We Wish You a Merry Holiday and Another Successful Year

The atmosphere of holiday cheer has finally embraced the halls of John A. Ferguson High and with a population of over 4,000 students, there are many different ways of celebrating the festivities of the season. Moreover, the holidays have brought with them the 2-week Winter break, so that period of much-needed relaxation is just another gift under the Christmas tree.

Along with shifts like the weather getting chillier and people starting to sport their woven sweaters, we must also cherish the cultural aspect of this cheerful time. What better way to do so than through the many diverse holidays celebrated around the community? Amongst them are celebrations like Christmas, Hannukah, and Kwanzaa, which all offer distinctly recognizable characteristics.

One of the most well-known holidays is Christmas not only in America, but in Germany, and most notably around 160 countries across the globe. However, there’s a lot more to learn about this tradition than meets the eye. Generally, Christmas is a mainly Christian holiday that is celebrated to commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ of Nazareth in Jerusalem. An interesting idea to note is that Christmas day on the 25^th of December is not the exact date of his birth, but rather a rough estimate because it wasn’t mentioned in the Bible.

With this knowledge being broadcast across the world through the movement and resettling of people, many regions have developed their own traditional forms of how Christmas should be celebrated. In one such case, Germany, one of the countries where Christmas is most popular, developed the use of a “Christmas tree” in the 16^th century along with using pyramids of wood decorated with evergreens and candles in some circumstances. Icelanders love Christmas so much that they have multiple Santa Clauses Yule-lads that deliver Christmas gifts.

Students around the school are taking advantage of Christmas and their time off to travel and experience such cultural differences. “I’ll probably be going on vacation to Cuba this Christmas, leading to my family being pretty happy this year,” shared senior, Rome Prendes. It’s this opportunity to bring Christmas along with you that brings so much joy to people, as it’s pretty difficult to ignore high spirits. “You can really feel Christmas in the air,” Prendes continued.

While Christmas is a wonderful holiday, it would be unwise to overlook the beauty of some often-underappreciated traditions. For one, Chanukah, or Hannukah being the most widely used title, is a Jewish festival that is celebrated for 8 days, this year being from December 18^th to December 26^th.  Specifically, Hannukah celebrates the recovery of Jerusalem and the redaction of the Holy Temple.

Like all holidays, there are activities involved, in this Jewish Festival of Lights like the lighting of a menorah. On each day, the Shamash, who symbolizes light over darkness, lights another branch of the Menorah using the flame of the first. The use of a dreidel has also become a common token for Hannukah, as these four-sided spinning tops are typically used to play gambling games during the holiday. The origin of this tradition was actually a way for Jewish people to practice their knowledge of the Torah, the Hebrew Bible, underground and in secret.

Adding to this list of winter cheers is the celebration of Kwanza from December 26 to January 1^st this year. Kwanzaa comes from South African origin, or more specifically from Maulana Karenga, a major contributor to Afrocentrism in the United States. During this holiday, people take the time to recognize the 7 principles of Kwanza: Unity, self-determination, collective responsibility, cooperative economics, purpose, creativity, and faith. Such concepts are considered and taken into consideration amongst Africans across the globe. Similar to Hannukah, Kwanza also has a candle holder called the Kinara, which is meant to be lit after discussing each principle.

Despite these unique values, all of these holidays have a common denominator, that being to spend time with family with a feast and enjoy sharing and receiving gifts from others. “My favorite part about Chanukah is the feast, which has the bracelet, sometimes latkes, kugel (egg noodle casserole) and making challah, and opening presents on either the first or eighth night,” said senior Jay Lewis. The feast for Kwanzaa is on December 31^st in a traditional familial get-together called the karamu. Christmas, on the other hand, can either take place on the 24h or 25^th while the actual Christmas gifts are exchanged on Christmas Eve on the 24^th.

But of course, traditions vary, and some people consider their holiday celebrations to be the festivities that lead up to and boil over during New Year’s Day, which also takes place during the holiday break. Considering that a new year is pretty much universal, there are many attractions and opportunities available to appreciate. “I’m going to enjoy going to North Carolina for the holiday and probably going to see the ball drop in New York with my family all in high spirits,” said senior Dario Collazo. Moreover, New Year’s resolutions have become increasingly popular over the years to encourage better lifestyles and serve as a catalyst for achieving new goals.

With all of these components of the wonderful winter season to keep in mind, it is with love for our readers that no matter what you may celebrate, the Talon staff wishes you a joyful holiday, a restful break, and another prosperous year, We thank you for your support and hope to continue delivering a memorable reading experience for years to come.