Celebrations from Our Communities to Yours...
Thank you to all of our friends, partners and community members for sharing your holiday and cultural traditions. From all of us at Executive Diversity Services, we wish you a wonderful holiday season and a very happy New Year.
For your enjoyment: Merry Hanukah!, Holiday Songs, Celebrating the Seasons, Holiday Food, and Bringing in the New Year.
Our Cultural Exchange: One of my favorite memories of holidays past was as children our parents had good friends who were Jewish. So we enjoyed sort of a cultural exchange by going to their house to celebrate Hanukah or Passover while they would join us for Christmas or Easter. -- Elmer Dixon
Grandma's not waiting til Christmas! One of the fun things about my holidays is that my Italian Catholic father married my mother who's family was Jewish and Jehovah's Witness...go figure that combination. Anyway, when my parents got married and the families were trying to blend traditions and events it ended up that we celebrated Christmas on Christmas Eve. Santa came on the eve and we opened all of our presents then and had an amazing Italian feast. It was yummy and quite fun. When I was old enough to ask why we celebrated on the eve and not on Christmas, I was told it was because my Jewish grandmother couldn't wait until Christmas morning to open her presents! May this season bring thoughtful and loving times together and great health -- Angela Antenore
Three in One! My late partner Sandra Brown, our son Avi and I had our own holiday rituals. Since our family is interracial and interfaith, our son got lots of presents and love. We would have a multicultural Hannuka party at our house. Everyone helped make potato latkes and brought food to share. Avi and Sandy always decorated the house with Chanukah decorations, and we would hide his presents and make him look all over the house for them, telling him if he was hot or cold. At our party, we would talk about the significance of the holiday to us, that it was about not being forced to deny your culture, and go around the room talking about parts of us that we felt we had to hide in the past. Our son would get to light the menorah. Then Christmas Day, we would go to Sandy 's brother's house for a multicultural Christmas brunch or dinner and exchange presents, and see a movie.
Then we would go back to Sandy 's family's house for Kwanzaa . Her brother would lead it and we would all call our ancestors in, our son would always get to help light the Kanara, and would be so proud. Then we would share a feast together. I loved that we got to participate in each holiday, and experience community on so many levels. It hasn't been the same since she passed, but our son and I have continued some of the rituals and created some new ones -- Simma Lieberman
The Christmas Whale: the memory I would like to share is actually a very old family tradition. My father's mother was German. When she was a child, she was told by her parents "if the children didn't sing three Christmas carols on Christmas morning, Santa wouldn't come to visit." My grandmother had to sing them, my father had to sing them and he asked my sister and me to sing them every year! We always tried to get out of it....this year, our first Christmas after his passing, we will sing them fully, thankfully and boldly! For those of you awake on the morning of December 25th....the "crazy, loud 'whale noises'" you hear will be us! Happy Holidays to all. – Melanie Miller
La Purisima in Nicaragua, people celebrate a holiday that is only in this country. I don't know how to say it in English, but it is called "La Purisima" (I think it means "The Purest"). It is a wonderful celebration in honor of the Virgin Mary. It is something like Halloween. People go from house to house singing songs that are like Christmas carols during Christmas, and people give [the singers] fruits, candy, toys, etc... People also have praying ceremonies in houses, followed by a party where the host gives out mugs of hot "pinolillo" (a traditional drink), toys, candy, fruits, fudge, and most important a single firecracker, to be [fired] at midnight...thousands of firecrackers go up at the same time and a display of lights go up in the sky....It is breathtaking. -- Lidiana*
Posadas in Monterrey, Mexico: I personally love the Mexican tradition of the Posadas . Spanish priests during colonization invented these celebrations as an evangelization tool for Indians, which remember the days that Mary and Joseph searched for shelter (literate meaning of "posada"). The highlight, and my favorite part, of a traditional posada (besides the food and the piñata) is singing a song called "para pedir posada" (to ask for shelter). The party divides into 2 groups, one goes outside the house and represents Joseph and Mary and the other group stays inside and represents the landlord. Holding candles, the two groups sing a song back and forward a few times until “the landlord” realizes who is asking him for shelter and invites Joseph and Mary in: Outside: In the name of heaven I ask you for shelter, cause my beloved wife cannot walk anymore. Inside: This is no hotel, continue your journey. I won't open, as you may be a thief.
