December is full of many different special celebrations. In America, we typically celebrate Christmas. But other countries and religions commemorate other holidays. Here are some of the special winter celebrations from the US and other traditions:
Rohatsu, Solstice, Hanukkah, Christmas, and Kwanzaa!
- Rohatsu or Bodhi Day is the Buddhist holiday that commemorates the day that the historical Buddha, Siddhartha Gautama (Shakyamuni), experienced enlightenment. Bodhi Day is observed in many mainstream Mahayana traditions including the traditional Zen and Pureland Buddhist schools of China, Korea, Japan, and Vietnam.
- In Japanese Zen, it is known as Rōhatsu or Rōhachi. In Japanese, the word literally means the 8th day of the 12th month. It is observed on December 8 as a result of the Westernization of Japan during the Meiji Restoration (1862–1869)
- The Chinese version of this festival is called Laba which means the Eighth Day of the La (or the Twelfth) Month of the Chinese Lunar Calendar. It is most often observed in the first half of January but occasionally happens between the Winter Solstice (December 22) and the Chinese New Year (between January 22 and February 21).
- Winter Solstice, also known as midwinter, occurs when one of the Earth’s poles has its maximum tilt away from the Sun. It is the day with the shortest period of daylight and the longest night of the year. In the Northern Hemisphere, this is the December solstice (usually 21 or 22 December) and in the Southern Hemisphere, this is the June solstice (usually 20 or 21 June).
- Ḥanukah is a Jewish festival commemorating the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem at the time of the Maccabean Revolt against the Seleucid Empire. It is also known as the Festival of Lights. Hanukkah is observed for eight nights and days, starting on the 25th day of Kislev according to the Hebrew calendar, which may occur at any time from late November to late December. The festival is observed by lighting the candles of a candelabrum with nine branches, called a menorah (or hanukkiah).
- Christmas is an annual festival commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a religious and cultural celebration among billions of people around the world. Traditionally, it is preceded by the season of Advent (preparing for the coming) and ended with the Feast of the Epiphany or Three Kings Day on January 6. Christmas Day is a public holiday in many of the world’s nations is celebrated religiously by a majority of Christians, as well as culturally by many non-Christians, and forms an integral part of the holiday season centered around it.
- Kwanzaa is a week-long annual celebration held in the United States and other nations of the African diaspora in the Americas to honor African heritage in African-American culture. It is observed from December 26 to January 1, culminating in gift-giving and a feast. Kwanzaa has seven core principles (Nguzo Saba)
(NOTE: Information for each holiday is taken from information on Wikipedia.)
Regardless of your traditions, the Christmas/Winter season is a magical time for sharing, loving, celebrating and remembering our purpose as a manifestation of love and light in the world.