Holiday Happenings A roundup of some of the most interesting facts about upcoming holidays

HOLIDAY happenings

A roundup of some of the most interesting facts about upcoming holiday celebrations

by Tracie Seed TSPRA Communications & Marketing Manager

From gregarious dinner parties, jovial toasts and delectable treats, this time of the year is chockfull of opportunities for celebrations. But do you know all there is to know about these festive occasions? How long have we celebrated the new year? Where did Santa get his name? What is the origin of Kwanzaa? And more! Here are some fun facts and history behind some of our most beloved holidays.

Halloween, Oct. 31, 2021

The origins of Halloween date back 2,000 years to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, which was celebrated on Oct. 31, the eve of their new year. The Celts believed that the dead returned to earth that night, and so they lit bonfires and wore costumes to ward off evil.

In the mid-1800s, Irish immigrants fled from the potato famine in Ireland to the United States and brought one of their myths with them. The name jack-o'-lantern is rooted in an Irish folktale about a man named Stingy Jack who fooled the devil and was then forced to walk the earth with a single lump of burning coal in a hollowed-out turnip to light his way. The Irish began to call him “Jack of the Lantern” and then just “Jack o’ Lantern.”

“Halloween” is short for “Hallows’ Eve” or “Hallows’ Evening,” which was the evening before All Hallows’ Day, also known as All Saints’ Day on November 1. All Saints’ Day was a Christian celebration of all the saints, known and unknown.

Trick-or-treating was inspired by the medieval English tradition of "souling," which involved children going

door-to-door on All Souls’ Day (Nov. 2) to earn food by praying for the residents’ deceased loved ones. It is also believed to be inspired by “mumming,” a tradition steeped in the Middle Ages where people dressed as ghosts and demons and went door-to-door to perform songs and short plays in exchange for food and drink.

The top three most popular Halloween candies in 2020 were Skittles, Reese Peanut Butter Cup and Starburst (the number one in Texas).

Día de los Muertos, Nov.1-2, 2021

Even though it falls near Halloween, Día de los Muertos (The Day of the Dead) is not related to it. It is a Mexican holiday, with roots in indigenous Aztec culture, that involves people gathering to pray for, joyfully remember and honor the lives of friends and family members who have died.

Families prepare for their loved ones' arrival weeks in advance by creating ofrendas (altars) that are adorned with photos, mementos, food and flowers, especially marigolds. The bright flower’s strong scent attracts spirits back to their living relatives' homes.

Colorful tissue paper with intricate cutouts is hung up to decorate celebrations. The thin paper represents the delicate nature of life, and the perforations allow for souls to pass through for their visit.

The calavera (or skull) is a central image of Día de los Muertos, so one key element of every celebration is the sugar skull. These decorative candies are placed on the ofrenda as an offering to the dead and are given out as treats.

One of the most popular symbols of this celebration

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is a tall female skeleton wearing a fancy hat with feathers named La Calavera Catrina, which originated from a 1913 etching by Mexican artist José Guadalupe Posada. Catrina is a core part of any Día de Muertos celebration and is honored in costumes, makeup and other festive imagery.

Thanksgiving, Nov. 25, 2021

There isn't clear historical information on the actual date of the first Thanksgiving. President Lincoln assigned the holiday to fall on the last Thursday in November, possibly to coincide with the date the Pilgrims first landed the Mayflower in New England, which is believed to have occurred around Nov. 21, 1620.

During the Great Depression, President Franklin D. Roosevelt moved Thanksgiving up one week to allow more time for shopping before Christmas. Congress officially moved Thanksgiving back to the fourth Thursday of November in 1941, where it has remained ever since.

The first Thanksgiving was celebrated in 1621 over a three-day harvest festival. It included 50 Pilgrims and 90 Wampanoag Indians. Many historians believe that only five women were present.

Turkey wasn’t on the menu at the first Thanksgiving. Venison, duck, goose, oysters, lobster, eel and fish were likely served, alongside pumpkins and cranberries.

