DeAnne
Mike Crowl'Tis the Season
December 3rd 2009 20:39
December is the month of holidays! Even if you don't celebrate Christmas, or any other religious holidays, there is something you can celebrate each and every day in December. Here is a list of "Special Days" in December:
1. Eat a Red Apple Day; Rosa Parks Day; World AIDS day
2. National Fritters Day
3. International Day of the Disabled Person
4. National Cookie Day; Wear Brown Shoes Day
5. Walt Disney's Birthday
6. St. Nicholas Day
7. Cotton Candy Day; Pearl Harbor Day
8. National Brownie Day
9. Christmas Seals Day
10. Human Rights Day
11. Hanukkah Begins
12. Poinsettia Day
13. National Cocoa Day; Ice Cream Day
14. South Pole Discovery Day
15. Phonograph Patent Day
16. Boston Tea Party Anniversary; Beethoven's Birthday; National Chocolate Covered ANYTHING Day
17. National Maple Syrup Day; Underdog Day; Wright Brothers Day
18. Wear a Plunger on your Head Day
19. Oatmeal Muffin Day
20. Games Day
21. First Day of Winter; Yule; Forefathers Day
22. Thermometer Invented Anniversary
23. Roots Day; Festivus
24. Christmas Eve; Eggnog Day
25. Christmas Day
26. Boxing Day; Kwanzaa begins
27. Visit the Zoo Day
28. Chocolate Day
29. Bowling Ball Invented Day
30. Festival of Enormous Changes at the Last Minute; National Bicarbonate Of Soda Day
31. New Years Eve; Unlucky Day
While many of these days are kind of bizzare, some are worth knowing about, and maybe even incorporating into your holiday traditions. (I personally would like to celebrate COOKIE DAY and CHOCOLATE DAY! I don't think I'll celebrate Wear a Plunger on Your Head Day, however.)
I'm sure most everyone knows that Christmas Day, December 25 is the Christian celebration of the birth of Christ. Of course, no one knows on what day Christ was actually born, this is the day we celebrate (and spend all our money on gifts.)
Saint Nicholas Day, December 6 is in honor of a Christian Saint. This is actually where the Santa Claus legend comes from. Saint Nicholas was an early Catholic priest (later a bishop) who gave away everything he had and was well known for giving to the needy, especially children. The practice of hanging up stockings originated with Saint Nicholas. As the ancient legend goes, Saint Nicholas was known to throw small bags of gold coins into the open windows of poor homes. After one bag of gold fell into the stocking of a child, news got around. Children soon began hanging their stocking by their chimneys "in hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there". It wasn't until the 1800's that the spirit of St. Nicholas' life evolved into the creation of Santa Claus. And, this happened in America. Santa Claus emerged (or evolved) from the stories and legends of St. Nicholas.
Boxing Day, December 26 (though some people will celebrate it on the first weekday after Christmas, if Christmas falls on a Friday or a Saturday, Boxing Day is the following Monday) is celebrated in England, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and other former British commonwealth countries. It is a legal holiday in these countries. This is also St. Stephan's Day, where Boxing Day gets some of its roots. On St. Stephan's Day, churches opened their collection boxes to the poor. Boxing Day was an expression of appreciation and thanks, much like Christmas tips are today. The roots of the holiday goes back to the Middle Ages . On this day, members of the merchant class would take boxes, fill them with food and fruits, and give them to servants, tradespeople and the less fortunate. In the case of servants, they would work on Christmas Day, so it was only fitting that immediately after Christmas, they would be given a day off to celebrate. Today, the giving of boxes includes filling boxes with food and clothing for the needy and performing volunteer work. Monetary gifts to charity are also common.
Kwanzaa, is an African-American celebration of cultural reaffirmation, is one of the fastest-growing holidays in the history of the world. It took root 30 years ago, when graduate student Maulana Karenga, disturbed by the 1965 riots in Los Angeles' Watts area, decided that African-Americans needed an annual event to celebrate their differences rather than the melting pot. Not a religious holiday, Kwanzaa is, rather, a seven-day celebration that begins on Dec. 26 and continues through Jan. 1.