I love this tradition because it is the moment when all of us at the party unite; we remember the real meaning of Christmas. It is so linked with our culture's roots, and there's something about the song's tune, the view of the candles in the night, the feeling of the cold weather and the warmth of the family and friends inside the house and our hearts, that makes that moment so very special to me. Merry Christmas to all! -- Liliana Cantu
The Festival of Light: Deepavali is celebrated by Hindus all over the world. The Festival signifies the triumph of brightness over darkness, good over evil...and intelligence over ignorance. The celebration is held between the month of October and November every year. The traditional Hindus would start the day by having oil bath before sunrise and saying prayers and wear new clothes, go to the temple or pray at home. This is followed by a show of respect to the elders. They also distribute cakes and sweets to their neighbours and friends and many have "open house" for their non-Hindu friends. -- Nesha "Joanne" Siva, Malaysia.*
Winter Solstice is a time to pause, give thanks and give to others; a time to ask how we can create greater peace in ourselves and our world. At my annual Solstice party is lit only by candles and the fire. It's so calm. Most of us take light and warmth for granted. We expect the sun to return, we expect to be full in the spring. We tell the story of how medieval, Anglo-Saxon peasants would try to scare off Winter (and it's dangers), with fierce masks. Another tradition was setting fire to wagon wheels stuffed with straw, to remind folks the Sun would return. The climax of the party is lighting a huge ball of dried branches and hurling it down the hill. It burns brightly for only a few moments- illuminating friends, family and the night. Spectacular! -- Lee Mozena
Our Christmas in Peru: religious families will attend a long mass that lasts for about two hours. After the service people go to their houses and get together with the family as they wait for midnight so they can toss a glass of champagne and light their fireworks in the streets or at their backyards.
After that families have a very special dinner with roasted turkey and glazed ham, salads, rice, smashed sweet potato. Hot chocolate and Paneton is a must after dinner, if you are not so full. Paneton is a traditional cake which we have inherited from Italians which has fruit and raisins inside. Christmas day is very special because we go and visit friends and family that we have not seen the night before, and if there are children in the family, they usually perform for us by singing, dancing or doing a small show. --Lazarte, Carolina (Lima, Peru)
Eid El-Fetr in Kuwait: Muslims have to fast in the month of Ramadan from sunup to when it sets. After the month Muslims have Eid El-Fetr (celebration closing Ramadan) where they eat and drink what ever they want. In this Eid, people celebrate the end of Ramadan by buying new clothes and presents for their children and give zakat (alms) to poor people. In Egypt women do a special kind of cake (Kahk) which has a shape of a circle and has dates inside. Every country celebrates this important religious occasion in their own way. -- Ahmed Mohamed Hassan*
Christmas Eve in Poland: is the most important day of the Christmas Holidays. This is a day when families gather at the table in the evening and start celebrating. You have to wait for the first star to show up in the sky and this is usually a job kids to watch for it and give a signal to start the celebration. Before we sit at the the table, we share an "oplatek" (a white wafer) and good wishes which each other. Only then we can enjoy specially for that day prepared dishes...herrings, fish in jelly, "kutia" (pasta with poppy seeds), mushroom or beetroot soup, "pierogi" (dumplings with sauerkraut and mushrooms), carp and compote with dried fruits. Traditionally there should be twelve dishes and they vary regionally depending on the influence from our neighbors in the past: Austria, Prussia and Russia. As it is still an Advent, the dinner is meatless.
