As winter approaches, there are several well known holidays and traditions from all over the world, including Christmas and Hanukkah, which have celebrations that are about to begin. However, there are many other holidays and traditions that are somewhat less well known, but no less important and fun from various cultures.
Italy has a popular Christmas tradition known as La Belfana. Similar to Santa Claus, La Belfana is a witch who comes down the chimney and delivers gifts to children. Although, instead of dropping off the presents on Christmas, the witch delivers them on Epiphany Eve, also known as the 12th Night.
Winter Solstice is a holiday which is celebrated by a variety of cultures, and dates back to ancient times, and was likely the inspiration for many Christmas and Hanukkah traditions. It is celebrated on the longest night of the year, December 21. Some still celebrate it today, or holidays adjacent to it, such as the Scandinavian St. Lucia’s Day, a festival of light, and the Persian Yalda festival, which also concerns the celebration of light.
A somewhat more common tradition, Boxing Day is a holiday celebrated the day after Christmas, December 26. Typically celebrated in England, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, Boxing Day involves a cozy day with family and friends, and oftentimes a large dinner.
Although often associated with Halloween, a popular Ukrainian tradition involves spider web ornaments on Christmas trees. The spider web decorations originate from a fairytale about spiders which helped decorate a family’s christmas tree, and are now incorporated into the holiday by many families.
In Iceland, during the 13 days leading up to Christmas, children leave out their shoes on their windowsills, so that the 13 Yule Lads leave them a gift. The 13 Yule Lads are friendly mountain trolls from Icelandic folklore, which reward good children with small gifts left in their shoes, and deliver naughty children potatoes instead.
The Night of the Radishes is a popular tradition in Oaxaca, Mexico, and occurs on December 23. It involves large radishes being carved into elaborate designs, and displayed. Oftentimes, there is also a competition involved.
However, in addition to these lesser known global traditions, many students at Pace also have their own holiday traditions. Junior Jocelyn Axelrod celebrates a combination of familial traditions, including Chrismukkah, a combination of Christmas and Hanukkah. Her family also sets out a dinner that incorporates both Cuban and Jewish food for the event. Jocelyn stated, “it’s a fun thing, we decorate the table half and half.”
Throughout the winter season, people all over the world are celebrating various holidays and traditions, whether well known like Christmas and Hanukkah, or more obscure such as 12th Night and the Night of the Radishes.
A display from the Night of the Radishes in Oaxaca. PHOTO: Atlas Obscura