Who celebrates what:

 

December marks the beginning of winter in the northern hemisphere.  It also marks a number of significant cultural and religious holidays.  Below are just a few.  The collective Worcester State community celebrates them all.

Ashura (Dec. 5) is an Islamic holiday observed on the 10th of Muharram, the first month of the Islamic year. Shortly after the Hijira in AD 622, Muhammad designated Ashura as a day of fasting from sunset to sunset. Traditionally, Ashura commemorates two events: the day Nuh (Noah) left the ark and the day Musa (Moses) was saved from the Egyptians by Allah.  When Jewish-Muslim relations became strained, however, Muhammad designated Ramadan the Muslim month of fasting, making Ashura a voluntary fast, as it has remained among Sunnis.

Hanukkah - Judaism

Approximately in 164 B.C., Maccabees, a small group of Jews fighting for religious freedom won victory over the Syrians. The legend goes that to rededicate the Temple, they found only one jar of holy oil and miraculously the candelabra remained lit for 8 days. Jewish homes have 8-branched menorahs lit in their homes on this day.  Hanukkah is celebrated this year from Dec 20 until Dec 28, however dates vary from year to year.

 

Yule - Wicca

During the winter solstice (Dec 21), the rebirth of the sun which is life sustaining is celebrated. The Yule tree is decorated with fruit and candles are lit to represent the sun.

 

Christmas - Christian

Celebrates Jesus Christ's birth of 2000 years ago. Customs include lighting candles, special fires and using evergreen decorations to celebrate this day, the most widely observed Christian festival of the year (Dec 25, January 7 for Eastern Orthodox).

 

In America and other countries, the tradition of Santa Claus (a.k.a. Kris Kringle and St. Nicolas) is also celebrated on Dec. 25 by giving presents to children on Christmas morning under a decorated evergreen tree or in a hung stocking.  St. Nicolas is the patron saint of Turkey and was a generous bishop in 4th century Turkey, known as a protector of children. St. Nicolas Day is also celebrated by the Dutch, German and Eastern European communities on Dec 5.

 

Kwanzaa - Afro Canadian/ American

A professor who wanted to encourage blacks to celebrate their heritage started Kwanzaa's in California in 1966. Families exchange gifts and have African-style feasts. Seven-pronged candleholders are lit on each consecutive night for the seven principles: unity, self-determination, working together, sharing, purpose, creativity and faith.  Kwanzaa is celebrated Dec 26 through Jan 1.

 

Omisoka - Japan

Dec 31 is the time for stocktaking and payment of debts.

Epiphany - Catholic, Protestant, Greek Orthodox Celebrates the journey of the three Wise Men to Bethlehem to offer gifts to the infant Jesus in the Western church, and is associated with the baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist in the Eastern church (Jan 6). In most countries, including the United States, the celebration of Epiphany in 2012 is transferred to Sunday, January 8.   

 

We acknowledge that we may have accidently excluded an observance, for this we apologize. If we have omitted your celebration, please feel free to contact this office so that we can include it in this and future posting.

Happy Holidays!