In December we recognize several holidays and celebrations significant to families in our school community. This post will zero in on three such celebrations:
Christmas
Christmas is one of the most celebrated holidays worldwide, blending traditions, religious significance, and universal themes of love, generosity, and joy. For some people, Christmas is a time of faith and reflection. For others, it’s about family, togetherness, and giving.
For Christians, Christmas is celebrated on December 25 and it is a holiday that celebrates the birth of Jesus, who, according to the Christian religion is the son of God. It is a celebration of hope marked with key traditions, including the nativity scene, singing carols, and attending church services.
Many families come together at Christmas to share meals, play games, and exchange gifts. People engage in acts of kindness like donating to charities and giving to those in need.
This year students created holiday ornaments and a paper snow globe using finger paint and crayons.
Kwanzaa
Kwanzaa is a week-long cultural celebration that honors African heritage and African-American culture. Created in 1966 by Dr. Maulana Karenga, Kwanzaa takes place annually from December 26 to January 1. It draws inspiration from traditional African harvest festivals and focuses on principles promoting unity, self-determination, and cultural pride.
7 Principles of Kwanzaa:
- Unity: Striving
for and maintaining unity in the family, community, nation, and race.
- Self-Determination: Defining
oneself, naming oneself, and speaking for oneself.
- Collective Work and
Responsibility: Building and maintaining communities together,
solving problems as a collective.
- Cooperative Economics: Supporting
and building businesses that benefit the community.
- Purpose: Working
collectively to build and develop communities in alignment with cultural
goals.
- Creativity: Using
creativity to improve and beautify the community.
- Faith: Believing
in the people, community, and the righteousness of the struggle.
Kwanzaa is a time for reflection, celebration, and commitment to building stronger families and communities. It serves as a reminder of the importance of cultural identity and collective progress, making it a meaningful addition to the holiday season.
Students created the Mkeka mat from paper using the traditional colours of black, green, and red on a yellow base. This craft was a great way to strengthen their fine motor skills. It was somewhat challenging for some students, however they did a fantastic job.
Hanukkah
Hanukkah, also known as the Festival of Lights, is an eight-day Jewish holiday that celebrates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem during the second century BCE. The holiday commemorates the victory of the Maccabees, a small group of Jewish fighters, over the much larger Syrian-Greek army and the miracle that followed.
Hanukkah begins on the 25th day of the Hebrew month of Kislev, which usually falls in late November or December. To celebrate the eight nights of Hanukkah, people light candles on a branched candlestick called a Menorah. They start with one candle and add a new candle each night. In addition to the lighting of the candles, gifts are exchanged and children play holiday games.
Other customs include:
- Playing
dreidel: A spinning top game with Hebrew letters symbolizing the
phrase "A great miracle happened there."
- Eating
fried foods: Such as latkes (potato pancakes) and sufganiyot
(jelly-filled doughnuts), to honor the miracle of the oil.
- Giving
gifts: Especially to children, a tradition that has grown in
popularity, influenced by the timing of Hanukkah near other winter
holidays.
Hanukkah is a joyful celebration of resilience, faith, and
miracles, making it a time for family, tradition, and reflection on overcoming
challenges.
Menorah Craft
