December is a month full of many different celebrations. Growing up, my family and friends celebrate Christmas, commemorating the birth of Jesus. We also incorporated the practices of decorating trees and visits from Santa Claus. Other countries and religions commemorate other celebrations and holidays. Here are some of the unique winter holidays and traditions:
Rohatsu, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and Solstice Traditions
- 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 often observed in the first half of January but occasionally happens between the Winter Solstice (December 22) and the Chinese New Year (January 22 and February 21).
- 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
- 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. This 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).
- 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. It ends with gift-giving and a feast. Kwanzaa has seven core principles (Nguzo Saba)
- 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 daylight and the longest night of the year. In the Northern Hemisphere, this is the December solstice (usually 21 or 22 December). In the Southern Hemisphere, this is the June solstice (usually 20 or 21 June).
(NOTE: Information for each holiday is taken from Wikipedia.)
Regardless of your winter holidays and traditions, the season is a magical time for sharing, loving, celebrating, and remembering our purpose as a manifestation of love and light in the world.
