Gifts are exchanged with family and friends, and baksheesh, or charity, is given to the poor and needy. Many of them come from a blend of cultures and ethnic backgrounds, and celebration in the winter is often a mix of many different elements. The leaves have changed, the temperature has dropped, and now we warily prepare for a season of coughs, chills and bony, barren trees. November 21, 2017 6 min. Today, a few common themes of Christmas include gift giving, attending mass, feasting, and decorating the home. The eight day festival of lights commemorates the miracles of the faithful Jews as they reclaimed the Holy Temple in Jerusalem. Below you will find lots of great kid-friendly winter solstice activities and winter solstice crafts to celebrate the day. Dumplings are bountiful and long noodles are eaten to symbolize a long life. According to folklore, on the night before the feast of the Epiphany in early January, Befana flies around on her broom, delivering presents. She rejected them, but later realized she'd been quite rude. Here are some ways that residents of different countries observe the season. Over the years, the celebration has gradually incorporated traditions from various religions and regions. The man relents, the wife bakes the turta, and the trees are spared for another year. The man goes from one barren tree to another, threatening to cut each down. If you're curious about celebrations across culture as you learn how to be an effective cross-cultural communicator, check out a few of our other blogs: © 2020 Dwellworks, LLC. In fact, Hindu Indians are the second largest ethnic minority in Britain. Some countries have particular celebrations to mark the solstice. The unit also includes digital activities and the lessons on Google Slides. Instead, a sprig of basil is wrapped around a wooden cross to protect the home from the Killantzaroi, which are negative spirits that only appear during the twelve days after Christmas. Nearly every culture has traditions that mark the changing of seasons, the winter solstice, and the season of giving. In Scotland, the big holiday is that of Hogmanay. This Chinese festival is a real-life winter wonderland. The cows are venerated during this time, and they are decorated with floral garlands and their horns are painted. However, it's believed that this date was chosen to offset pagan celebrations of Saturnalia and Natalis Invicti. 5. Traditions vary widely from one country to the next, but one thing they all have in common is the observance of customs around the time of the winter solstice. Chinese New Year is the most important of the traditional Chinese holidays. At the time of the solstice, Hopi welcome the kachinas, protective spirits from the mountains. The winter holidays are celebrated in many ways around the world. Often there are special foods and lots of light to brighten the darkness of winter! Traditionally, the eldest daughter will bring her family saffron buns and coffee. There's a reason for each season and around here we are quickly approaching the Winter solstice. See how the celebration unfolds in countries around the world with this infographic. Now she travels the world, searching, and delivering gifts to all the children. There are winter festivals around the world, all unique in how they celebrate this time of year. Those eight holidays are celebrated by billions of people around the world. It reflects on their age-long reference to the yin and the yang. Since the holiday is based on the lunar calendar, the date of celebration shifts from January to February. The celebration is a weekend filled with festivities for family and friends inspired by cultures near and far. Here are some of the best. Pope Julius I, the bishop of Rome, originally proclaimed December 25 the official celebration day for Jesus’ birthday back in 350 AD.. 5. For those who observe the Gregorian calendar, January 1st is considered the first day of the New Year. Patti Wigington is a pagan author, educator, and licensed clergy. This is a cultural holiday, not a religious one; therefore, it truly brings together people from various lifestyles to celebrate their common African heritage. A warm, bright celebration to look forward to is Saint Lucy’s Day. Destination Services, One fun custom is that of Glogg parties, which involve the drinking of Glogg, a mulled wine made from Madeira, and the eating of lots of baked treats. At night, colorful lights illuminate the enormous ice sculptures. As the clock strikes midnight in each time zone, the New Year is welcomed over a span of 26 hours. A multi-day festival called Pongal falls around the time of the winter solstice, and it's when rice is boiled in milk and presented as offerings to the gods, followed by the family cows, and then the humans who live in the home. For example, consider: hbspt.cta._relativeUrls=true;hbspt.cta.load(3026600, '8aa11458-d62e-4dce-8a1a-18505074be2d', {}); This post provides a just a glimpse into these rich cultural celebrations. Recently, it's become known as the Spring Festival, and is a time of gift-giving and feasting. Whether you observe Yule, Christmas, Sol Invictus, or Hogmanay, the winter season is typically a time of celebration around the world. The Chinese celebrate Dōng Zhì (the Chinese winter solstice) on this, the longest night of the year. The U.S. winter holiday season concludes with New Year’s celebrations, and although New Year’s Day is celebrated on January 1, the festivities begin the night before — on New Year’s Eve. Every year, more than 2 million people come to Sapporo to see a large number of splendid snow statues and ice sculptures which line Odori Park, the grounds at Community Dome Tsudome, and the main street in Susukino. It is celebrated in slightly different ways by Christians around the world; celebrations include children leaving straw for horses outside or putting their shoes by the door to be filled with small gifts from the kings. Although Australia is huge geographically, the population sits at under 20 million people. Those eight holidays are celebrated by billions of people around the world. It is celebrated around the world