Hanukkah, also known as the Festival of Lights, is an eight-day Jewish holiday commemorating the rededication of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem at the time of the Maccabean Revolt of the 2nd century BCE. Hanukkah is observed for eight nights, starting on the 25th day of Kislev according to the Hebrew calendar, and may occur from late November to late December on the Gregorian calendar. Hanukkah is celebrated by a series of rituals that are performed every day throughout the 8-day holiday. Some are family-based and others are communal. There are special additions to the daily prayer service, and a section is added to the blessing after meals. Hanukkah is not a "Sabbath-like" holiday, and there is no obligation to refrain from activities that are forbidden on the Sabbath. People go to work as usual, but may leave early in order to be home to kindle the lights at nightfall. There is no religious reason for schools to be closed, although, in Israel, schools close from the second day for the whole week of Hanukkah. Many families exchange gifts each night, and fried foods are eaten.
Yule or Yule-tide is a winter festival that was initially celebrated by the historical Germanic peoples as a pagan religious festival, though it was later absorbed into, and equated with, the Christian festival of Christmas. The festival was originally celebrated from late December to early January on a date determined by the lunar Germanic calendar. The festival was placed on December 25 when the Christian (Julian) calendar was adopted. Some historians claim that the celebration is connected to the Wild Hunt or was influenced by Saturnalia, the Roman winter festival. Terms etymological equivalent to "Yule" are still used in the Nordic Countries for both the Christian Christmas, but also other religious holidays of the season. In modern times this has gradually led to a more secular tradition under the same name as Christmas. Yule is also used in a lesser extent in English speaking countries to refer to Christmas. Customs such as the Yule log, Yule goat, Yule boar, Yule singing, and others stem from Yule. In modern times, Yule is observed as a cultural festival and also with religious rites by some Christians and by some Neopagans.
So - December is the season of holidays. Religious and non -- no matter what your beliefs, everyone can find some reason to celebrate in the month of December!
Happy Holidays! Season's Greetings! Happy COOKIE DAY!!!!!
And - to those who believe --- Merry Christmas!
1. Eat a Red Apple Day; Rosa Parks Day; World AIDS day
2. National Fritters Day
3. International Day of the Disabled Person
4. National Cookie Day; Wear Brown Shoes Day
5. Walt Disney's Birthday
6. St. Nicholas Day
7. Cotton Candy Day; Pearl Harbor Day
8. National Brownie Day
9. Christmas Seals Day
10. Human Rights Day
11. Hanukkah Begins
12. Poinsettia Day
13. National Cocoa Day; Ice Cream Day
14. South Pole Discovery Day
15. Phonograph Patent Day
16. Boston Tea Party Anniversary; Beethoven's Birthday; National Chocolate Covered ANYTHING Day
17. National Maple Syrup Day; Underdog Day; Wright Brothers Day
18. Wear a Plunger on your Head Day
19. Oatmeal Muffin Day
20. Games Day
21. First Day of Winter; Yule; Forefathers Day
22. Thermometer Invented Anniversary
23. Roots Day; Festivus
24. Christmas Eve; Eggnog Day
25. Christmas Day
26. Boxing Day; Kwanzaa begins
27. Visit the Zoo Day
28. Chocolate Day
29. Bowling Ball Invented Day
30. Festival of Enormous Changes at the Last Minute; National Bicarbonate Of Soda Day
31. New Years Eve; Unlucky Day
While many of these days are kind of bizzare, some are worth knowing about, and maybe even incorporating into your holiday traditions. (I personally would like to celebrate COOKIE DAY and CHOCOLATE DAY! I don't think I'll celebrate Wear a Plunger on Your Head Day, however.)
I'm sure most everyone knows that Christmas Day, December 25 is the Christian celebration of the birth of Christ. Of course, no one knows on what day Christ was actually born, this is the day we celebrate (and spend all our money on gifts.)
