ELEVATE WINTER
FROSTY FESTIVITES by Bridget Fitzpatrick ‘23
Regis Jesuit students celebrate seasonal traditions and winter holidays of all religions
A
s Thanksgiving enters the rearview mirror and finals darken the horizon, students are counting down the days until Christmas break. The first semester is quickly drawing to a close, and Christmas lovers like me are already starting to prepare for the holiday season. I tend to pay attention only to the holidays I grew up celebrating, but after talking to my friends and fellow classmates more and more, I realized not everyone has the same traditions. Because we attend Catholic school, sometimes we forget to acknowledge winter holidays besides Christmas. We get so “wrapped up” in our own plans that it is easy to look past other cultures. Fortunately, Regis Jesuit is made up of a diverse student body that can share their different winter holiday traditions. Día de los Reyes Magos is a very common holiday in Latino culture. “It’s a Mexican tradition that my family usually celebrates on the 6th of January,” Jose Banuelos ‘22 said. The day honors the Three Wise Men and remembers when they presented their gifts to Jesus. It is celebrated with gifts and Rosca de Reyes or
06 ELEVATE HOLIDAY FAVORITES
king’s cake. Rosca is a sweet bread traditionally decorated with fruits. It is prepared in the shape of an oval to show how God’s eternal love has no beginning or end. “We’ll put little baby Jesus in the bread so when we’re eating, if you find one of the baby Jesus, you get punished. It’s kind of a roulette,” Banuelos said. “We also have a feast and at night we put one shoe in the Christmas tree and the three Reyes Magos come and leave gifts, almost like a second Christmas.” Certain African American cultures observe Kwanza, a week of festivities celebrating community, family, and culture. Originally, it was established to help African Americans reconnect with their roots and heritage. In 1966 after the Watts riots, Dr. Maulana Karenga wanted a way to bring African Americas together. He started researching African “first fruit” harvest festivals and by combining aspects of them he formed the basis of Kwanza. On each of the seven nights of Kwanza, families
gather, light a candle on the Kinara candle holder, and discuss one of the seven principles of Swahili. These principles are African values that reinforce community among African Americans. Today it’s celebrated differently by every family, but celebrations usually include singing, dancing, storytelling, and a large traditional meal. Hanukkah is the Jewish holiday that takes place over eight days to commemorate rededication of the Second Temple of Jerusalem. In the second century B.C. during Syria’s oppression of the Jewish people, their community revolted against the Greek Syrian army in the Maccabean Revolt. According to legend, a miracle took place. There was only enough oil to keep the menorah’s candles lit for a single day, but instead it lasted eight days. On the Jewish calendar, Hanukkah begins on the 25th of Kislev, the date when the Temple was rededicated, and usually falls in November or December, ending after eight days to represent the miraculous oil. Hanukkah is traditionally celebrated with the lighting of the menorah, food, and gifts. Asher Weisberg ‘23 lets us
in on some of her family’s Hanukkah traditions. “Every night we open a different gift from one of my family members and, depending on who it is, we usually call or FaceTime or do a family zoom,” she said. Learning about different holidays and traditions helps to teach us acceptance. It does not take away from our beliefs but rather allows us to learn and celebrate with others. Talking to people who celebrate them is the best way to find out more. These cold months provide an opportunity to cozy up and discuss traditions with your family and friends, a huge step towards gaining a better understanding of the world.
LUKE MORSE ‘23
AND HIS PARENTS celebrate the holiday season making it a December to remember
CHARLOTEE TOLVA ‘24
AND THE TOLVA FAMILY have their lights shinning bright in the yard for all to see their Christmas spirit
