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The DREAM Team is excited to share the histories and traditions of nine winter holidays, some of which are celebrated within our Macerich family. In this issue you will discover why Hanukkah celebrates the ‘miracle
different perspectives, beliefs, cultures, and walks of life of friends,
of the oil’ and how to make Gabrielle Licht’s favorite Hanukkah
peers, strangers and neighbors, to embrace each other’s stories and
dishes; explore the history of Our Lady of Guadalupe; learn about the
differences and come together to share our
Scandinavian festival of lights and read a family story from Miriam
common joys.
Cardone; discover fun facts about Christmas and hear how Heather Bryant celebrates the Feast of the Seven Fishes (and Friends!); explore
Thank you all for joining us over the last three months in reading and
the seven principles of Kwanzaa; be briefed on how our friends
learning about cultures and days of recognition that are honored by
from across the pond and to the north observe Boxing Day; learn
many of our colleagues and various communities across our country.
how Omisoka is celebrated in Japan; find out what makes Armenian
We also want to give a special thank you to those of you who have
Christmas unique; and learn about the many celebrations of the winter
connected with our team to share your family stories and cultural
solstice season.
celebrations; it has been a joy to learn from you. We hope you all will continue to engage with us in the New Year as we launch new
While many of our holiday celebrations differ—we come together for
programming and resources, and we encourage you to watch our
many occasions, enjoy unique cultural foods, and celebrate special
special holiday traditions video!
traditions of our own - the holidays continue to bring people together around the common joys of spending time with loved ones, cooking
Happy Holidays Macerich Family!
family recipes, gathering around the dinner table, and winding down to enjoy the simple comforts of our home. This holiday season,
DREAM Team
we are actively opening our hearts and minds to learn about the
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he events that inspired Hanukkah took place
*THE TRUTH IS BOTH ARE CONSIDERED CORRECT,
during a particularly turbulent time in Jewish
THOUGH HANUKKAH IS THE MOST WIDELY
history. Several interpretations exist, but historians
believe the tradition arose as a result of civil unrest between those who chose to adopt the Greek and Syrian customs under Antiochus IV and the Seleucid Empire,
USED SPELLING, WHILE CHANUKAH IS MORE TRADITIONAL. SINCE HEBREW DOES NOT USE THE LATIN ALPHABET THE TRANSLATION IS NOT EXACT AS THE HOLIDAY NAME USES SOUNDS THAT AREN’T FOUND IN THE LATIN ALPHABET USED BY THE
and the traditionalists who were determined to conserve
ENGLISH LANGUAGE. THERE ARE MORE THAN 20
Jewish laws and traditions.
OTHER VARIATIONS RECORDED!
Following the success of their rebellion, the Jewish traditionalists’ first task was to cleanse the Second Temple
Because the Hebrew calendar is lunisolar, Hanukkah is not
by rebuilding its altar and lighting its menorah— the
observed on the same date every year. The celebration
candelabra’s seven branches representing knowledge and
always begins on the 25th of Kislev, meaning it typically
creation were meant to burn every night. Even though
falls in November or December of the Gregorian calendar
only a small amount of olive oil was available to keep the
— the same season as Thanksgiving and Christmas.
candles burning, the flame lasted for eight nights which was seen as a wondrous event and is said to have inspired
Traditional Hanukkah foods are fried in oil as a symbol
the Hanukkah eight-day celebration observed today, “the
of the ‘miracle’. The most popular recipes include fried
miracle of the oil”.
potato pancakes called latkes and homemade doughnuts called sufganiyot. Other Hanukkah customs include
The Hanukkah celebration revolves around the kindling
playing with four-sided spinning tops called dreidels and
of a nine-branched menorah, known in Hebrew as the
exchanging gifts. And traditionally, children receive gelt,
hanukiah. On each of the holiday’s eight nights, another
the Yiddish word for money, from the adults.
candle is added to the menorah after sundown; the ninth candle, called the shamash or “helper”, is used to light the others. Blessings are typically recited during this ritual and menorah’s displayed prominently in windows as a reminder to others of the miracle that inspired the holiday.
