As SUNY Oswego closes the semester and begins to enter the holiday season, there are many things to be thankful for and holidays to enjoy. While understanding that not all members of our community observe these holidays, acknowledging them is a form of education. This piece highlights three cultural holidays:
- Hanukkah (Chanukah): Dec. 18 to 26
- Christmas: Dec. 25
- Kwanzaa: Dec. 26 to Jan. 1
Hanukkah
Hanukkah (also known as Chanukah) is a eight-day Jewish celebration which begins on the evening of Sunday, Dec. 18 and ends the evening of Monday, Dec. 26. Hanukkah or Chanukah is the Hebrew word meaning “dedication.” It is often called the Festival of Lights which involves the lighting of the menorah (a nine-branched candelabrum), eating of traditional Hanukkah foods such as the sufganiyot (jam-filled donuts), games involving the dreidels (four-sided spinning tops) and exchanging of gifts.
The inspiration of Hanukkah took place during a difficult phase in Jewish history. The holiday itself recognizes the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem during the Maccabean Revolt in the second century B.C.
Christmas
Christmas, celebrated Dec. 25 every year, was first declared a federal holiday in the United States on June 26, 1870. Christians observe Christmas Day as the anniversary of the birth of Jesus of Nazareth, a spiritual leader whose teachings form the foundation of their faith.
Gift-exchanging, Christmas tree-decorating, church attendance, gathering with family and friends for meals, and waiting for Santa Claus to arrive are all common customs during Christmas and what make Dec. 25 known to some as “the most wonderful time of the year.”
Kwanzaa
Kwanzaa is a weeklong celebration held in the United States that honors African heritage in African-American culture. The holiday begins its observance on Dec. 26 and lasts until Jan. 1.
Kwanzaa is relatively new in relativity to other holidays celebrated in the United States. Dr. Maulana Karenga, professor and chairman of Africana studies at California State University, first created Kwanzaa in 1966. He created this holiday in response to the Watts Riots in Los Angeles in 1965 as a way to bring African-Americans together as a community.
Holiday events
Here are a list of events to consider (there are many more events that are not listed, so please be on the lookout around your community for local events):
New York City:
Kwanzaa: Holiday Cultural Experience
Dec. 14
4 to 8 p.m., Major R. Owens Health & Wellness Community Center, 1561 Bedford Ave., Brooklyn
Chanukah: Music at the Museum: Celebrate Chanukah at Eldridge
Dec. 25
2 to 3:30 p.m. Museum at Eldridge Street 12 Eldridge St., NYC
Syracuse:
A Kwanzaa Karamu: A Community Celebration
Dec. 17
11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Danial Family Education Center, 401 Harrison St.
Chanukah: Jewish Community Center of Syracuse: Chanukah at the JCC
Dec. 18
12:30 to 3 p.m., 5655 Thompson Rd.
Oswego:
Christmas Showcase
Dec. 18
1 p.m., Anthony J. Crisafulli Ice Rink, 32 Fort Ontario Rd.
Tara and Melanie Christmas Paint and Sip
Dec. 10
1 p.m. Cost: $10, North Ohio St.
-- Submitted by the James A. Triandiflou ‘88 Institute for Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Transformative Practice