According to the AP-NORC, “This holiday season, 92% of Americans will celebrate Christmas,” another 5% of Americans will celebrate Hanukkah and 3% will celebrate Kwanzaa. Most Americans have likely heard of these holidays, but many are not familiar with the history or traditions.. This article will focus on providing a bit of background to highlight the uniqueness of these two holidays.
According to Chabad.org, Hanukkah “is an 8-day Jewish festival marking the miraculous victory of the Maccabees, Jewish freedom fighters, over the Seleucidian Greek occupiers in the year 139 BCE.” Many Jewish Americans continue to honor this deep-rooted history in their holiday traditions. Hanukkah (or Chanukah) is an eight day celebration. This year Hanukkah starts at nightfall on December 25, 2024 and ends with nightfall on January 2, 2025. Chabad.org states that, “On each of the eight nights of Chanukah, Jewish people light special menorahs (candelabras), adding another flame each night, until on the eighth night eight flames are burning brightly. The lighting takes place at home, in a doorway or near a window, and is performed after brief blessings are recited.” Modern celebrations have changed from solely within the home to community events. Chabad.org states, “In modern times, communal menorah lightings are often held in public squares, sharing Chanukah’s message of the triumph of light over darkness and freedom to worship God.” Hanukkah celebrations also feature specific foods, such as foods or dairy. Chabad.org states that, “since the Middle Ages, doughnuts (sufganiyot) have been a Chanukah favorite. Among Ashkenazim, potato pancakes (latkes) are also a classic.” Consumption of dairy during Hanukkah is honoring the bravery of Yehudit who served cheese and wine to a Greek general before defeating him.” For more information about the Jewish faith, holidays and traditions, including Hanukkah, visit www.chadbad.org.
According to the official Kwanzaa Website, Kwanzaa was created by Dr. Maulana Karenga. Kwanzaa is a “pan-African holiday celebrating family, community, and culture.” Dr. Karenga designed Kwanzaa to reaffirm African heritage and values through seven guiding principles. As outlined on the official Kwanzaa website the principles, “called “Nguzo Saba” (The Seven Principles) include unity, self-determination, collective responsibility, cooperative economics, purpose, creativity, and faith.” Kwanzaa is celebrated annually from December 26th to January 1st.” The Smithsonian explains the meaning behind Kwanzaa celebrations as, “Each day they light a candle to highlight the principle of that day and to breathe meaning into the principles with various activities, such as reciting the sayings or writings of great black thinkers and writers, reciting original poetry, African drumming. Additionally, “During the week of Kwanzaa, families and communities come together to share a feast, to honor the ancestors, affirm the bonds between them, and to celebrate African and African American culture.” According to the Food Network, “the table is often laid with a few symbolic foods: the mazoa, fruits and vegetables symbolizing the bounty of the harvest (usually foods emblematic of the African diaspora, such as okra, yams, squash, sweet potatoes and bananas), alongside the muhindi, ears of corn representing each child still remaining at home.” The colors of Kwanzaa are red, black and green based upon the Pan-African flag. Red represents the struggle, black represents the people and green represents the future. These colors can be seen on the candles on the Kinara or in the clothing worn. To learn more about Kwanzaa, visit officialkwanzaawebsite.org.
The traditions and celebrations of Hanukkah and Kwanzaa highlight the history and respect of their ancestors. The holiday season does not end on December 25, 2024. In fact, for those celebrating Hanukkah and Kwanzaa, their period of celebration is just beginning.