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e asked around for some favorite Hanukkah
CLASSIC POTATO LATKES
dishes and Stacy Turchin Rosenthal and
INGREDIENTS
Gabrielle Licht came through! While they
•
each have a lot to look forward to every Hanukkahcompetitive dreidal games at Stacy’s house and
2 large Russet potatoes (about 1 pound), scrubbed and cut lengthwise into quarters
•
1 large onion (8 ounces), peeled and cut into
flour and dough everywhere) - dinner time comes with a
•
2 large eggs
few favorite treats, including latkes.
•
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
•
2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt (or 1 teaspoon fine
latkes. He makes a big batch and every year the smoke
•
1 teaspoon baking powder
alarm goes off and we say “Now it’s Chanukah!” since the
•
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
alarm going off is as much a part of our tradition it seems.
•
Safflower or other oil, for frying
There is some debate on how to top your latkes, some like
applesauce, some like it plain and then there are those
PREPARATION
few who like sour cream. In our family, we are traditional
1.
Gabrielle’s early morning baking with her sister (picture
quarters
“Well, my husband is the cook and his go-to are potato
sea salt), plus more for sprinkling
apple sauce toppers!” - Stacy
Using a food processor with a coarse grating disc, grate the potatoes and onion. Transfer the mixture to a clean dishtowel and squeeze and wring out as
With any great debate, it’s best to hear from multiple sides. Gabrielle says, “I love fresh apple sauce on top of
much of the liquid as possible. 2.
Working quickly, transfer the mixture to a large bowl.
mine, but if I ever want it a bit more savory I add sour
Add the eggs, flour, salt, baking powder and pepper,
cream and some chives.” It sounds like applesauce is the
and mix until the flour is absorbed.
winner. If you’re giving latkes a try this December, look no further than Stacy’s family recipe and Gabrielle’s no-cook applesauce recipe. Plus, Gabrielle shared her recipe for an easy and delicious brisket, a traditional entrée commonly served for many Jewish holidays.
DID YOU KNOW? •
Harry Truman was the first president to celebrate Hanukkah at the White House
•
The Torah doesn’t mention Hanukkah at all
•
An astronaut once celebrated Hanukkah in space
•
“The Chanukah Song” is a novelty song written by comedian Adam Sandler and was performed on SNL on December 3, 1994
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In a medium heavy-bottomed pan over medium-high
heat, pour in about 1/4 inch of the oil. Once the oil is hot
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Yellow Onion
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Canned Tomato Sauce
(a drop of batter placed in the pan should sizzle), use a heaping tablespoon to drop the batter into the hot pan,
PREPARATION
cooking in batches. Use a spatula to flatten and shape
1.
Rub your brisket in 1/4 cup of brown sugar, salt,
2.
Put the brisket in a pan with hot oil and brown each
the drops into discs. When the edges of the latkes are
pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder.
brown and crispy, about 5 minutes, flip. Cook until the second side is deeply browned, about another 5 minutes.
side.
Transfer the latkes to a paper towel-lined plate to drain 3.
and sprinkle with salt while still warm. Repeat with the
canned tomato sauce.
remaining batter. 4.
Put browned brisket in tin on top of tomato sauce
5.
Cover the brisket with tin foil- no air hole!
6.
Let it cook for 2 hours at 400 degrees then slice and
and cover the top lightly with tomato sauce.
GABRIELLE’S NO-COOK APPLESAUCE INGREDIENTS •
2 apples
•
1/4 cup sugar
•
Cinnamon
•
Line a deep tin with yellow onion cut into slivers, and
put back into the sauce and let it cook for another 2.5 hours at 375. 7.
1/2 lemon
The brisket should fall apart! It’s delicious.
PREPARATION 1.
Chop the apples as fine as you’d like and mix them in a bowl with the sugar, cinnamon, and lemon juice.
2.
Cover in the fridge for an hour let the juice come together and mix well before serving.
GAB’S MOUTH-WATERING BRISKET INGREDIENTS •
Brisket
•
Brown Sugar
•
Salt and Pepper
•
Garlic Powder
•
Onion Powder
FOR MORE HOLIDAY RECIPES, REVISIT THE MACERICH COOKBOOK AND HOLIDAY VIDEO!
