Holidays Around the World
December is one of the most festive months of the year! There is Christmas, Hanukkah, Three Kings Day, Winter Solstice, New Years Eve and so many other wonderful holidays to celebrate! One tradition that my father started when I was young was to drive around different neighborhoods to enjoy the lights and sounds of the holiday season. I’ve since carried that tradition forward with my son and he absolutely loves pointing out all of the lit up houses and Christmas trees poking through the windows or lit up menorahs in the grocery stores!
This got me thinking about what the holidays look like outside of our small town. What are we missing out on in other parts of the world? So we’ve gathered some photos from our team, all the way from New Jersey to California to Bangalore and back that we wanted to share with all of you!
Cinthia shared her beautiful wooden Nativity Scene, Arun shared the streets of his home town lit up with color, Samarendra is all decorated and ready for the holidays as am I along with our visitor from the North Pole, My Elf.
So now that we have the US and India covered, what about the rest of the world? Here are a few festivals that you may, or may not have heard of:
Puerto Rico – Three Kings Day
At the end of the Twelve Days of Christmas comes a day called the Epiphany, or Three Kings Day. This holiday is celebrated as the day the three wise men first saw baby Jesus and brought him gifts. On this day in Puerto Rico, before children go to sleep on January 5, they leave a box with hay under their beds so the kings will leave good presents.
Toronto, Canada – Winter Solstice
The Winter Solstice occurs around December 21. It is the shortest day of the year. People all over the world participate in festivals and celebrations. A performer marks the beginning of the Winter Solstice Parade in Toronto, Ontario’s historic Kensington Market. The market takes on a carnival atmosphere and has been celebrating the solstice with this parade for nearly 30 years.
Sweden – St. Lucia Day
To honor this third-century saint on December 13, many girls in Sweden dress up as “Lucia brides” in long white gowns with red sashes, and a wreath of burning candles on their heads. They wake up their families by singing songs and bringing them coffee and twisted saffron buns called “Lucia cats.”
Singapore – New Years
Every year, Singapore throws a massive bash to celebrate Chinese New Year. As the start of the new traditional Chinese calendar year is one of the most major events in Singapore, it’s no surprise that the city paints the town red to usher in the Year. Don’t blink an eye as the city amps up the annual celebration with all your favourite festive tunes, family reunion dinners, colourful parades, and plenty of lion dances, with some programmes available to enjoy from home.
