December 2003
December 6, St. Nicholas Day (International)
The story of St. Nicholas, also called Nicholas of Bari and Nicholas of Myra (and Santa Claus), began in what is now Turkey, early in the fourth century, near the modern Turkish city of Finike. One of the most popular minor saints commemorated in the Eastern and Western churches, his feast day is December 6th. He is now traditionally associated with the festival of Christmas.
December 7, Pearl Harbor Day (United States)
December 7th of every year shall be known and designated as “Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day”. It shall be a day on which to commemorate the sacrifice of more than 2,000 citizens of the United States who were killed and more than 1,000 citizens who were wounded when the Imperial Japanese Navy and Air Force attacked units of the armed forces of the United States stationed at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. This caused the United States to enter into World War II.
December 12, Virgin of Guadalupe (Mexico)
In 1531 a “Lady from Heaven” appeared to a poor Indian at Tepeyac, a hill northwest of Mexico City; she identified herself as the Mother of the True God, instructed him to have at the bishop build a temple on the site and left an image of herself imprinted miraculously on his tilma, a poor quality cactus-cloth, which should have deteriorated in 20 years but shows no sigh of decay 469 years later and still defies all scientific explanations of its origin.
December 16-24, Las Posadas (Mexico)
Las Posadas (Spanish for “the inn”) is a traditional Mexican festival which re-enacts Joseph’s search for room at the inn. Each Christmas season, a processional carrying a doll representing the Christ Child and images of Joseph and Mary riding a burro walks through the community streets. The processional stops at a previously selected home and asks for lodging for the night. The people are invited in to read scriptures and sing Christmas carols called alguinaldos. The hosts provide refreshments. The doll is left at the chosen home and picked up on the next night when the processional begins again. This continues for eight nights in commemoration of the journey of Mary and Joseph from Nazareth to Bethlehem.
December 20-27, Hanukkah (Jewish)
Hanukkah (Hebrew word for dedication) begins on the 25th day of Kislev in the Hebrew calendar. It lasts for eight days beginning at sunset the previous day and is also known as the festival of Lights. Hanukkah celebrates the victory (165 BDC) of the Maccabees over the Syrian tyrant Antiochus IV and the subsequent reclamation of Jerusalem. According to the Talmud, only a one-day supply of nondesecrated oil was found in the Temple when the Maccabees prepared it for rededication by removing all Syrian idols. Miraculously, the oil lasted for eight days until oil that was fit for use in the temple could be obtained.
The lighting of the Hanukkah candles commemorates this miracle. The candles are placed on the menorah or hanukkiya, a nine-branch candelabrum. The ninth branch of the hanukkiya holds the shamash, or servant light. This branch is lit first and is used to light a new candle on successive nights. The candle lighting is accompanied by the chanting of blessings.
December 22, Winter Solstice
The Winter Solstice is the day when the distance between the Tropic of Capricorn and the sun is the shortest. Because of the earth’s tilt, the Northern Hemisphere is leaning farther away from the sun than at any other time during the year. This makes the Winter Solstice the shortest day in the Northern Hemisphere where it marks the beginning of winter.
Because ancient cultures were unaware of the changes in the Earth’s position, they feared that the sunlight would never return. To bring the sunlight back, they engaged in many celebrations and ceremonies.
Hundreds of years ago, a Roman culture celebrated its major festival on the Winter solstice. When Julius Caesar instituted a new calendar in Rome, the festival fell on December 25, a date that was retained for many years. About 1600 years ago, Pope Julius I chose this date for Christmas in order to replace the pagan tradition with a Christian one.
December 25, Christmas (Christian, Roman Catholic, International)
Christians have celebrated the birth of Jesus Christ, described in this passage from the Gospel of Saint Luke in the New Testament for more than 1600 years. Christmas (from Old English Cristes maesse or Mass of Christ”) is observed annually on December 25 although the exact date of Christ’s birth is not known. The Christmas season begins on the First Sunday of Advent and ends on Epiphany.
December 26, Boxing Day (Canada, United Kingdom)
Boxing Day is the day after Christmas. It is also called St. Stephen’s Day. Stephen was a Martyr who was stoned to death shortly after Christ’s crucifixion. The term may come from the opening of church poor boxes that day; maybe from the earthenware boxes with which boy apprentices collected money at the doors of their masters’ clients.
December 26 – January 1, Kwanzaa (African-American)
Kwanzaa is an African-American cultural festival beginning on December 26 and ending on January 1. Dr. Maulana Ron Karenga created the festival in 1966. Dr. Karenga’s goal was to establish a holiday that would facilitate African-American goals of building a strong family, learning about African-American history, and developing unity.
December 31, New Years Eve (United Stated, International)
New Year’s Eve is the last day of the calendar year, on December 31 in the Gregorian calendar. Since most of the world uses this calendar, New Year’s Eve is celebrated around the globe.
