Celebration Around the World

Elisavet Kammas '26

From the very end of Thanksgiving, and for some, the day after Halloween, Christmas is celebrated in full festive fashion. As far as you can see, houses and streets are lit up with the telltale red, green, and white lights. Schools are on the eve of closing for the holidays, and people are rushing about to buy presents for their families. Despite all the holiday cheer Christmas brings, the entire world doesn’t celebrate it the same way - or even at all. 

In the country of the Philippines, people celebrate Christmas a little differently compared to its U.S. counterpart. While it is a tradition worldwide to decorate homes and streets for the festive season, the Philippines incorporates it with something unique.

A lantern-making contest and festival, known by the name of Ligligan Perul (Giant Lantern Festival) is held in the city of San Fernando. Visitors from around the world come to see the bright display of lights, with each lantern being made up of thousands of spinning lights. These lanterns (called parols) are made to symbolize the Star of Bethlehem, to be donned by the brightest star. 

In 1966, Dr. Maulana Karenga created the holiday of Kwanzaa. It was made to be an African American and Pan-African holiday, celebrating family, community, and culture. The holiday spans seven days, beginning on December 26 and ending on January 1. Families center activities around the Nguzo Saba, The Seven Principles.

These principles are unity (Umoja), self-determination (Kujichagulia), collective work and responsibility (Ujima), cooperative economics (Ujamaa), purpose (Nia), and faith (Imani). People also celebrate with feasts, dances, music, poetry, and narratives. The end of Kwanzaa is devoted to recommitment and reflection. 

In the United States, while Christmas is celebrated throughout December by the brunt of the population, some celebrate other days as well. The Pueblo, Zuni, and Hopi Indians celebrate Soya, a ceremony for the winter solstice. It is believed that the ceremony returns the sun from its long slumber during the winter. The day also marks the beginning of a new cycle of the Wheel of the Year. Soya starts on the shortest day of the year. It symbolizes the second stage of Creation at the Dawn of Life. 

December is a time of much joy and celebration, as people around the world prepare for countless holidays. While Christmas may be the most known holiday, it certainly isn’t the only one being celebrated by communities around the world.

However, its themes remain the same: family, love, and reflection. These holidays each hold an important meaning to people and honor the history of what has brought them to where they are today.