by people of African descent. The menorah holds eight candles and is placed in a window or doorway. Ceremonies and rituals include purification, dancing, and sometimes gift-giving. Winter Holiday Celebrations Around the World Winter Holiday Celebrations Around the World . In the southern hemisphere, the weather warms and residents take their vacations to enjoy the extended daylight. The festival held annually in Sapporo, Japan, over seven days in February. Some. Intercultural Training. All Rights Reserved. Teaching your children about different winter celebrations from around the world is very important. For Christians, this holiday (on January 6) marks the end of the Christmas season. Soyal is the winter solstice celebration of the Hopi Indians of northern Arizona. Due to the northern location of Scandinavia, countries like Sweden only have a few precious hours of daylight in the winter. The best and most beautiful objects are selected to represent African culture as family, community, and heritage are celebrated. Location: Amsterdam, Netherlands. Some believe that celebrating the birth of the “true light of the world” was set in synchronization with the December solstice because from that point onwards; the days began to have more dayli… Because Australia is in the southern hemisphere, the winter solstice falls in June, and people may use native plants like Mallee roots, Tasmanian oak, and eucalyptus to make a family Yule log. In China, only about two percent of the population observes Christmas as a religious holiday, although it is gaining in popularity as a commercial event. A woman bakes a confection called a turta, made of pastry dough and filled with melted sugar and honey. There are many other winter celebrations sacred to other cultures. The tradition stems from back when a red- or blonde-haired stranger was probably an invading Norseman. There are many other winter celebrations sacred to other cultures. The Finns have a tradition of resting and relaxing on Christmas Day. India's Hindu population typically observes this time of year by placing clay oil lamps on the roof in honor of the return of the sun. On Hogmanay, which is observed on December 31, festivities typically spill over into the first couple of days of January. Much like Santa Claus, she leaves candy, fruit, and small gifts in the stockings of children who are well-behaved throughout the year. Whichever guest gets the almond in his pudding is guaranteed good luck for the coming year. Christmas is the Christian holiday that falls on December 25th, when the birth of Jesus Christ is celebrated. Kachina dollsBrooklyn Museum, New York, Museum Expedition 1903, Museum Collection Fund (03.325.4653). I hope these ideas make teaching your students about holidays around the world an exciting experience they won’t soon forget! Bundle up embrace the cold with these super cozy (and family-friendly) winter festivals found around the world. It is said that the three Magi stopped on their way to Bethlehem and asked her for shelter for a night. However, the recognition of St. Nicholas has always been important, because he was the patron saint of sailors, among other things. Children leave out glasses of milk for the Juulnisse, which are elves that live in peoples' homes, and for Julemanden, the Danish version of Santa Claus. The night before, on Christmas Eve, is really the time of the big feast – and leftovers are consumed the next day. From sundial observations, the Chinese discovered the, Saturnalia was a pagan public holiday celebrated at the winter harvest in ancient Rome. There's even a special parade to honor the cattle, and they are allowed to graze wherever they choose. Experience these wonderful winter festivals around the world, including Carnival in Rio, Sapporo Snow Festival in Japan, Mardi Gras in New Orleans and Las Fallas in Spain. To dive further into international communication, visit our Global Workforce Development page to learn how you can grow your team’s successes. Winter Celebrations Around the World. Click here to read more about how Diwali is celebrated in other countries. She is the author of Daily Spellbook for the Good Witch, Wicca Practical Magic and The Daily Spell Journal. The holiday name is derived from a phrase that refers to the first harvest in Swahili. Dong Zhi is the Chinese Winter Festival that falls around December 22. CATEGORIES 6. However, when she went to call them back, they had gone. The midwinter festival of Yule has been celebrated by the Germanic peoples since at least the 4th century. In Denmark, Christmas Eve dinner is a big cause for celebration. It falls on different dates each year, between January 21 and February 20. On December 26, the day of St. Stephen the Martyr, everyone goes out and visits friends and relatives, weather permitting. While Americans celebrate with Christmas trees, visits from Santa Claus, and dreams of snowy landscapes, Christmas falls during Australia’s summer, where it is popular to go camping or to the beach over the holiday. Take a moment to learn about the traditions that your global teammates hold dear and consider celebrating in your own way as you explore other cultures. The city of Riga, Latvia holds the claim as home to history’s first decorated Christmas tree, back in 1510. Amsterdam Light Festival. 8 Can’t-Miss Winter Festivals Around the World. Either way, employees around the world commonly take a few days off work at this time. 2018 will be Year of the Dog. Winter Celebrations Around the World. Burns Night Known in medieval Celtic culture as a story teller, verse maker and composer, the word ‘Bard’ has become synonymous with the world’s greatest poets. Christmas is typically not a huge holiday in Greece, as it is in North America. In Italy, there is the legend of La Befana, a kind old witch who travels the earth giving gifts to children. The highlight is the Harbin Ice and Snow World, an entire city sculpted from 180,000 cubic meters of ice. If your global team has winter customs that differ from your own, take the opportunity to begin a cultural dialogue as you learn more. 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