Holiday Traditions Of Other Countries- Part 3Africa- Kwanzaa / Holland / IrelandHere we will find out how African Americans celebrate Kwanzaa and a little insight into Holland and Ireland festivities. Learn More about the Kwanzaa HolidayThough you are probably very familiar with the more traditional Christmas customs, you may not know how other cultures celebrate the holiday season.Many African Americans celebrate Kwanzaa from December 26 to January 1. A harvest time ritual, it's a holiday that originated at the time of the civil rights movement in the 1960's and commemorates their African heritage. It generally lasts a week. Black, red and green candles which symbolize the seven basic family values of unity, self-determination, cooperative economics, working together, purpose, faith and creativity are lit each night when family and friends have gathered together to celebrate. Families celebrating Kwanzaa decorate their households with objects of art, colorful African cloth and apparel, and fresh fruits that represent African idealism. It is customary to include children in Kwanzaa ceremonies and to give respect and gratitude to ancestors. Some families have a Kwanzaa bush from which they hang handmade ornaments. Older family members spend time teaching the children about their heritage. A ceremonial table is set up, which has been set up with an ear of corn symbolizing each of the children, and a carved and decorated unity cup used for the evening toasts. Then for the next seven nights of Kwanzaa the family gathers to light the Kinara, a candleholder made to hold seven candles. Gathered friends and family members also drink from the unity cup each night. Gifts are presented to the children on December 31. These gifts might include a book and a symbol such as an African artifact so that children might learn more about their heritage. The seven day celebration ends with a feast of African American foods, and plenty of music. After eating and celebrating, friends and family then recommit themselves to the seven principles of Kwanzaa and bid everyone happy times ahead. The host will generally wish everyone great success over the coming year, and vocalizes hope that members gather together in larger numbers the following year. Here Comes Sinter Klaas Down the Lane to HollandSt. Nicholas, otherwise known as Sinter Klaas, arrives in November in Holland bearing gifts. He is dressed in Bishop's robes and travels by boat with his helper who is called Black Peter, who wears Spanish clothing. Many people go to Amsterdam docks to greet him. He mounts a grand snow horse and rides during a festive parade and celebration.December 5th is Sinterklaas Eve and is when presents are exchanged. Children put their wooden shoes out and fill them with hay and carrots, and also leave water out for Sinter Klaas' horse. In return, Sinter Klaas fills the children's shoes with candy and gifts to find the following morning. Children believe that Sinter Klaas lives in Spain the rest of the year where he carefully keeps track of which children have been naughty and which have been nice, while his helper Black Peter busily gathers presents for the following Sinterklaas Eve. Though it is not clearly understood why the children believe Sinterklaas to be from Spain, it could be because Holland was famous for its navigation and possibly came into contact with many Spanish sailors who told of St. Nicholas, the patron saint of sailors, and his feats of saving boats and sailors from the angry Spanish seas. Christmas Day in Holland is a spiritual time, and the day is spent with visits to church. In the afternoon, people sit around the tree, sing carols and tell stories. In addition to their decorated Christmas trees, another popular decoration is the advent star. It's a lighted star shaped ornament that hangs in the window for passers by to see as a reminder of the significance of the holiday season. During the Sinterklaas season people eat spicy ginger, sugar candy, fancy fruit slices or rich almond marzipan. Little Christmas in IrelandChristmas in Ireland lasts from Christmas Eve to the feast of the Epiphany on January 6, which is referred to as Little Christmas. Ireland's Christmas is more a time for religious celebration rather than revelry. A manger scene, or nativity, is displayed in most homes and there are few Christmas trees.Lighted candles are placed in windows on Christmas Eve, in order to guide Mary and Joseph to safe shelter. The candles are usually red in color and decorated with sprigs of holly. During the British occupation of all of Ireland during World War II, three candles were placed in the window at Christmas for the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Fellow Catholics passing by would know that the house was a Catholic home, and that all friends were welcome there to celebrate Christmas. The candles were also an invitation to priests to enter the home, say the Christmas Mass, eat dinner, and spend the night with the family. Irish women bake a seed cake for each person in the house. They also make three puddings, one for each day of the Epiphany such as Christmas, New Year's Day and the Twelfth Night. After the Christmas evening meal, bread and milk are left out and the door unlatched as a symbol of hospitality. Children often put out Christmas sacks instead of stockings. It is tradition to leave mince pies and a bottle of Guinness out as a snack for Santa. After the evening meal, the table is set with bread and milk and the door left unlatched as a symbol of the hospitality that the family is offering to Mary and Joseph and the little one to come. St Stephen's Day, the day after Christmas, is almost as important, with football matches and meetings going on. Young men in extravagant dress, sometimes wearing masks, parade noisily through the streets in the Wren Boys' Procession. They carry long poles with a holly bush atop it. The bush supposedly contains a captured wren, and for whose sake the young men beg for money. | ||||||
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Holiday Traditions- Part 1 England / Germany / Mexico Holiday Traditions- Part 2 Jerusalem / Italy / France / India Holiday Traditions- Part 3 Africa- Kwanzaa / Holland / Ireland Holiday Traditions- Part 4 Canada- Boxing Day / Brazil / Australia / Greece | ||||||
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