Saint Nicholas Day, December 6 is in honor of a Christian Saint. This is actually where the Santa Claus legend comes from. Saint Nicholas was an early Catholic priest (later a bishop) who gave away everything he had and was well known for giving to the needy, especially children. The practice of hanging up stockings originated with Saint Nicholas. As the ancient legend goes, Saint Nicholas was known to throw small bags of gold coins into the open windows of poor homes. After one bag of gold fell into the stocking of a child, news got around. Children soon began hanging their stocking by their chimneys "in hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there". It wasn't until the 1800's that the spirit of St. Nicholas' life evolved into the creation of Santa Claus. And, this happened in America. Santa Claus emerged (or evolved) from the stories and legends of St. Nicholas.
Boxing Day, December 26 (though some people will celebrate it on the first weekday after Christmas, if Christmas falls on a Friday or a Saturday, Boxing Day is the following Monday) is celebrated in England, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and other former British commonwealth countries. It is a legal holiday in these countries. This is also St. Stephan's Day, where Boxing Day gets some of its roots. On St. Stephan's Day, churches opened their collection boxes to the poor. Boxing Day was an expression of appreciation and thanks, much like Christmas tips are today. The roots of the holiday goes back to the Middle Ages . On this day, members of the merchant class would take boxes, fill them with food and fruits, and give them to servants, tradespeople and the less fortunate. In the case of servants, they would work on Christmas Day, so it was only fitting that immediately after Christmas, they would be given a day off to celebrate. Today, the giving of boxes includes filling boxes with food and clothing for the needy and performing volunteer work. Monetary gifts to charity are also common.
Kwanzaa, is an African-American celebration of cultural reaffirmation, is one of the fastest-growing holidays in the history of the world. It took root 30 years ago, when graduate student Maulana Karenga, disturbed by the 1965 riots in Los Angeles' Watts area, decided that African-Americans needed an annual event to celebrate their differences rather than the melting pot. Not a religious holiday, Kwanzaa is, rather, a seven-day celebration that begins on Dec. 26 and continues through Jan. 1.
Hanukkah, also known as the Festival of Lights, is an eight-day Jewish holiday commemorating the rededication of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem at the time of the Maccabean Revolt of the 2nd century BCE. Hanukkah is observed for eight nights, starting on the 25th day of Kislev according to the Hebrew calendar, and may occur from late November to late December on the Gregorian calendar. Hanukkah is celebrated by a series of rituals that are performed every day throughout the 8-day holiday. Some are family-based and others are communal. There are special additions to the daily prayer service, and a section is added to the blessing after meals. Hanukkah is not a "Sabbath-like" holiday, and there is no obligation to refrain from activities that are forbidden on the Sabbath. People go to work as usual, but may leave early in order to be home to kindle the lights at nightfall. There is no religious reason for schools to be closed, although, in Israel, schools close from the second day for the whole week of Hanukkah. Many families exchange gifts each night, and fried foods are eaten.
Yule or Yule-tide is a winter festival that was initially celebrated by the historical Germanic peoples as a pagan religious festival, though it was later absorbed into, and equated with, the Christian festival of Christmas. The festival was originally celebrated from late December to early January on a date determined by the lunar Germanic calendar. The festival was placed on December 25 when the Christian (Julian) calendar was adopted. Some historians claim that the celebration is connected to the Wild Hunt or was influenced by Saturnalia, the Roman winter festival. Terms etymological equivalent to "Yule" are still used in the Nordic Countries for both the Christian Christmas, but also other religious holidays of the season. In modern times this has gradually led to a more secular tradition under the same name as Christmas. Yule is also used in a lesser extent in English speaking countries to refer to Christmas. Customs such as the Yule log, Yule goat, Yule boar, Yule singing, and others stem from Yule. In modern times, Yule is observed as a cultural festival and also with religious rites by some Christians and by some Neopagans.
So - December is the season of holidays. Religious and non -- no matter what your beliefs, everyone can find some reason to celebrate in the month of December!
Happy Holidays! Season's Greetings! Happy COOKIE DAY!!!!!
And - to those who believe --- Merry Christmas!
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