Winter Holiday Traditions Panel Discussion

Event Details

Members of the community discuss how they celebrate their culture's winter holidays and traditions. Some of the traditions that will be discussed are:

Hanukkah (Chanukah) is the Jewish eight-day, wintertime “festival of lights,” celebrated with a nightly menorah lighting, special prayers and fried foods.

Kwanzaa is an African American and Pan-African holiday, held annually from December 26th through January 1st, that celebrates history, values, community and culture. Based on African harvest festival traditions from various parts of West and Southeast Africa, Kwanzaa culminates in a communal feast called Karamu that is usually held on the 6th day.

Diwali, the Hindu Festival of Lights, is India’s biggest and most important holiday of the year, a 5-day long festival every Autumn during the Hindu month of Kartik. Diwali symbolizes the spiritual “victory of light over darkness, good over evil, and knowledge over ignorance.” The festival brings people together in many different ways, from feasting to fireworks.

Christmas in the UK, discussing the different ways to celebrate such as Father Christmas, the Queen's Speech, Christmas crackers, and more!

The winter solstice, also called the hibernal solstice, occurs when either of Earth's poles reaches its maximum tilt away from the Sun. Throughout history, societies across the world have held festivals and ceremonies marking winter solstice, the day of the “sun’s rebirth.” Most often, winter solstice celebrations honored the symbolism of fire and light, along with life, death, the rising sun, and the moon.

Event Type(s): Diversity & Inclusion, General

Age Group(s): Adult, Teen