Hello and welcome to the final blog post of 2024! This month, we will explore some of the diverse winter holiday traditions that are practiced around the world, including Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and Yule. People across many cultures have unique ways of bringing light and celebration into the darkest time of year. Let’s dive into the history and current practices for these traditions.
Hanukkah
Hanukkah, or Chanukah, is an eight-day holiday celebrated by Jewish people. It falls on different days each year— this year, Hanukkah will last from December 25 to January 2. The purpose of Hanukkah is to commemorate the reclaiming of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem, which is a sacred location for the Jewish faith. This occurred in the second century BCE, when Jerusalem was ruled by Greek people, until Judah the Maccabee defeated the Greeks and reclaimed the temple.
A key part of celebrating Hanukkah is to light a candle on a Menorah (a candelabrum with nine branches) on each of the eight days. This is done to remember a miracle which occurred during the rededication of the Holy Temple: when Judah the Maccabee went to relight the Menorah in the temple, he found only enough olive oil to light the Menorah for one day, but the small supply of oil miraculously lasted for eight days. Hanukkah is a time to remember this miracle and its exemplification of God’s faithfulness.
Hanukkah celebrations also include special foods. One classic Hanukkah food is the latke, a potato pancake fried in oil and garnished with sour cream or applesauce. The latkes are fried in oil as another commemoration of the miracle of the oil. While enjoying the festive food, families play Dreidel, a game which includes spinning a four-sided top. Each of the four sides are inscribed with the Hebrew letters that create an acronym for “A Great Miracle Happened There.” Winners of the game receive coins, nuts, or other prizes, with the winner determined by where the Dreidel lands after being spun.
The miracle of Hanukkah reminds Jewish people that “a little light goes a long way,” and that God will remain faithful, even during the darkest times of the year. It is a time to let your light shine and act as a Menorah in your community. You can read more about Hanukkah here.
Kwanzaa
Kwanzaa is a week-long holiday celebrated by African American people and other parts of the African diaspora. It occurs each year between December 26 and January 1. Kwanzaa was first created in 1966 by Maulana Karenga, an African American leader who was active during the American Civil Rights Movement. The holiday draws upon ancient African traditions: the name Kwanzaa comes from the Swahili word for the celebration of first fruits, which many African cultures commemorate in both ancient and modern times. The goal of Kwanzaa is to celebrate the history and culture of African people and to promote strong community connection.
There are seven principles that guide Kwanzaa celebrations, which were drawn from the cultural values of many people groups across Africa. They are: Umoja (Unity), Kujichagulia (Self-Determination), Ujima (Collective Work and Responsibility), Ujamaa (Cooperative Economics), Nia (Purpose), Kuumba (Creativity), and Imani (Faith). For each of the seven days of Kwanzaa, celebrants focus on one of these principles, participating in activities and readings that involve that principle. Adinkra colouring books are one such activity. These colouring pages include Adinkra symbols, which originated in Ghana with the Akan people, and are used to pass down traditional wisdom. The activity allows children and adults to learn about the symbols and their meanings.
On the sixth day of Kwanzaa, families will host a large feast called Karamu. There are no specific dishes that must be included in Karamu, but some ideas for popular dishes include fried chicken, macaroni and cheese, and red velvet cake.
You can learn more about Kwanzaa from The National Museum of African American History and Culture, where you can also purchase a Karamu cookbook, find a recommended reading list, and watch videos about the seven principles of Kwanzaa.
Yule
Yule is a pre-Christian, pagan celebration of the winter solstice, which occurs on December 21st in the Northern Hemisphere. Yule is one of the oldest winter holiday traditions, as it originated thousands of years ago with the Norse people in Scandinavia. Because it is so old, its exact roots are difficult to determine, but historians agree that Yule centered around light and fire, as the winter solstice contains the least sunlight out of any day of the year. In the dark and cold climate of northern Europe, such celebrations would have been important for community morale. Ancient Yule celebrations also included feasts and dedications to Norse gods— although the exact role of the gods is unclear to historians.
Many Yule traditions were lost as pagan people in Norway were required to practice Christianity. In the 9th century, the Norwegian king merged Yule with Christmas, and issued fines to anyone who did not celebrate. Christian traditions continued to merge and blend with Yule throughout the following centuries. Many practices we associate with Christmas came originally from Yule, including Christmas trees, Yule logs, and decorating with mistletoe, holly, and ivy.
Today, people who practice paganism are reviving Yule traditions. Celebrators of Yule focus on connecting with nature and appreciating the return of longer days with more sunlight. Rebirth and revival are important themes, as well as turning away from consumerism and the commercial aspect of Christmas celebrations.
Some ways to celebrate Yule include:
- Decorating your home with greenery and candles
- Burning a Yule log on the night of the winter solstice
- Reciting prayers to welcome back the sun
- Hosting celebratory meals with family and friends, which can include plum pudding, mulled apple cider, and a special cake shaped like a Yule log
You can learn more about Yule here.
And with that, we’ve reached the end of 2024’s blog posts! As you finish up this term, I hope your holiday celebrations are restful and meaningful, however they may look for you. I will be back in January to start the new year with a new blog post. Until then, enjoy your break!
Web resources referenced
Celebrating Yule: The Returning of The Light. (2020, December 15). Sea Witch Botanicals. https://seawitchbotanicals.com/blogs/swb/celebrating-yule-the-chill-version-of-christmas
Eldridge, A. (2024, March 22). Yule. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Yule-festival
Kwanzaa. (n.d.). National Museum of African American History and Culture. Retrieved December 9, 2024, from https://nmaahc.si.edu/explore/initiatives/kwanzaa
What Is Hanukkah? – Info you need about Chanukah. (n.d.). Chabad.org. Retrieved December 9, 2024, from https://www.chabad.org/holidays/chanukah/article_cdo/aid/102911/jewish/What-Is-Hanukkah.htm
Scholarly resources
Allen, R. (2013). Legitimized blackness? Kwanzaa, citizenship, and newark. The Western Journal of Black Studies, 37(4), 272. [Available at UBC Library]
Maples, G. (2024). Pagans on campus: A cursory exploration. New Directions for Higher Education, 2024(206), 65-74. https://doi.org/10.1002/he.20498 [Available at UBC Library]
Toles‐Patkin, T. (2021). Hallmarking hanukkah: Flawed attempts at diversity in cable television christmas movies. Journal of Popular Culture, 54(5), 917-940. https://doi.org/10.1111/jpcu.13062 [Available at UBC Library]