We put a bit of hay under the white table cloth for good prosperity in the following year and there is always an empty place at the table, waiting for an unexpected guest. For me, it also symbolizes those who used to sit with us in the past. Last but not least, we unwrap gifts...and if you are lucky Saint Nicolas (Santa Claus) may come to you with a bag of presents. In the end, there is time for "koledy" (Christmas carols) and Pasterka (a holly mass at midnight) -- Magda Nowak
Christmas Oranges: My father grew up as one of eight children of a Scottish immigrant sharecropper. Holidays were often sparse. He passed two traditions on to me and my siblings: On Christmas morning there is always a race to see which of us is first to say "A loving Christmas morning to you". And--regardless of what else we might be eating on Christmas, fresh oranges are always a "must" on the table. In his family one orange was typically shared among the eight children. Our table is always adorned with 8 oranges in memory of the sacrifices his immigrant parents made so that we can prosper two generations later. -- Donna M. Stringer
For New Year's Day we invited all our relatives over and have a feast. We give out red envelopes with money in them which means luck. At midnight, we watch the firecrackers shoot in the sky. We have lots of fun. Sometimes, some of our friends come over. -- Jennifer Lee (9 years old)*
Rosh Hashanah is the beginning of the year. Its 2 days long and we pray a lot and eat sweet things so we'll have a sweet year. We also eat other symbolic things. 10 days after Rosh Hashanah comes Yom Kippur which is the holiest day of the year. We fast from the evening to the next evening and pray all day. It's a custom to wear white clothing. It's the day where God decides everything that will happen to us so we have to regret all our bad deeds and say we're sorry to friends and family. -- Esty Grafstein, Israel*
*stories provided by international educational website for sharing cultural and religious traditions
Calendar of Events
2008 New Years Celebrations:
January 1st: New Years Day is observed in all the countries following the Gregorian calendar. (University Holiday)
Gantan Sai also known as Shogatu is the Shinto New Year popularly celebrated in Japan.
February 7th: Chinese New Year (Confucian/Daoist/Buddhist) based on the lunar calendar 2008 marks the “Year of the Rat.”
February 8th: Losar meaning “Start” is celebrated by the Buddhists. It is the most important holiday in Tibet marking the Tibetan New year. Celebrations for this festival last for three days from today.
May 20th: Threvada New Year; celebrated by the Threvada Buddhists from the first full moon day in April for three days.
September 30th: Rosh Hashanah; Jewish New Year. A time of introspection, abstinence, prayer and repentance. The story of Abraham is read, the ram's horn is blown, and special foods are prepared and shared.
2008 Holiday / Cultural Celebrations:
March 7th: Women's World Day of Prayers; a Multi-faith observance and has been a tradition since 1887, celebrated on the first Friday of March.
March 16th: Palm Sunday; celebrated by the Christians to commemorate the entry of Jesus in Jerusalem. It is the sixth and last Sunday of Lent and the beginning of the Holy Week.
March 23rd: Easter; is one of the most important Christian festivals celebrated to mark the Resurrection of Jesus Christ – his return from death after the crucifixion. Observances include special prayer services at Sunrise, music, feasting and parades.
April 6th: Bikarami Samvat – Varsha –Pratipada; is a popular Hindu spring festival celebrated in South India.
April 20th: Jewish Passover; a Jewish festival celebrated each spring to recall the Jew's deliverance out of slavery in Egypt in 1300 BC. It is a celebration of freedom. The first two nights of Passover a traditional Sedar Meal is eaten and story is retold and passed down from generation to generation. This is an eight day celebration during which no bread or leavened food is eaten.
April 21st: Ridvan; celebrated by the Baha'i to commemorate the Bahaullah's declaration of prophet hood. It is the most important event in the Baha'i calendar and is celebrated for twelve days with work being suspended on the 1st, 9th and 12th of the festival.
