THE CARAVAN  Volume 6, Issue 12, December 2007

COMMUNITY HOLIDAY CELEBRATIONS

Well it is that time of year again where the holiday season is upon us. Many of you, who go by your respective City Halls, will have seen the Nativity Scene. City Hall also becomes decorated in lights and symbols.

For Christians this marks the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ, the Son of God in the Christian world. As part of the celebration, families come together and bring gifts as the wise men did during that first Christmas.

There are also many people who celebrate Christmas without the religious tie. But both the commercial Christmas and the Religious Christmas has the same joyous gift giving concepts that bring family together for celebrations, food and an exchange of gifts. It is the time of year when everyone wishes every person they meet a Very Merry Christmas.

But Christmas is not the only celebration that happens at this time of year.

Diwali (or Deepavali) is The Festival of Lights to Hindus around the world. It is a festival that signifies the victory of divine forces over tyranny and evil. Diwali is celebrated for five days. The uniqueness of this festival lies in its harmony of varied philosophies, with each day dedicated to a special thought or ideal.

Families light many candles and lamps to ward off darkness or ignorance and welcome light or knowledge into their lives. The lighting of lamps symbolizes joy and prosperity. Thanks are given for health, wealth, knowledge, peace, valour and fame. The festivities include firecrackers, sweets, finery, feasts and many celebrations with friends and families.

Jewish families celebrate Hanukkah. The word Hanukkah means dedication in Hebrew. The celebration commemorates the victorious recapture of the Temple in Jerusalem from the Syrians in 164 B.C. The Temple had only one small lamp in it, with barely enough oil for one day, but when lit, the lamp miraculously lasted eight days, giving the victors enough time to make more oil for the Temple.

Each December, Jewish families symbolically re-light the Holy Lamp (menorah) symbolizing the rededication of the temple to God. The menorah is placed in the window so that all who pass may see the bright and beautiful glow, to remind us of the miracle and valour which is represented in the holiday. The holiday is celebrated with small gifts, family gatherings and games with the dreidel.

Eid al-Fitr is known as the "Festival of Fast-Breaking" in the Muslim world. It is the day that marks the end of Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar in which Muslims all over the world fast from dawn to dusk. The fasting includes abstaining from food and drinks and focusing on self-purification in terms of spirituality and remembering God by doing additional prayers. Ramadan is a time of worship and contemplation, a time to strengthen family and community ties.

At the end of the month, when the new moon appears and the signal is given that Ramadan has ended, every Muslim must give a gift to the poor, and then the feasting begins. Presents, sweet treats and family gatherings with friends, music and entertainment are part of the fun.

Another celebration is that of Winter Solstice. This is the celebration of midwinter, the longest night of the year and the preparation for the rest of the long winter ahead. During this time meat was slaughtered and the wine had reached is fermentation and was ready to drink. Solstice spawned many other festivals throughout the world, too many to chronicle in this Caravan, but you certainly can check out Wikipedia.org to find out more about all of the festivals I have mentioned.

. A few years ago, the Mayor’s Committee on Community and Race Relations in St. Catharines wanted to show the city’s support for all of its diverse communities as well as taking Christmas out of the closet. Some suggested that we shouldn’t just celebrate Christmas at this time of year because our community has become so diverse. It was decided that the city would celebrate ALL of the main stream festivals that occur during this holiday season. That is when the signs were erected behind the Nativity at city hall in St. Catharines that commemorate these various holidays.

St. Catharines is a place of inclusion, not exclusion and as we become more diverse it is important to celebrate our differences by educating rather than segregating. You will notice that all of the festivals are about celebrating family and the community coming together with gifts, bright colours and good food.

This year as you celebrate your specific festival remember to give to those who are less fortunate than yourselves. And let’s strive to extend this mind set through the rest of the year so we can attain true “Peace on Earth” by understanding and accepting our sameness rather than argue about our difference.

So…HAPPY DIWALI...HAPPY HANUKKAH…HAPPY EID… HAPPY SOLSTICE…AND…MERRY CHRISTMAS to all of you!


Ted



MOM’S TWO CENTS
By Jordin Williamson

HAPPY HOLIDAYS

Well, it’s here. The holiday season is upon us and once again and I am already tired. I’m feeling overwhelmed by crowds and baking and party obligations. Did we make it to the right store for that right gift? Did we send the right people the right holiday card? Do the kids have their outfits for the big day? Is the house going to be clean when my mother-in-law comes over? Wow, I love the Holidays!

Funny thing is that I really do love the holidays. I love the time we spend with family and the kids get so excited about Santa. You get to talk to people you haven’t seen all year and you get an excuse to indulge in sweets for a whole month.

Penniless and 10 pounds heavier I will wake up on Christmas morning as excited as the kids; happy to be alive and healthy and surrounded by people that love me, if only we could all be this lucky.

So Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all of you no matter what you are celebrating at this festive time of year.



Quote of the Month
Submitted by Brodi Mouradian

Merry Christmas, movie house! Merry Christmas, Emporium! Merry Christmas, you wonderful old Building and Loan!
- George Bailey (It's a Wonderful Life - 1946)


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