Celebrating sans Christmas
EVERY YEAR, ONCE December rolls around, the same signs start popping up all over town: Stockings on fireplaces, lights trimming rooftops, spruce trees in living rooms, and milk and cookies by fireplaces.
What we also see, though far less often, are menorahs and kinaras in windows as non-Christian families gather to enjoy their holiday culture. Oh, and also a few Festivus poles, standing stoically in the corner of the room.
Every year, people celebrate the same holidays, from the same religious or cultural backgrounds, with the same people. It gets a bit tiresome, right? I have a way to solve this: In addition to celebrating your holiday of choice, celebrate a holiday other than your own. There are so many different cultures out there—why not try and experience another one during the holidays?
Being Jewish, I grew up with Hanukkah, the festival of lights, and learned traditions that have been around for centuries. When I was about eight years old, however, my family began celebrating Christmas, as my new stepfather was Christian.
Eventually, I learned to love it. Now we celebrate a mix of Christmas and Hanukkah. We have a beautifully decorated tree with a Star of David on the top, a menorah counting the days of Hanukkah, and most importantly, we always eat latkes (deep-fried potato pancakes).
This year I hope to be able to merge the celebration of Kwanzaa into my current holiday traditions. Kwanzaa celebrates the seven African principles of Nguzo Saba. For each day of Kwanzaa, you celebrate a new one. They are: umoja (unity), kujichagulia (self-determination), ujima (collective work and responsibility), ujamaa (family), nia (purpose), kuumba (creativity), and imani (faith). These seven principles transcend Kwanzaa, and can be easily adapted into any holiday.
We live in Canada, a nation brimming with immigrants—and with each new immigrant, our culture becomes a little bit more diverse. Our neighbours, co-workers, friends, and even our in-laws likely come from a different background than we do, so why not try something new?
Whether it’s simply going out and buying a few dreidels to play with friends (they make a great drinking game) or going to the mall with friends to get a picture taken with Santa, taste-testing a new holiday will give you a better understanding of a culture outside your own.
—Andrew Ikeman