April 27th: Easter (Orthodox); the Orthodox Christians celebrate the resurrection of Jesus, his return from death after the crucifixion. It is considered to be the most important Christian festival.
Last Day of Passover (Jewish)
Buddha Day – Vesak; is the most important day in the Buddhist calendar. This day commemorates Buddha's birth, enlightenment and death.
June 18th: Visakah Puja (Buddha Day); The holiest day of the Buddhist calendar, Visakha Puja marks the birth, enlightenment and death of Buddha on the day of the full moon in May
June 24th: Midsummer Eve Festivals; observed in Northern Europe and are Pagan in origin. Celebrated at the height of the brilliant northern summer before the first harvest, this has always been one of the most popular festivals in Northern Europe, especially in Sweden .
July 17th: Tammuz; an important Jewish day for fasting.
August 24th: Khordad Sal (Shenshai); the birthday of Zoroaster is celebrated on this date according to the Shenshai calendar.
Janmashtami – Krishna Jayanti; celebrated by the Hindus to commemorate Krishna's birthday; Krishna is the highest and most revered god in the Hindu religion.
August 28th: Paryushana; celebrated by the Jains as the most revered festival comprising of eight or ten days of fasting and repentance.
October 1st: Eid Ul Fitr; Muslim celebration commemorating the ending of Ramadan. It is a festival of thanksgiving to Allah for enjoying the month of Ramadan. It involves wearing finest clothing, saying prayers, and nurturing understanding with other religions.
October 9th: Yom Kippur; celebrated by the Jewish as the holiest day in the Jewish calendar. Also known as the Day of Atonement and is observed with strict fasting and ceremonial repentance.
October 28th: Diwali; celebrated by the Hindus, Jains and Sikhs as the festival of lights. The most colorful and popular festival celebrated with great fervor by Hindus, Jains and Sikhs.
November 1st: Dia de los Muertos (All Saints' Day) is a national holiday in Mexico and is also celebrated in parts of the USA . Mexicans regard this annual holiday as a happy occasion that reunites them with the souls of loved ones. This two-day celebration honors the souls of dead children on November 1 and honors the souls of older relatives and friends on November 2. Families decorate tombs in the graveyard and home altars with toys, favorite foods, flowers, bread figures, incense burners, and elaborately fashioned candlesticks.
December 11th: Eid -Ul -Adha; observed by the Muslims as the festival of sacrifice marking the day after Arafat. The Day of Arafat is the most important day in the Hajj ritual. This is a four day holiday in Islamic countries.
December 22nd: Hanukkah; observed by the Jewish, also known as the Festival of Lights is an eight-day festival recalling the war fought by the Maccabees in the cause of religious freedom and the rededication of the temple after recapturing it from the Syrians. Each evening candles are lit on the "menorah" (candelabra), adding one candle each night. Hanukkah is a time for playing games ("dreidel" or a spinning top is a popular Hanukkah game) and singing, for visiting and for giving gifts.
December 25th: Christmas (Christian) is the day associated with Jesus' birth. It is celebrated on December 25 by Western churches and on January 7 the following year by Eastern Orthodox Churches.
December 26th: Kwanzaa is an African-American holiday started by Maulana Karenga, an African world scholar, in 1966. It is based on the agricultural celebrations of Africa called "the first fruits" celebrations, which are times of harvest, gathering, reverence, commemoration, and recommitment. Therefore, Kwanzaa is a time for achievements, reverence for the Creator and creation, commemoration of the past, recommitment to cultural ideals, and celebration of the good. Kwanza , a Swahili word, means "first," Kwanzaa, spelled with the double vowel at the end of the word, refers to the holiday. NOTE: Kwanzaa is a cultural holiday, not a religious one, thus available to and practiced by Africans of all religious faiths.
New at EDS
Congratulations go out to Associate Susan Gore and her family for their new addition!
