or being kind to other people.
Immaculate Conception – December 8
A Catholic observance, it is celebrated to honor Mary, the Mother of Christ. She was preserved from original sin for her entire life.
Lady Guadalupe Day – December 12
Primarily celebrated by Mexican and American’s of Mexican descent, this holiday celebrates the reported appearance of the Virgin Mary in Mexico City .
Las Posadas Navidenas (LatinX Christianity) – December 16-24
This celebration has roots in 10th & 11th century Mexican tradition, and celebrates the story of Mary and Joseph traveling to Bethlehem to give birth to Jesus. Widely condemned by the Church for not being “somber enough”, its believed to be the genesis of modern Christmas Pageants. Traditions and salutations are celebrated over the course of 9 days!
Winter Solstice – December 21
Stemming on the original festival of when Christmas is typically celebrated, and called Yule in their history, this holiday falls on the shortest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere. Solstice traditions remain much as they did thousands of years ago, practiced in their raw states by soaking in fruit filled baths, or donning costumes as scary folklore legends in order to scare children into being nice.
Of course, we mustn’t forget the bountiful feasts, copious wine drinking, singing, dancing, decorating your home with herbs and festive boughs, and of course… gift giving.
Pancha Ganapati – December 21-25
This five day Hindu festival honors Lord Ganesha, Patron of the Arts and the Guardian of Culture.
Each day of the festival focuses on a specific spiritual discipline – in addition to dressing the statue of Ganesha in yellow, blue, red, green, and finally orange.
Offerings are also made, with celebrants reconnecting with far-off relatives, making amends amongst themselves, settling debts and disputes, discussions about art, and decorating their homes to look beautiful.
Chanukkah / Hanukkah – December 22-30
The Festival of Lights is an eight day celebration of Jewish tradition. It celebrates the return of the Second Temple in Jerusalem to the Jewish people, after they revolted against the Greeks. They hid inside this temple, fearing their defeat, while having enough oil to last a single night.
This lamp burned eight nights, it says, with the faith of the Maccabees.
Every year, the Jews light one more candle on the Menorah than they do the night prior. They pray, eat traditional foods like potato latkes, spin dreidels, and give gifts to one another for these nights.
Christmas – December 24-25
Christmas is the most widespread holiday of the season, commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ, the Prophet which Christians believe to be the Son of God.
Christmas Eve is not commonly considered the holiday, but many modern families celebrate this night as well. Either night is observed by going to church service(s), singing hymns, charity, gift-giving to one another, and more modern traditions… Christmas movies, hot chocolate gatherings, and playing with toys.
Kwanzaa – December 26-30
This is a celebration of African heritage, allowing the culture a time and place to shine during the holiday season. A week long celebration, did you know there are 7 core principals of Kwanzaa?
Unity, self-determination, collective work & responsibility, cooperative economics, purpose, creativity and faith.
Decorating their homes and bodies with art, traditional textiles, and fresh fruits is part of the tradition. At the end of the holiday, there is an exchange of gifts and a mouthwatering feast.
There are more – but we didn’t want overwhelm you!
Have you heard of these holidays, and if so, which ones do you celebrate yourself?