A look at winter holidays
Brea Barthel
RPI’s Advising & Learning Assistance Center
Revised 12/4/2013
Q: How many different
winter holidays are there?
A: Lots!
 Winter solstice
 Christmas (and “Little Christmas”)
 Hanukah (or “Chanukah”)
 Kwanzaa
 New Year’s Day
Happy solstice!
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Usually solstice is on December 21st or 22nd
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The shortest day of the year (in Northern
hemisphere; longest in Southern hemisphere)
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Celebrates the coming of the light with
“evergreen” trees and “yule logs” (big fires)
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Mistletoe tradition: you can kiss
anyone standing under this plant
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Celebrates a natural phenomenon:
predates Christianity
“Merry Christmas”
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Usually celebrated on December 25
Celebrated on January 6 (“Little Christmas” or
“Three Kings Day”) in some religions
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Colors: bright red and bright green
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Three aspects
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Religious holiday: Christ’s birthday
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Domestic holiday: family get-together
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Commercial holiday: gifts & decorations
Religious (Christian) holiday
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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>
Christian celebrations & songs
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Celebrating “Advent” the 4 weeks before
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Going to “midnight Mass” Christmas Eve (12/24)
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Singing religious “Christmas carols”
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“Silent Night”
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“Joy to the World”
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“Oh come, all ye faithful”
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“The first Noel”
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…and many more
Christmas as a domestic holiday:
family & winter celebration
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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)
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“Christmas trees,” house lights & decorations
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“Christmas cards” or holiday cards
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Candy canes & snowflakes
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Christmas cookies!
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Famous poem “A Visit from St. Nick” was
first published in a Troy NY newspaper.
“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…
Christmas as a commercial holiday
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Total 2012 US holiday retail sales? $579.5 Billion
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Biggest shopping day: “Black Friday”
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Black Friday spending in 2013: $57.4 Billion
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“Cyber Monday”: $1.7 Billion in 2013
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Biggest shopping week: the last week before
Christmas (33% of Christmas sales)
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Estimated average gift sales, 2011: $740
http://www.nrf.com/modules.php?name=Pages&sp_id=1140
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-12-02/black-friday-weekendspending-drop-pressures-u-s-stores.html
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/12/03/us-usa-retail-shoppertrakidUSBRE9B000020131203
(http://www.gallup.com/poll/150737/consumers-holiday-spendingintentions-perk-november.aspx
Happy Hanukah!
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“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
Hanukah symbols
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“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
Happy Kwanzaa!
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A new holiday invented in 1966 to
strengthen African-American
communities
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Now celebrated by millions worldwide
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Runs from 12/26 to 1/1 (seven days)
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Each day celebrates a different value
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Colors: red, green, and black
Drawing & more info: <http://www.tike.com/celeb-kw.htm>
Seven “guiding principles”
based on Swahili words
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Umoja (Unity)
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Kujichagulia (Self-determination)
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Ujima (Collective responsibility)
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Ujamaa (Cooperative economics)
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Nia (Purpose; personal goals)
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Kuumba (Creativity)
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Imani (Faith in ourselves)
Drawing & more info: <http://www.tike.com/celeb-kw.htm>
Happy New Year!
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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
The best winter events for us…
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Troy’s “Victorian Stroll”
this Sunday, 11 am – 5 pm
Lots of activities, all over downtown
(even bigger than Troy Night Out!)
www.victorianstroll.com
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Semester break!
Have a joyous break,
and a great winter!