I lived for a very brief time in Italy. I guess that it should come as no surprise that Italians do Christmas very differently than we do here in the United States, but I was stunned. I loved seeing the presepi (nativity scenes) everywhere. They were so intricate and HUGE! They showed entire villages in miniature, including bakers with a pizza ovens and oxen with carts. Many were built on the side of the road or into cliffs. They were beautiful! And while the Italians have Babbo Natale (Santa Claus) who might bring a small gift, it was Befana (a kind, but ugly, witch who rides on a broomstick) that brought most of the presents on the Epiphany (also known as Three Kings’ Day, January 6).
That is not my only experience with other holidays’ traditions. My sister-in-law is from India and is Jain (an ancient Indian religion), and she celebrates Diwali, or the Festival of Lights. Lamps are lit to help Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth, find her way into peoples’ homes. It is a time for new clothes, exchanging gifts, decorating with fancy lights and FIREWORKS! You can even find Diwali celebrations in the US where there is a sizable Hindu population. The one I attended was in Houston, Texas, but there was even a Diwali celebration in Columbia earlier this year!
The Jewish community will be celebrating Hanukkah, the Festival of Lights from December 24 to January 1 by lighting a candelabrum, called a menorah. They also play games like the one that uses a dreidel. One book that provides an excellent overview of Hanukkah and its traditions is “The Lights of Hanukkah” by Barbara Rush.
While Ramadan is the celebration that non-Muslims are usually most familiar with, it doesn’t always fall during the fall/winter holiday season because they follow a calendar different from the Gregorian calendar. The holiday that falls during winter this year is Mawlid al-Nabi, which is the Prophet Muhammad’s birthday. This year, it is celebrated from sunset December 11 to the evening of December 12, and the celebration includes songs, decorations and sweets. A lot can be learned about Islam through “The Handy Islam Answer Book” by John Renard.
Kwanzaa, which means “first fruits” in Swahili, is a seven-day celebration of African heritage and culture from December 26 to January 1. Kwanzaa is celebrated with candle lighting, a large meal, song and dance, and storytelling. Be sure to check out Dorothy Riley’s book, “The Complete Kwanzaa” to learn more.
My family’s traditions surround Christmas. We usually put up our tree the weekend of Thanksgiving with plenty of Christmas movies, music and eggnog — much like those traditions discussed in “An Old Fashioned Christmas.” We have been in such disarray this year that we haven’t managed to do much decorating. Perhaps that’s why I’m mooching off of everyone else’s holiday traditions!
Photo credits: Sailko, Presepe napoletano del museo di arte sacra di San Paolo 10, via Wikimedia Commons (license); UrbanUrban_ru, Diwali India 2, via Flickr (license).