“NO MATTER HOW YOU CELEBRATE OR WITH WHO— YOU TAKE THE TIME TO ENJOY THE MOMENTS BOTH BIG AND SMALL. HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO ALL!”
GABRIELLE LICHT’S HOMEMADE LATKES
– STACY TURCHIN ROSENTHAL
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elebrated on December 12, Our Lady of Guadalupe is a powerful symbol of devotion, identity, and patriotism for Mexicans and
Mexican-Americans as well as other Latinos. Her image inspires artists, activists, feminists, and the faithful. She is seen as a mother figure, forgiving and all-loving.
According to Catholic accounts, the mother of God appeared to a peasant named Juan Diego in 1531 on a hill near present-day Mexico City and asked that he build her a shrine. Twice Juan Diego reported her appearance to his local bishop, who did not believe him. The second time, the bishop asked for proof. On the morning of December 12, the vision appeared again to Juan Diego and directed him to gather flowers at the top of the hill which was an unusual request during the winter when flowers were not in season. Nonetheless, he followed her instructions and discovered an array of Castilian roses.
DID YOU KNOW?
The “lady” helped Juan Diego arrange them in his tilma,
•
Diego revealed his cloak, the roses tumbled out along
•
She is one of the most famous apparitions in the
•
The story of Our Lady of Guadalupe was a driving
world
with an image of the Virgin Mary. Since then, this image has been known as Our Lady of Guadalupe.
She is an inextricable part of Mexican and Mexican American culture
or cloak, and he returned to his bishop. When Juan
factor in the conversion of many of Mexico’s indigenous people to Catholicism
Her presence has grown beyond the religious sects as she has played an important role in Mexican nationalism
•
Her appearance happened just 10 years after Spain’s
•
Our Lady of Guadalupe became a symbol of
conquest of central Mexico
and identity. Throughout Mexican history, she has been seen as a patroness of revolution. During the Mexican War of Independence (1810-1821) and during the civil war
patriotism and the nation during Mexico’s war of
in Mexico (1926–1929) she appeared on rebel banners.
independence from Spain in 1810, the Mexican
Her continuing significance as a religious and national
revolution, and the Mexican-American civil rights movement
symbol is attested by the hundreds of thousands of pilgrims who visit her shrine, Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City, Mexico, every year.
•
Depictions of Our Lady of Guadalupe have remained consistent for centuries
OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE, ALSO KNOWN AS THE VIRGIN OF GUADALUPE, IS A CATHOLIC TITLE OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY ASSOCIATED WITH A SERIES OF FIVE MARIAN APPARITIONS IN DECEMBER 1531, AND A VENERATED IMAGE ON A CLOAK ENSHRINED WITHIN THE BASILICA OF OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE IN MEXICO CITY. THE BASILICA IS THE MOST VISITED CATHOLIC PILGRIMAGE SITE IN THE WORLD, AND THE WORLD’S THIRD MOST-VISITED SACRED SITE.
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aint Lucia’s Day is a festival of lights, celebrated in Sweden, Norway, the Swedish-speaking areas of Finland, and parts of the United States, observed
on December 13th in honor of St. Lucy who is believed to be one of the earliest Christian martyrs killed by the Romans because of her religious beliefs.
The festival begins with a procession led by a St. Lucia designee, who is followed by young girls dressed in white to resemble Lucia figures called lussegubbar wearing lighted wreaths on their heads and boys dressed in white pajama-like costume singing traditional songs. The festival marks the beginning of the Christmas season in Scandinavia, and it is meant to bring hope and light during the darkest time of the year. Families observe St. Lucia’s Day in their homes by having one of their daughters, traditionally the eldest, dress in white and serve coffee and baked goods, such as saffron bread called lussekatter and ginger biscuits, to the other members of the family. These traditional foods are also given to visitors throughout the day.
