Writing by Gia Miller
Artwork by Justin Negard
Thanksgiving is a holiday unique to the U.S. and Christmas is an official public holiday in over 160 countries around the world. But they are not the only holidays celebrated during November and December. From celebrating good winning over evil to getting boxes of money, here are five other celebrations during this time.
November 1:
Diwali
Diwali, also called the Festival of Lights, began in India as part of the Hindu religion. Celebrated by more than a billion people around the world, Diwali is a five-day festival that celebrates good winning over evil and light over darkness. There are traditional foods, fireworks and lanterns on display during Diwali, and the holiday begins with praying to Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth and good fortune. Another Diwali tradition is an art called rangoli, which uses colorful sand or rice to create colorful and elaborate patterns. Many families have their own pattern, passed down from generation to generation.
December 8:
Bodhi Day
Bodhi Day is a Buddhist holiday that celebrates the day the “Historic Buddha,” Siddhartha Gautama, had his “aha moment.” The Buddha, devastated by how much people suffered, vowed to sit under a large tree, now known as the “Bodhi Tree,” and meditate until he could understand why people suffer. After many days (the exact amount is unknown), he finally came to the realization that people suffer because they get attached to things, but if they didn’t do that, then they wouldn’t suffer. To celebrate this day, Buddhists meditate and engage in acts of kindness.
December 25: Hanukkah
Hanukkah, which begins and ends according to the lunisolar (moon and sun) calendar, is a Jewish festival of lights. It celebrates a battle in 168 B.C.E. when the small, poorly armed Jewish army fought to save the Holy Temple in Jerusalem, defeating the Syrian army, one of the mightiest armies at the time. When they searched the temple for oil to use for light, they only found one single jar—enough for one day. However, that one jar lasted eight nights. This victory and the oil miracle are celebrated by lighting a menorah for eight nights, starting with one candle on the first night and lighting one more each night until the entire menorah is lit.
December 26: Boxing Day
Celebrated in the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, the name Boxing Day comes from a very old tradition of handing out boxes of money or small gifts to employees or people in the service industry. It began in the 1600s, and even though gifts are no longer given, the name remains. Now, Boxing Day is one of the biggest shopping days of the year.
December 31: Omisoka
Omisoka, the Japanese New Year, is celebrated on the last day of the year. People who celebrate focus on doing a deep cleaning of their home and themselves so everyone can begin the new year fresh. They will also pay off any debts and spend time with family and friends in the evening. Towards the end of the night, they’ll eat toshi-koshi buckwheat noodles to symbolize their desire for a life as long as the noodles.
This article was published in the November/December 2024 edition of Connect to Northern Westchester.
To read other articles in this special 18 and under guide to surviving the holidays, click here.
Gia Miller is an award-winning journalist and the editor-in-chief/co-publisher of Connect to Northern Westchester. She has a magazine journalism degree (yes, that's a real thing) from the University of Georgia and has written for countless national publications, ranging from SELF to The Washington Post. Gia desperately wishes schools still taught grammar. Also, she wants everyone to know they can delete the word "that" from about 90% of their sentences, and there's no such thing as "first annual." When she's not running her media empire, Gia enjoys spending quality time with friends and family, laughing at her crazy dog and listening to a good podcast. She thanks multiple alarms, fermented grapes and her amazing husband for helping her get through each day. Her love languages are food and humor.
Justin is an award-winning designer and photographer. He was the owner and creative director at Future Boy Design, producing work for clients such as National Parks Service, Vintage Cinemas, The Tarrytown Music Hall, and others. His work has appeared in Bloomberg TV, South by Southwest (SXSW), Edible Magazine, Westchester Magazine, Refinery 29, the Art Directors Club, AIGA and more.
Justin is a two-time winner of the International Design Awards, American Photography and Latin America Fotografia. Vice News has called Justin Negard as “one of the best artists working today.”
He is the author of two books, On Design, which discusses principles and the business of design, and Bogotà which is a photographic journey through the Colombian capital.
Additionally, Justin has served as Creative Director at CityMouse Inc., an NYC-based design firm which provides accessible design for people with disabilities, and has been awarded by the City of New York, MIT Media Lab and South By Southwest.
He lives in Katonah with his wonderfully patient wife, son and daughter.
