The Top 10 Holidays That Are Coming Up Besides Thanksgiving and Christmas

Originally Submitted on 10/12/2003.

Are you ready for the holidays? Whose holidays are you ready for? If you've got global and multicultural clients and friends as I do, here's a list to help you keep it all in mind.

1. Eid al-Fitr (Muslim) -- lunar, when new moon is sighted, so around November 25, depending upon where you live.

Eid Al-Fitr, or the Celebration of Breaking the Fast, marks the end of Ramadan, the month of fasting. Money is given to the poor, and to children, and everyone gets a new set of clothing.

2. Saint Nicholas Day (Christian) -- December 6

Popular for centuries esp. in Northern Europe, celebrating Saint Nicholas, a 4th century bishop of the city of Myra (in what is now Turkey), who was known for his kindness and generosity. Good children receive candies, cookies, apples and nuts, while naughty children receive switches or lumps of coal in their shoes.

3. Bodhi Day (Buddhists) – December 8

aka Rohatsu, celebrates the day in 596 BC when the Buddha achieved enlightenment.

4. Fiesta of Our Lady of Guadalupe (Mexican) -- December 12

One of the most important dates on the Mexican calendar, dedicated to the Mother of all Mexicans.

5. St. Lucia Day (Swedish) -- December 13

Each family awakens a young girl who dresses in a white robe with red ribbon around the waist, and wears a crown of candles on her head. She then brings breakfast to the family -- sweet buns flavored with saffron. The boys (called star boys) wear long white shirts and pointed hats and help carry the sweets. What do you say? God Jul!

6. Hanukkah (Jewish) -- begins December 19

Known also as Festival of Lights, this 8-day, 2,000-year-old holiday celebrates God's glory, an ancient victory of the Jews over their enemies, and the freedom Jews enjoy today.

7. Winter Solstice - December 22

Long before Christmas, people celebrated the Winter Solstice on the eve of the shortest day of the year. They burned a Yule log in a great bonfire, danced, sang, hung mistletoe from doorways of their home, and decorated with evergreens. The Chinese call it Dong Zhi. In Iran it's called Shabe-Yalda.

8. Kwanzaa (African American) -- begins December 26

Habari Gani? That's Swahili "What's the News?", the Kwanzaa greeting. Kwanzaa's seven days of celebration focus on seven principles: unity (umoja), self-determination (kujichagulia), collective work and responsibility (ujima), cooperative economics (ujamaa), purpose (nia), creativity (kuumba), and faith (imani).
Kwanzaa is Swahili for "first fruits of the harvest."

9. Boxing Day (Australian, Canadian, English, Irish, Scottish) -- December 26

Way back when, servants had to work on Christmas, but were given the 26th off to visit their families. Their Landlords gave each servant a box with gifts and bonuses, and churches opened their alms boxes for the poor. Nowadays most people have the day off, and visit, go shopping and celebrate.

10. Omisoka (Japanese) -- December 31

The family gathers to get ready to celebrate the new year. They clean house (susu harai), put things in order and decorate. In the evening they have toshikoshi soba (buckwheat noodles) and then go to temple to make wishes known to buddhist or shinto divinities. At midnight, in all buddhist temples, the bell (bonsho) is rung 108 times to announce the new year.

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