TRADITIONAL GINGER SNAPS ARE A FAVORITE IN MANY CULTURES DURING THE HOLIDAYS
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A FA M I LY M E M O B Y
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rowing up in the Midwest, from family of
to slow down. We came up out of a dip in the narrow
Scandinavian descent, we acknowledged the
country road heading up a hill when a barn became
day within our home as with most holidays and
visible through the front windshield. Surreal as it seemed,
traditions, mainly evolving around food by baking the
and in disbelief, it was a barn and my father’s speed
traditional sweets. We also burned candles signifying the
(and possibly the age of the old barn) made it possible
Festival of Lights.
for us to break through the barn wall, drift through the empty building and break through the other side before
During my last two years of high school we hosted two
the car stalled. We were the first to go through the
Swedish exchange students, Anna my junior year and
building. Lights from another car could be seen coming.
Carina my senior year. The first year, our student Anna
Three of us got out in the storm and headed down the
was homesick so we located a Swedish community
ditch through the snow and wind to the upper side of
near us in Iowa and drove to their event 2 hours away.
the hill as Father kept trying to start the car. Finally the
Everyone gathered at the high school auditorium and
engine cooperated and he moved our car just as the next
shared in the décor, music, dancing, food and the young
car came through. While our vehicle was damaged and
girls dressed in white gowns with the red sashes and
scratched, the next vehicle (a VW bug) was not so lucky
crowns of lights while others dressed in traditional
and had more damage with boards going through the
clothing. It was magical! It was a Saturday event and
windshield.
went well into the evening. Anna was so happy with the festivities.
Dressed in our Scandinavian clothing, freezing and cold we walked up to a nearby farm and asked to use their
The evening grew late and our family climbed back in
phone to call the highway patrol for assistance (yes,
the car to travel home in a violent storm. An odd event
before cell phones!). Not sure if it was “how” we were
of a tornado picked up a barn and dropped it on the
dressed, the hour of the night or the fact that we started
narrow two lane country road with snow, sleet, winds and
out our request with … “not sure if you are missing a
rains blasting. My father was driving faster than “safe
barn, but we just drove through one on the road and we
for conditions” since he had not completed his Sermon
need help.” After the farmer drove down to confirm it
notes for the next day. As he drove, my mother and Anna
was his barn we drove through, we were allowed in and
were chattering and I was nervously sitting behind my
assistance came. Father had to wing it for his Sunday
father looking over his shoulder and pleading with him
sermon; the night turned into day as we arrived home just
MY ST. LUCIA COSTUME
O RY hours before Sunday services. Anna joked (for years and to date) that her experience that year for Santa Lucia … Festival of Lights … was when “she saw the light” from our miraculous event where none of us were hurt and we lived through driving through that barn.
The next year when our Swedish student Carina wanted to celebrate the day, we all agreed to keep it less eventful. Carina dressed up in a white gown with a red sash and crown of candles and I chose a Santa suit. We went around our community as the sun came up delivering sweet bread and ginger cookies to friends in the community. One family looked out the window and saw our shadows on the white snow and told us it looked like a reindeer and a large man were approaching. Much less dramatic and much more memorable than hitting a barn!
These days I just eat cinnamon rolls on December 13th and stay off the roads.
SANTA LUCIA DOLL AND MOTHER’S HANDMADE SCANDINAVIAN QUILT
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RADIANCE BASDEN
JUSTIN GARRISON
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BROOKE MANNO BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
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DAVID FOX
CORPORATE MARKETING
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AARON SPECTOR, SPECIALTY LEASING LAUREN SPECTOR, BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
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hristmas is an annual Christian holiday that
TWELVE FUN FACTS FOR TWELVE DAYS
celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ. The 25th day
1.
The traditional Christmas meal before turkey and/or
by the Roman Catholic Church years after His death. The
2.
We can all thank Prince Albert for Christmas trees
holiday is celebrated by Christians all over the world.
3.
Alabama was the first state in the U.S. to have
Christmas trees were first used by ancient Egyptians and
4.
The Statue of Liberty was gifted by France to the
wreaths and garlands. The use of modern Christmas trees
5.
Mistletoe is the symbol of love and laughter
during the holiday started in Germany in the 16th century.
6.
“Jingle Bells” was originally a Thanksgiving song
Instead of the glitzy decorations that we see on them
7.
