A look at winter holidays

1. A look at winter holidays Brea Barthel RPI’s Advising & Learning Assistance Center Revised 12/4/2013

2. Q: How many different winter holidays are there? A: Lots! • Winter solstice • Christmas (and “Little Christmas”) • Hanukah (or “Chanukah”) • Kwanzaa • New Year’s Day

3. Happy solstice! • Usually solstice is on December 21st or 22nd • The shortest day of the year (in Northern hemisphere; longest in Southern hemisphere) • Celebrates the coming of the light with “evergreen” trees and “yule logs” (big fires) • Mistletoe tradition: you can kiss anyone standing under this plant • Celebrates a natural phenomenon: predates Christianity

4. “Merry Christmas” • Usually celebrated on December 25 • Celebrated on January 6 (“Little Christmas” or “Three Kings Day”) in some religions • Colors: bright red and bright green • Three aspects • Religious holiday: Christ’s birthday • Domestic holiday: family get-together • Commercial holiday: gifts & decorations

5. Religious (Christian) holiday • Birthday of Jesus Christ, “the Son of God,” by Mary, the mother of Jesus • Tradition has Christ born in a “manger” (a box for feeding animals) • A bright star overhead led “The Three Wise Men” (or “Three Magi”) from Africa to the manger • Angels sang to the shepherds • “Nativity” scene (or “creche”) usually shows a manger, Mary, Joseph (her husband) & infant, plus angels, camels, shepherds, more Drawing: <http://www.rockies.net/~spirit/sermons/christmaspage.html>

6. Christian celebrations & songs • Celebrating “Advent” the 4 weeks before • Going to “midnight Mass” Christmas Eve (12/24) • Singing religious “Christmas carols” • “Silent Night” • “Joy to the World” • “Oh come, all ye faithful” • “The first Noel” • …and many more

7. Christmas as a domestic holiday: family & winter celebration • Santa Claus (loosely based on St. Nicholas) flies to every house in his sled pulled by reindeer • “Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer” and “Frosty the Snowman” (1950s songs) • “Christmas trees,” house lights & decorations • “Christmas cards” or holiday cards • Candy canes & snowflakes • Christmas cookies! • Famous poem “A Visit from St. Nick” was first published in a Troy NY newspaper.

8. “A Visit from St. Nick” (12/23/1823) 'Twas the night before Christmas, when all thro' the house, Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse; The stockings were hung by the chimney with care, In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there…As I drew in my head, and was turning around, Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound: He was dress'd all in fur, from his head to his foot, And his clothes were all tarnish'd with ashes & soot…

9. Christmas as a commercial holiday • Total 2012 US holiday retail sales? $579.5Billion http://www.nrf.com/modules.php?name=Pages&sp_id=1140 • Biggest shopping day: “Black Friday” • Black Friday spending in 2013: $57.4Billion http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-12-02/black-friday-weekend-spending-drop-pressures-u-s-stores.html • “Cyber Monday”: $1.7 Billion in 2013http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/12/03/us-usa-retail-shoppertrak-idUSBRE9B000020131203 • Biggest shopping week: the last week before Christmas (33% of Christmas sales) • Estimated average gift sales, 2011: $740(http://www.gallup.com/poll/150737/consumers-holiday-spending-intentions-perk-november.aspx

10. Happy Hanukah! • “Judaism” predates Christianity; shared history in “Old Testament” (Bible; Christians added “New Testament”) • Judaism represented by 6-pointed “Star of David” • Hanukah, the “festival of lights,” occurs in December or late November (lunar calendar). • Celebrates that a small bit of lamp oil lasted 8 days, helping Jews fend off a military attack • Minor holiday in Jewish tradition, but heavily promoted now as an alternative to Christmas • Colors: blue and white

11. Hanukah symbols • “Menorah,” a 9-candle holder • A main candle is lit each night, then one more for each night of the celebration (so 1 more on 1st night, 2 more on 2nd night...) • “Dreidl,” a special spinning top that children use in games • Sacks of “gelt” (chocolate “coins” wrapped in gold foil) • Blue & white decorations

12. Happy Kwanzaa! • A new holiday invented in 1966 to strengthen African-American communities • Now celebrated by millions worldwide • Runs from 12/26 to 1/1 (seven days) • Each day celebrates a different value • Colors: red, green, and black Drawing & more info: <http://www.tike.com/celeb-kw.htm>

13. Seven “guiding principles” based on Swahili words • Umoja (Unity) • Kujichagulia (Self-determination) • Ujima (Collective responsibility) • Ujamaa (Cooperative economics) • Nia (Purpose; personal goals) • Kuumba (Creativity) • Imani (Faith in ourselves) Drawing & more info: <http://www.tike.com/celeb-kw.htm>

14. Happy New Year! • January 1st starts a new year • Celebrated on New Year’s Eve (12/31) with parties, champagne, fireworks, noisemakers • “First Night” arts celebrations in some cities • “Dropping the ball” in NYC’s Times Square (estimated 1M on site) • “Making resolutions” (setting goals) for the new year • Colors: silver & gold (“precious metals” ) to show celebration

15. The best winter events for us… • Troy’s “Victorian Stroll” this Sunday, 11 am – 5 pmLots of activities, all over downtown(even bigger than Troy Night Out!)www.victorianstroll.com • Semester break! Have a joyous break, and a great winter!