Sarah Hale is known as the "Mother of Thanksgiving" because, at a time when the holiday was only celebrated in the Northeast, she spent four decades campaigning for a national day of thanks. In 1863, she finally persuaded thenPresident Abraham Lincoln, who proclaimed the holiday a nationwide celebration on Oct. 3, 1863. Hale is also known for penning the childhood favorite “Mary Had a Little Lamb” and publishing it in May 1830.

Hanukkah, Nov. 28 – Dec. 6, 2021

Hanukkah commemorates the triumph of a band of rebel Jews known as the Maccabees in reclaiming their temple from the Greek-Syrians. Normally, it occurs between late November and December, but the dates change every year as it is based on the 25th day of Kislev in the Hebrew calendar.

During the holiday’s origin, the temple required a holy light to burn inside at all times, but the Jews had only enough oil for one night. Miraculously, the light burned for eight days. Hanukkah foods such as latkes (potato cakes), sufganiyot (jelly doughnuts) and apple fritters are fried as a symbol of the miracle.

A Menorah is a candelabra with nine candles. Eight candles symbolize the number of days that the Temple’s lantern blazed; the ninth, the shamash, is a candle used to light the others. Each night, a new candle is added to the menorah, plus a new shamash, and burned all the way through, so during Hanukkah, 44 candles are used.

A dreidel is a four-sided spinning top, played during the holiday. The Hebrew letters inscribed on a dreidel are a Nun, Gimel, Hey or Chai, and Shin. The letters form an acronym for the Hebrew saying” Nes Gadol Hayah Sham,” which means "a great miracle happened there.” The Greek-Syrians outlawed Jewish studies, so the Jews spun dreidels to pretend they were merely playing games while they engaged with their scripture.

The word "Hanukkah" comes from the Hebrew word "Hinuch," or "to teach." Jews follow a tradition of incentivizing their children to learn Torah on this holiday by gifting them gelt, golden-wrapped chocolates that resemble coins. Gelt can also be won in a game of Dreidel.

Christmas, Dec. 25, 2021

Although Christmas is a very holy Christian holiday commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ, many secular traditions are based on ancient celebrations surrounding the winter solstice, which begins on Dec. 21. Historians also point to a Roman holiday that celebrated the birth of Mithra, the god of the unconquerable sun, on Dec.25. It is commonly believed that the church chose Dec. 25 for Christmas in an effort to absorb the traditions of the pagan festivals. First called the Feast of the Nativity, the custom spread to Egypt by 432 and to England by the end of the sixth century. By the Middle Ages, Christianity had, for the most part, replaced pagan religion.

The three traditional colors of most Christmas decorations are red, green and gold. Red symbolizes the blood of Christ, green symbolized life and rebirth and gold represents light, royalty and wealth.

Ancient people hung evergreen boughs over their doors and windows just as people today. The ancients believed that evergreens would keep witches, ghosts, evil spirits and illness away. Germany is credited with starting the Christmas tree tradition as we now know it in the 16th century when devout Christians brought and decorated trees in their homes.

While kids today leave out milk and cookies for Santa, Norse children left hay and treats for their god Odin and his eight-legged horse Sleipnir, hoping for a visit during their hunting adventures. Dutch children adopted this same tradition, leaving food in their wooden shoes for St. Nicholas’ horse.

The legend of Santa Claus can be traced back hundreds of years to a monk named St. Nicholas, who was born around 280 A.D. in Patara, near Myra in modern-day Turkey. Much admired for his piety and kindness, it’s believed he gave away all of his inherited wealth and traveled the countryside helping the poor and sick. His feast day is celebrated on the anniversary of his death, Dec. 6. St. Nicholas made his way into American popular culture towards the end of the 18th century when in December 1773 and 1774, groups of Dutch families gathered to honor the anniversary of his death. The name Santa Claus evolved from his Dutch nickname, Sinter Klaas, a shortened form of Sint Nikolaas (Dutch for Saint Nicholas).

