The month of December is a time that calls for celebration for
many people. Although Christmas seems to be the most dominate celebration in
the United States, it is certainly not the only. Now is a great time to teach
your students about other important celebrations going on this month that they
may not be aware of.
Although there are many celebrations in the month of
December, we are concentrating on Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa in this blog.
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| Christmas Bulletin Board Set from TeachersSquare.com |
Christmas
Every year on December 25th Christmas is
celebrated around the world. Christmas is a celebration that commemorates the
birth of Jesus Christ. Although the exact date of his birth is unknown,
December 25th was chosen by the Romans to coincide with the winter
solstice. This time of year was a time
of festivity for Pagans and it was hoped that the Christmas celebration would
convert Roman Pagans to Christianity.
To celebrate, Christians attend a Christmas Eve mass
where they worship and celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ and sing Christmas
carols honoring the occasion. Although Christmas is often celebrated as a
sacred holiday, it has also become a secular celebration. In celebrating
Christmas, Christian and non-Christian families share meals, exchange gifts, decorate
their homes with Christmas trees, candles and lights, and wait for Santa to arrive.
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| Hanukkah Bulletin Board Set from TeachersSquare.com |
Hanukkah
Hanukkah, also known as the Festival of Lights, is an eight-day
celebration that occurs every year beginning on the 25th day of the
Hebrew month of Kislev. The story of Hanukkah dates back to the second century
B.C. During this time, the Jewish Army recaptured the Second Temple in Jerusalem
from the Greeks. In order to rededicate the Holy temple, the Menorah had to be
lit. In the temple there was only enough scared oil to last one day. However,
when the Menorah was light the oil lasted eight days, giving the Jews time to
produce more oil.
Each year in celebration, Jewish families light one candle each night to commemorate this event. In addition to lighting the Menorah, families celebrate by giving blessings and gifts each night and preparing foods such as Latkes, a potato pancake.
Each year in celebration, Jewish families light one candle each night to commemorate this event. In addition to lighting the Menorah, families celebrate by giving blessings and gifts each night and preparing foods such as Latkes, a potato pancake.
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| Kwanzaa Bulletin Board Set from TeachersSquare.com |
Kwanzaa
Kwanzaa, which means “First Fruits" in Swahili, is a
holiday celebrated by African-Americans. Kwanzaa is a celebration that has
families focusing on their heritage and the strength of black families. Created
in 1966, by Dr. Maulana Ron Karenga, Kwanzaa occurs each night during the week between
Christmas and New Year’s. In celebration, families exchange gifts and light
black, red, and yellow candles each night. Each candle symbolizes one of the seven
values of the African American family. These values are unity,
self-determination, collective work and responsibility, cooperative economics,
purpose, creativity and faith. On the last day of Kwanzaa, families gather for a
feast of traditional African foods, ceremonies honoring their ancestors and
lots of music and dancing.
Between
Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa there is a lot to celebrate this season!
What holidays are you planning to celebrate this December?
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