"My favorite holiday memory is brand new! My partner's and my niece, Episcopal priest Andie Wigodsky, and her husband, Episcopal priest John Rohrs, welcomed Anna Stewart Rohrs into the world the day before Thanksgiving. All are doing well and, of course, Anna is the most beautiful baby every born. Ann and I are now great-aunts to the first great-grandchild born into the Wigodsky clan. Two priests for parents, though - that kid's gonna be a hell-raiser! Wishing the happiest of holidays to each and all of you" -- Susan Gore
The Worlds Religions:
- Christianity: 2.1 billion
- Islam: 1.5 billion
- Secular/Nonreligious/Agnostic/Atheist: 1.1 billion
- Hinduism: 900 million
- Chinese traditional religion: 394 million
- Buddhism: 376 million
- primal-indigenous: 300 million
- African Traditional & Diasporic: 100 million
- Sikhism: 23 million
- Juche: 19 million
For a list of the top 20 go to: http://www.adherents.com/Religions_By_Adherents.html
Christmas Quotes:
Christmas is not a time nor a season, but a state of mind. To cherish peace and goodwill, to be plenteous in mercy, is to have the real spirit of Christmas. - Calvin Coolidge
A goose never voted for an early Christmas. - Irish Saying
As we struggle with shopping lists and invitations, compounded by December's bad weather, it is good to be reminded that there are people in our lives who are worth this aggravation, and people to whom we are worth the same. - Donald E. Westlake
Even before Christmas has said Hello, it's saying 'Buy Buy'. - Robert Paul
There is no ideal Christmas; only the one Christmas you decide to make as a reflection of your values, desires, affections, traditions. - Bill McKibben, Author, Hundred Dollar Holiday: The Case for a More Joyful Christmas
Reel Reviews
The following independent films come from the Hartley Foundation:
Daughters of Wisdom: For centuries, the women of rural Tibet have been relegated to subservient roles. Regarded as capable of little more than churning butter, bearing children and saying prayers, they have lived servile lives without access to education or the time to practice Buddhism to the same degree as men. In Daughters of Wisdom, the filmmaker creates a vivid, intimate portrait of the lives of these women, and witnesses their culture, a culture on the verge of positive social change realized through education and religious cultivation.
Jihad for Love: Filmed in twelve different countries and in nine languages, A Jihad for Love is the first-ever feature-length documentary to explore the complex global intersections of Islam and homosexuality. With unprecedented access and depth, the film brings to light the hidden lives of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender Muslims and goes where the silence has been loudest, to countries such as Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq, Pakistan, Egypt and Bangladesh, as well as to Turkey, France, India, South Africa, the United States and the United Kingdom.
Hiding & Seeking A film by Menachem Daum and Oren Rudavsky. Made by the award-winning filmmakers of the art house favorite Life Apart: Hasidism in America, which received an Emmy nomination, Hiding and Seeking follows Menachem Daum's quest to fight his sons' growing religious intolerance. The film follows Daum and his family from New York to Jerusalem to Poland, where Daum introduces his sons to the Catholic family that risked their lives to save his father-in-law during the Holocaust. Hiding and Seeking bears powerful witness to the difficulty and increasing necessity of compassion beyond the borders of one's own religious community.
Bonhoeffer tells the gripping story of a pacifist turned assassin. This new much-talked-about documentary follows German theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer from his student days in Weimar Germany to his work in the illegal Confessing Church , from his escape to America in 1939 to his return into the eye of the storm: the conspiracy to assassinate Hitler. One of the most important theologians and ethicists of the 20th century, Bonhoeffer formulated his beliefs in the crucible of a long and ultimately fatal struggle with the Nazi regime.
The Contemplative Life Cistercian priest, monk and abbot Father Thomas Keating meditates on a practice he calls "centering prayer." The goal of centering prayer is to let go of self-interest and to surrender to God, and Father Keating serves as a luminous example of one who has committed his life to this discipline.
Independent films from: http://hartleyfoundation.org/top-new-films
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