What’s instead of Christmas?
by Benjamins Oguroks
When hearing the words “December” and “holiday” together, one might be thinking about New Year and Christmas. The first is widely celebrated all over the world, the second, however, is not the only religious holiday that takes place in the last thirty-one days of the year. December, the month of prophets, miracles and winter solstice, is a time of many other religious holidays.
December 8th, Bodhi Day, the day of Awakening Buddhism as a religion descends from the teachings of Siddhartha Gautama who lived in Ancient India somewhere between 5th and 4th centuries BCE. According to Buddhist texts, Siddhartha wanted to find a way to end eternal suffering and break the cycle of death and rebirth. He had addressed many teachings, but did not receive the answers he needed. At last, he resorted to meditation. Siddhartha sat under a fig tree, also known as Bodhi tree. Only then, he was able to achieve enlightenment and become Buddha – the Awakened One. The Pali Canon describes Buddha’s awakening in the following way: During the first watch of the night, the Buddha discovered all of his past lives in the cycle of rebirth, realizing that he had been born and reborn countless times before. During the second watch, the Buddha discovered the Law of Karma, and the importance of living by the Eightfold Path.
During the third watch, the Buddha discovered the Four Noble Truths, finally reaching Nirvana. Originally celebrated at the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month, the Bodhi Day’s date used to vary from year to year. This tradition remains in China and Vietnam, where the Day of Awakening is often celebrated in January. However, in Japan and many Western Buddhist communities the date is set by the 8th of December of the modern Gregorian calendar. This is not a holiday of parades, feasts and loud celebrations. Instead, in these days Buddhists meditate, following the way of their prophet and teacher. In Japan Bodhi Day is called Rohatsu, which literally means “eighth day of the twelfth month”. There, December 8th marks the end of a weeklong evening meditation period. Each evening the meditations become longer and longer until one can stay in state of meditation through the night.
December 10th, Hanukkah, Festival of Lights This Jewish holiday commemorates the rededications of the Second Temple in Jerusalem after the successful Jewish revolt against Seleucid rule in 164 BCE. The Seleucids were a Hellenic dynasty that originated from one of Alexander the Great’s commanders, Seleucus Nicanor. According to traditional views, after conquering Judea, the king Antioch the IV began to enforce “hellenization” policy, which included converting local Jewish population to Hellenic Polytheism. Judaism was outlawed and an altar dedicated to Zeus was built in the Temple. These actions led to an open rebellion, led by Maccabees family. Jews retook Jerusalem and the festival of Hanukkah was instituted to glorify this event. Priests and sages removed Greek symbols
and altars from the Temple, but could not find oil to light the Temple’s menorah – a seven-lamp lampstand. According to Jewish customs, only pure olive oil, sealed by the High Priest, could be used to ignite the fire. The legend says, the priests were able to find only one cask with enough oil to burn for one day, yet it lasted for seven more days, which was considered a divine miracle, remembered and celebrated to this day. Hanukkah’s celebration date is determined by Hebrew calendar, but usually it takes place in December. It is observed by kindling the candles of a hanukkiah – a nine-branch menorah One of its candles rests above others – its purpose is to light the others.
