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How to Talk about December Holidays

December is often categorized as a month of endless holidays. Hot off Thanksgiving’s tail, December boasts the holidays Hanukkah, Christmas, and Kwanzaa, and even New Year’s Eve. In our continued commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging, we want to ensure that each individual feels seen and heard during this “"month of holidays," as well as every holiday and observance throughout the year. 

What does it look like to be inclusive of holidays, especially in December?

Some may believe that inclusion during this month means only saying "Happy Holidays" for fear that saying "Merry Christmas" or "Happy Hanukkah" isn’t socially or politically acceptable. However, having a foundation of inclusion and belonging means acknowledging and respecting the community and the individual. It means understanding the nuances that come with greeting individuals unlike ourselves, the beauty of understanding shared cultural events yet individual preferences, and the freedom to openly celebrate and enjoy those special days. 

Honoring the holidays we partake in and the holidays of our community members looks like sharing a friendly "Happy Kwanzaa," "Merry Christmas," and/or "Happy Hanukkah" to an individual who openly celebrates the holiday(s). If you're unsure if a friend or individual celebrates a holiday in the month of December, a simple "Happy Holidays" or "Happy Winter" is a wonderful greeting to say.

This beautifully honors the individual and however they choose to observe this month, but also respectfully removes the presumption that an individual observes a specific holiday. We welcome all sayings, greetings, beliefs, and celebrations in this community. We want everyone to feel comfortable and know it is perfectly fine to greet someone with a specific acknowledgement according to the holiday(s) they celebrate if they’ve expressed that they do so. 

If you celebrate Christmas, a very Merry and Happy Christmas to you!

If you celebrate Hanukkah, have a wonderful and Happy Hanukkah!

If you celebrate Kwanzaa, have a Happy Kwanzaa filled with family and community!

If December is not a month of specific observances for you, have a wonderful winter break and Happy Holidays!

This year, the Lower School kicked off the holidays with a fantastic Town Meeting that included stories, songs, and fun! It was proudly led by our fabulous 4th grade leaders.

 

Read below for more information and resources about Hanukkah, Christmas, and Kwanzaa.

Hanukkah (December 25–January 2)

Hanukkah does not always fall in December or on the same dates. It follows the Jewish calendar, which differs from the 12-month calendar. Called the Festival of Lights, Hanukkah is an eight-day celebration and commemorates when the Jews had only enough oil to keep the Holy Temple's menorah lit for one day, but it lasted eight. Each night of Hanukkah, a candle is lit on one more branch of the menorah, starting on the right side and moving left, until it is ablaze with light on the eighth night.

It is traditional to eat foods fried in oil, such as latkes (potato pancakes) and sufganiyot (jelly donuts). Another Hanukkah treat is gelt (chocolate coins), which stems from an age-old custom of giving gifts of money to kids during Hanukkah. Families often play dreidl, a spinning toy that has a Hebrew character written on each side.

Additional Resources

Christmas (December 25)

christmas

Christmas is always celebrated on December 25 as a religious and cultural celebration among people from around the world. From a religious perspective, it is a holiday to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, who, according to the Christian religion, is the son of God. The name is a joining of "Christ" and "mass" which means the holy mass of Christ.  

From a secular perspective, Christmas is a cultural holiday, rather than only a religious one. Popular modern customs of the holiday include gift giving, completing an Advent calendar or Advent wreath, Christmas music and caroling, Christmas cookies, church services, a special meal shared with family and friends, decorating Christmas trees, and waiting for Santa Claus.

Additional Resources

Kwanzaa (December 26–January 1)

Kwanzaa is an African-American and African holiday that celebrates family, culture, and community. The holiday includes gatherings between family and friends and the reflection of seven African values, called the Seven Principles. The Seven Principles, which are celebrated over seven days, are unity, self-determination, collective work and responsibility, cooperative economics, purpose, creativity, and faith. Each day a candle is lit to highlight the principle of that day and to breathe meaning into the principles with various activities, such as reciting the sayings or writings of great thinkers and writers, reciting original poetry, African drumming, and sharing a meal of African diaspora-inspired foods.

The table is decorated with the essential symbols of Kwanzaa, such as the Kinara (Candle Holder), Mkeka (Mat), Muhindi (corn to represent the children), Mazao (fruit to represent the harvest), and Zawadi (gifts). Colors representing Kwanzaa are black (the people), red (the struggle), and green (the future). The last day of Kwanzaa celebrates the Day of Meditation, during which the African people engage in quiet reflection.

Additional Resources