I’m hoping that you all had a wonderful time with family and friends this holiday season. As we embrace the festivities, let’s take a look at the unique traditions of Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa.
Christmas
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Over 80% of Americans celebrate Christmas! Christians honor Christmas Day on Dec. 25 as the anniversary of Jesus Christ’s birth. Although Christmas is rooted in Christianity, many secular families celebrate the holiday as well.
Some common Christmas traditions include driving around to see Christmas lights, kissing under the mistletoe and, most famously, giving each other gifts! In Ocala, police officers decided to turn traffic stops into a Christmas celebration by giving community members a $100 bill instead of a ticket. In Orlando, city commissioners hosted toy drive events to gather thousands of toys for local families.
Hanukkah
Hanukkah is another winter holiday that 6% of Americans celebrate. This is an eight-day-long Jewish festival commemorating the rededication of the Second Temple after the Jewish revolt against the Seleucid monarchy. This year, Hannukah took place between Dec. 7 and Dec. 15.
Hanukkah traditions include singing Hanukkah songs, playing with dreidels and lighting a menorah, a candle holder with nine candles. One candle is lit each night of the festival, along with the shamash, which is the candle used to light all the other candles. One Central Florida couple celebrated their 52-year marriage with 52 menorahs. Read about their menorah collection here.
Kwanzaa
Kwanzaa is a secular, predominantly African American holiday that honors African cultural, familial and ancestral values. Three percent of Americans celebrate Kwanzaa. This annual celebration is held between Dec. 26 and Jan. 1.
Each day of Kwanzaa is dedicated to the Nguzo Zaba (seven Swahili principles): Umoja (unity), Kujichagulia (self-determination), Ujima (collective responsibility), Ujamaa (cooperative economics), Nia (purpose), Kuumba (creativity) and Imani (faith). There are still five more days of Kwanzaa, so read about where you can attend Central Florida Kwanzaa events here!
Thank you for joining me for the last Our Roots newsletter of 2023! We look forward to celebrating Martin Luther King Jr. Day in January, followed closely by Black History Month.
Please reach out to me at bellis@wkmg.com with any questions or comments about the winter holidays, as well as any ideas for our Martin Luther King Jr. Day coverage! Have a great New Year!