Enlarge Candles are often used in holiday celebrations. Photo by Maurice Reeves.

Posted: December 20th, 2009 Rhiannon Fionn-Bowman

For centuries, humans have celebrated the arrival of winter. Just like today, those gatherings honored family, community and surviving another year. They were also times to eat, drink and be merry.

This year, the Winter Solstice, the shortest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere, is Dec. 21 – at 6:38 p.m. EST, to be exact. That doesn't mean much to us now since light and warmth can be obtained by flipping a switch and food is as far away as the nearest refrigerator, restaurant or grocery store.

For our ancestors, however, winter wasn't filled with special recipes and piles of gifts. Winter was the harshest time of the year when food was scarce and the ability to stay warm could, literally, mean life or death. But they knew if they could make it through the longest night, the sun would soon warm their bodies and urge their crops to grow again.

The solstice was a time to celebrate the sun's return. As we do today, the ancients used symbols – such as evergreens and candles – to represent the hopefulness they felt. In good years, they feasted with the knowledge that there was enough food to last until spring.

Cultures and faiths around the world mark the time in their own ways.

Hindus celebrate "Diwali," a five-day festival of lights that focuses on a different deity daily. The date varies on Western calendars but the festival is always the 15th day of Kartika, or the Hindi equivalent to November. This year, the celebration actually began Oct.17. It's a time when women paint their hands with henna, everyone shops for new clothes, and houses are cleaned and decorated with flowers. It's also a time to eat sweets.

In Belgium, Saint Nicholas' Day is Dec. 6. The jolly ol' elf's story is quite similar to that of Santa Claus. There's a book full of names of boys and girls, both good and bad. Elves help St. Nicholas deliver toys through chimneys to the children on the good list. But, there's one big difference: instead of reindeer, the good saint has a horse. Its name is "Bad Weather Today." As the story goes, the saint asked his elves to suggest names for his horse and one commented on the weather instead. As with Christmas, it's a time for cookies and candies.

Buddhists celebrate Buddha's enlightenment on Dec. 8. Their celebration is Bodhi Day because they believe Buddha sat beneath a Bodhi tree until he attained enlightenment. It's a time to meditate and look for one's inner light. People who celebrate Bodhi Day often hang colored lights to represent the many ways to attain enlightenment and eat meals of rice and milk.

Those who practice the Jewish faith celebrate Chanukah, also a festival of light that lasts eight days. The date is based on the Hebrew calendar. The menorah with its nine candles is probably the most recognizable Chanukah symbol. Eight candles each represent one night in an ancient tale; the ninth is called a shamash, which means "guard" or "servant." It's the candle used to light the others. On the first night of the celebration, one candle is lit. On the second, two ... and so on. It's a ritual of remembrance. The eight candles remind Jews of the oil their ancestors found in their temple, which had been taken over by the Greeks. That oil lasted for eight nights. Potato pancakes and doughnuts are customary Chanukah foods. It's also a time to play with a toy called a dreidel, which is inscribed with a saying in Hebrew that translates as "a great miracle happened here." This year Chanukah was Dec. 11-18.

Pagans and Wiccans celebrate Yule, or more simply the Winter Solstice. It's a time to decorate with evergreens, dance, light candles and feast on meat and drink mead.

From Dec. 26 through Jan. 1, African Americans might celebrate Kwanzaa. It's a non-religious, non-political holiday created by Ron Karenga in 1966 as a time to honor one's heritage. Candles are lit, and many fast from sunrise to sunset. A feast is held on Dec. 31. Although there is no set menu, many people who celebrate Kwanzaa choose to prepare traditional African dishes.

Persians in Iran celebrate Sadeh, a mid-winter three-day feast that honors fire. It's customary to celebrate Sadeh on Jan. 30, a day when food is often distributed to the poor. Lamb is a staple.

And, of course, you already know about Christmas, which is when Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus to the Virgin Mary. Giving gifts to one another and attending religious services are two ways it's celebrated.

It's impossible to fully explain the world's many winter rituals, but hopefully you now understand why saying "Happy Holidays" is one simple, respectful way to acknowledge our differences and our religious freedoms, afforded to us by the Constitution.

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