Christmas is one of the most widely celebrated holidays throughout the world, and each country celebrates this festive season in a unique way.
Sophomore Jana Mueller, prepares her menorah for Hanukkah, a Jewish holiday that starts this Saturday.
Sheng Dan Kuai Le. Feliz Navidad. Zalig Kerstfeast. Joyeux Noel. Buone Feste Natalizie. Merry Christmas.
The original celebration of Christmas is derived from Christianity as a celebration of the birth of Jesus, which is still globally recognized and celebrated.
Today, Christmas is a more commercialized holiday, especially in the U.S., as well as a season to bring family and friends together to exchange gifts, watch classic Christmas movies, eat plenty of food and set out cookies and milk for Santa.
Santa Claus is the most popular American figure during Christmas time, but good ol’ Santa was actually based off of a medieval European named St. Nicholas, or Sinterklaas.
In Holland, Sinterklaas comes dressed in bishop’s robes mounted on a snow horse riding through the streets in a big parade along side his helper named Black Peter, or Piet .
On the eve of Dec. 5, children set out a boot or shoe by the door for Sinterklaas to put presents for those who have been good all year, whose names he has recorded in his red book. Piet has assembled gifts for the children according the list.
Dec. 6 is Sinterklaas day, and all the children open up their presents to see what Sinterklaas has brought them. It is celebrated in variations in other European countries like Germany, Switzerland and Belgium.
Spring Festival is the largest and most anticipated holiday in China. There are many festivities that include paying respect to ancestors, eating lots of food and giving presents to the children.
The festival begins on Dec. 1 and lasts until the middle of January as a large celebration of the new year.
Much like Christmas in the West, families gather together to decorate trees, and some children hang stockings in hopes that Christmas Old Man, or Dun Che Lao Ren, will fill them with gifts and goodies.
Mexico celebrates Christmas from Dec. 12 until Jan. 6. On Dec.16. The celebration of La Posada begins, which is a reenactment of Mary and Joseph’s search for shelter before the birth of Jesus, and lasts until Christmas Eve.
Children walk around to multiple homes singing songs, praying and carrying around candles and pictures or representations of Joseph and Mary while asking if there is any room to stay for the night. They are told there is no room available to take shelter.
The final home that is visited proclaims there is room to stay, and the children say prayers of thanks followed by a party with food, games and fireworks.
The Posada party is hosted at a different home each night, and on Christmas Eve the shepherds and baby Jesus are joined with Mary and Joseph. Then all the families go together to attend a midnight church service.
The Jewish holiday called Hanukkah is an eight day celebration that commemorates the re-dedication of the temple in Jerusalem following the Jewish victory over the Syrian-Greeks in 165 B.C. This year, Hanukkah begins on Dec. 9 and ends on Dec. 16.
Each year the candles are lit on the hanukkiyah, a type of menora, (menora?)every night for all eight nights. The shamash, or the helper candle, is the ninth candle raised above the others at the center, which is used to light a candle each day.
Another Hanukkah tradition is the spinning of the dreidel, which is a children’s game with a four-sided spinning top that has Hebrew letters on each side. The object of the game is to bet on which letter the top will land on. They usually play for chocolate coins covered in golden foil, but they can also play for candy or nuts.
Fried foods like latkes and sufganiyot are eaten over the eight days of celebration. Latkes are pancakes made out of potatoes and onions, which are fried in oil and then served with applesauce. Sufganiyot are jelly-filled donuts, fried and dusted with powdered sugar.
There are many more traditions and holidays celebrated throughout different countries during this festive time of the year.
Each celebration is significant to the culture and the religions in the country, but one thing remains the same: people everywhere across the globe are coming together in unity to celebrate the holiday season in one way or another.
Emily Vaarstra can be reached at [email protected]
