Though the calendar has dates of many holidays, we all celebrate each one of them differently with different traditions and customs. Especially around this time of the year of Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Christmas, & so much more!
- America – Usually celebrates Thanksgiving with a family dinner or feast with traditional meals like pies, mashed potatoes, and of course; a turkey on November 23rd. They also usually share what they’re thankful for and watch football games.
- Canada – Celebrates Thanksgiving a month and a half earlier than American Thanksgiving, which lands in October instead of November. This makes the dates perfectly aligned with the autumn fall season and so that Canadians can avoid the cold of winter. They eat things like salmon and Nanaimo bars.
- Germany – Germany’s Thanksgiving, Erntedankfest, and are usually held in the church with, “a choir singing songs of thanks”. They celebrate it arranging fruit, crops, & cereals for decoration.
The Hanukkah celebration, which lands on December 7th to December 15th this year on the calendar, is a Jewish festival and celebrates around the lighting of a nine-branched menorah. The 8 days of Hanukkah represent the honor of “when the Hasmoneans officially took control over the temple.”
– America; Americans celebrate Hanukkah with a family dinner and a menorah, lighting up one candle every night..
– India; Instead of lighting a candle, Indian Jews light up a lamp instead. They eat potato Latkes that are changed into onion fritters, and prefer lighting up their menorah with coconut oil. They’ve replaced other foods like beef with chicken and fish.
- Australia – Many of the Jewish schools have their vacation at around the same time of Hanukkah, which is why some people says it symbolizes, “the end of the school year and the start of the long, lazy summer holidays.” One of the traditions is a festive period where there are games in venues in beaches & parks, socializing, and meals!
Christmas is an, “annual festival commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ.” It’s both a religious and cultural holiday to celebrate during the winter season and the coming of a new year. Christmas is a favorite holiday of many, where you gift each other presents and cards and meet many children’s dreams of Santa Clause!
- America – Americans celebrate Christmas by hanging up stockings by the fireplace and baking cookies for Santa when he climbs down the chimney. Making gifts for each other, and decorating the Christmas tree.
- Norway – The word for Santa Claus in Norwegian is JULENISSE. The whole country is, “an ongoing huge festival of lights that keeps on shining for weeks after New Year’s Eve to preserve that fairy tale spirit.” Heart-shaped things are the preferred choice when it comes to Norwegians, and there are Christmas markets & restaurants everywhere.
- Japan – Christmas Eve in America is like Valentine’s Day in Japan, it’s “the most romantic time of the year.” Which is why they usually celebrate Christmas by going out on dates and gift each other romantic gifts.
- France – On Christmas Eve, a tradition in France is to sit down and eat a lavish meal together which is called réveillon. On the night of December 3rd, the eve of Saint Nicolas, children place down their shoes at the front of their house and will find treats in their shoes in the morning.
