There never has been a "War On Christmas". That was pure fiction invented by Right Wing Talking Heads. But here's a reminder of just how many holidays there are in December, all over the world.
Buddhism:
Bodhi Day: 8 December – Day of Enlightenment, celebrating the day that the historical Buddha (Shakyamuni or Siddhartha Gautama) experienced enlightenment (also known as Bodhi).
Christianity:
Advent: four Sundays preceding Christmas Day
Saint Barbara's Day: 4 December – The Feast of St. Barbara is celebrated by Artillery regiments across the Commonwealth and some western Catholic countries.
Krampusnacht: 5 December – The Feast of St. Nicholas is celebrated in parts of Europe on 6 December. In Alpine countries, Saint Nicholas has a devilish companion named Krampus who punishes the bad children the night before.
Saint Nicholas' Day: 6 December
Feast of the Immaculate Conception Day: 8 December – The day of Virgin Mary's Immaculate Conception is celebrated as a public holiday in many Catholic countries.
Saint Lucia's Day: 13 December – Church Feast Day. Saint Lucia comes as a young woman with lights and sweets.
Las Posadas: 16–24 December – procession to various family lodgings for celebration & prayer and to re-enact Mary & Joseph's journey to Bethlehem
Longest Night: A modern Christian service to help those coping with loss, usually held on the eve of the Winter solstice.
Nikoljdan: 19. December - the most common slava, St. Nicholas's feast day.
Christmas Eve: 24 December – In many countries e.g. the German speaking countries, but also in Poland, Hungary and the Nordic countries, gift giving is on 24 December.
Christmas Day: 25 December and 7 January – celebrated by Christians and non-Christians alike.
Anastasia of Sirmium feast day: 25 December
Twelve Days of Christmas: 25 December–6 January
Saint Stephen's Day: 26 December – In Germany, Poland, the Czech Republic and Ireland a holiday celebrated as Second Day of Christmas.
Saint John the Evangelist's Day: 27 December
Holy Innocents' Day: 28 December
Saint Sylvester's Day 31 December
Hinduism:
Pancha Ganapati: a modern five-day Hindu festival celebrated from 21 through 25 December in honor of Ganesha.
Vaikuntha Ekadashi: Mid December - Mid January
Historical:
Malkh: 25 December
Mōdraniht: or Mothers' Night, the Saxon winter solstice festival.
Saturnalia: 17–23 December – An ancient Roman winter solstice festival in honor of the deity Saturn, held on 17 December of the Julian calendar and expanded with festivities through to 23 December. Celebrated with sacrifice, a public banquet, followed by private gift-giving, continual partying, and a carnival.
Dies Natalis Solis Invicti (Day of the birth of the Unconquered Sun): 25 December – late Roman Empire
Humanism:
HumanLight: 23 December – Humanist holiday originated by the New Jersey Humanist Network in celebration of "a Humanist's vision of a good future."
Judaism:
Hanukkah: usually falls anywhere between late November and early January.
Paganism:
Yule: Pagan winter festival that was celebrated by the historical Germanic people from late December to early January.
Koliada: Slavic winter festival celebrated on late December with parades and singers who visit houses and receive gifts.
Persian:
Yalda: 21 December – The turning point, Winter Solstice. As the longest night of the year and the beginning of the lengthening of days, Shabe Yaldā or Shabe Chelle is an Iranian festival celebrating the victory of light and goodness over darkness and evil. Shabe yalda means 'birthday eve.' According to Persian mythology, Mithra was born at dawn on 22 December to a virgin mother. He symbolizes light, truth, goodness, strength, and friendship. Herodotus reports that this was the most important holiday of the year for contemporary Persians. In modern times Persians celebrate Yalda by staying up late or all night, a practice known as Shab Chera meaning 'night gazing'. Fruits and nuts are eaten, especially pomegranates and watermelons, whose red color invokes the crimson hues of dawn and symbolize Mithra.
Secular:
World AIDS Day: December 01
International Day of Disabled Persons: 3rd of December
Boxing Day: 26 December.
Human Rights Day: 10 December
Dongzhi Festival – a celebration of Winter
Hogmanay: night of 31 December–before dawn of 1 January – Scottish New Year's Eve celebration
Newtonmas: 25 December – As an alternative to celebrating the religious holiday Christmas, some atheists and skeptics have chosen to celebrate 25 December as Newtonmas, due to it being Isaac Newton's birthday on the old style date.
Kwanzaa: 26 December–1 January – Pan-African festival celebrated in the US
New Year's Eve: 31 December – last day of the Gregorian year
Ōmisoka:31 December – Japanese traditional celebration on the last day of the year.
Soyal: 21 December – Zuni and Hopi
Solstice: On or about 21 December.
Zamenhof Day: 15 December – Birthday of Ludwig Zamenhof, inventor of Esperanto; holiday reunion for Esperantists
Watch Night: 31 December
Salgirah: 13 December - celebration of Shia Ismaili Muslims of their Imam (Aga Khan IV)
Unitarian Universalism
Chalica: first week of December – A holiday created in 2005, celebrated by some Unitarian Universalists.
Recent Comments