Boxing Day, Dec. 25, 2021

Historians question the origins of Boxing Day. Many believe the name originated from the British church’s practice of opening alms boxes the day after Christmas and distributing money to the poor. Others believe the "box" refers to the boxes of gifts wealthy British employers gave to their servants. Servants were often required to work on Christmas Day but given Dec. 26th off to celebrate.

Boxing Day is celebrated all over the world. To name a few countries that celebrate this special day are: Africa, Australia, Austria, Canada, Germany, Greenland, Hong Kong, Ireland, Jamaica, Kenya, New Zealand, Norway, Romania, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.

Boxing Day traditions depend mainly on the location; however, it typically includes shopping and giving money and gifts to the less fortunate. It is also a day to watch sporting events like horse racing, rugby and soccer.

Some countries have turned Boxing Day into a huge shopping day, similar to Black Friday, with steep markdowns and sales. In some Canadian provinces, Boxing Day is an official holiday.

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During the age of exploration, a Christmas Box would be placed on a ship for good luck. A priest would often place it there, and crewmen would drop money in it to ensure a safe return. If the ship returned safely, the priest would take the box and distribute the contents to the poor.

Kwanzaa, Dec. 26, 2021 – Jan. 1, 2022

Kwanzaa is a non-religious holiday started in California in 1966 by Dr. Maulana Korenga to celebrate African American history, culture, family and community.

Kwanzaa's name is derived from the Swahili phrase “Matunda ya Kwanzaa” which translates to “first fruits of the harvest.”

Kwanzaa is celebrated over seven days with each day representing a principle value: •Umoja (unity) •Kujichagulia (self-determination) •Ujima (collective work and responsibility) •Ujamaa (cooperative economics) •Nia (purpose) •Kuumba (creativity) •Imani (faith)

The holiday has seven symbols that are gathered and displayed for the celebration: •Kikombe cha umoja (unity cup) •Kinara (candle holder) •Mishumoa saba (seven candles) •Mazao (fruits, nuts, and vegetables) •Vibunzi (ears of corn) •Zawadi (gifts) s•Mkeka (a mat to set everything on)

Kwanzaa is observed with seven candles to represent the core values. One black candle represents the unity of the people. Three green candles represent the future of African lands and communities. And three red candles represent the past bloodshed from African ancestors. Each day, one candle is lit and, as it burns, a particular principle is acknowledged and discussed. 48 Fall 2021 | www.TSPRA.org

New Year’s Eve | New Year’s Day, Dec. 31, 2021 – Jan.1, 2022

Four thousand years ago, ancient Babylonians believed the first new moon after the Vernal Equinox was the beginning of the new year. January 1 was celebrated as the start of the new year for the first time in 45 BCE after Julius Caesar changed the Roman calendar. Ancient Romans celebrated with parties, gifts and sacrifices to the Roman god Janus (January’s namesake), who had two faces, one looking forward and one looking back, and symbolized beginnings.

Each year, more than 1 million people gather in New York City’s Times Square to watch the ball drop. This tradition came about because of a ban on fireworks. The first ball in 1907 was 700 pounds and was lit with 100 25-watt lights. The current ball is covered in 2,688 crystals, lit by 32,000 LED lights, weighs 11,875 pounds and is 12 feet in diameter.

The Pacific island of Tonga is the first place to ring in the New Year – celebrated at 10 a.m. GMT on Dec. 31. The uninhabited islands of Howland and Baker Islands, near the United States, are the last places to welcome the New Year. They ring in the New Year at 12 p.m. GMT.

The origin of kissing at midnight on New Year’s Eve has not been verified. Although, kisses were part of the Roman Festival of Saturnalia (held in December), and kisses at midnight were traditionally thought to bring good luck in England and Germany. German immigrants may have popularized the tradition in the United States. In 1863, The New York Times reported that “New-Year’s Eve is a great time among the Germans … As the last stroke [of midnight] dies into silence, all big and little, young and old, male and female, push into each other’s arms, and hearty kisses go around.”

Since around the 1880s, at midnight on New Year’s Eve, Spaniards try to guarantee good luck by eating 12 grapes in as many seconds – one for each bell-chime. Those who succeed are in for a great year!

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