Christmas decorating sends nearly 15,000 people to
of December was chosen to mark His birthday
ham was a pig’s head covered with mustard
recognized Christmas as an official holiday
Romans, who used evergreens like fir or pine trees as
USA as a Christmas gift in the year 1886
today, they were decorated with fruits and nuts.
the ER a year (Just ask Kurt Ivey about the time he broke his foot hanging roof lights!)
As legend has it, St. Nicholas, or Santa Claus as we know
8.
Santa has his own Canadian postal code
him today, was a Christian bishop who provided for the
9.
Candy canes originated in Germany
poor and needy and enjoyed giving gifts to children. St.
10. It is traditional to eat KFC for Christmas in Japan
Nicholas made his first inroads into American popular
11.
Christmas trees usually grow for 15-years before they
12.
Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer got his start in a
culture towards the end of the 18th century when a New York newspaper reported that a group of Dutch families had gathered to honor the anniversary of his death. Stores began to advertise Christmas shopping in the early 19th century which featured images of the newly popular Santa Claus followed by a life-size model displayed at a Philadelphia shop in 1841. Alas, the shopping mall Santa was born - the most iconic being the department store Santa in the 1947 classic, “Miracle on 34th Street”.
The Twelve Days of Christmas: Legend has it that the three kings took twelve days to travel to the birthplace of baby Jesus, hence the holidays of Christmas are known as 12 days of Christmas.
KATE BIRCHLER AND FAMILY WITH ‘CONTACTLESS’ SANTA AT SCOTTSDALE FASHION SQUARE.
are sold
1839 advertising campaign
C R E AT I N G A FA M I LY TRADITION B Y
H E A T H E R
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The Feast of the Seven Fishes is part of the Italian-
And so it began, after going to mass in late afternoon,
American Christmas Eve celebration (although it is not
my kids would make a chart with everyone’s names and
called that in Italy and is not a “feast” in the sense of
then the seven (or sometimes eight) kind of fish that
“holiday,” but rather a grand meal). Christmas Eve is a
we made so we could keep track of who really ate or
vigil or fasting day, and the abundance of seafood reflects
TRIED Seven Fishes. But we didn’t do the traditional
the observance of abstinence from meat until the feast of
Italian fishes like cod or smelt, we made the fish/seafood
Christmas Day itself.
that we liked or knew that people would eat such as crab dip, tuna fish finger sandwiches, shrimp cocktail,
So one would think an Italian-American family would do
scallops wrapped in bacon, lobster or lobster bisque,
Seven Fishes every Christmas Eve to acknowledge this
clam chowder, sometimes haddock or salmon. It all
celebration and introduce it to new generations, but nope!
depended on what we felt like that year. Everyone would
Ironically I didn’t start celebrating this feast until I married
bring drinks, cocktails, other snacks or desserts and we
my Irish husband!
would gradually eat as the night progressed. Once the eating was over, we would adjourn into the living room for
Each year, my mom, brother and husband’s family would
game time – fan favorites are Catch Phrase and Reverse
come from Syracuse to Rochester for the night. After
Charades – with plenty of laughter! Over the years, our
mass, we would make a half-hearted attempt at a couple
friends have also helped play Santa and wrap gifts for
random fish dishes (not even attempting to get seven)
my kids after they went to bed – one year they even
before lasagna, ziti or pork tenderloin as the main course.
participated in putting together a fish aquarium.
Until one day in early December, a new tradition was
The following year, it wasn’t me asking Dawn IF she was
born...it all started when Mom said she wasn’t coming out
coming over for dinner that special night - it was, “What’s
for Christmas Eve. I was at work and very disappointed.
going to be on the Seven Fishes menu this Christmas
I walked out of my office and expressed that sadness
Eve”? We are coming up on our sixth year and I am so
to my friend Dawn who in turn told me that HER mom
very hopeful that we can still get together on Christmas
wasn’t going to be available for Christmas Eve either.
Eve with our beautiful friends, who we are lucky enough
Ever since I could remember, we had always spent that
to celebrate that night with. And now it is not only Seven
night with family but I thought, “Sometimes friends ARE
Fishes, but Seven Fishes and Friends!
like family.” I looked at her and said, “Why don’t you and your kids (Kennedy and Max) come over for dinner? And we can have dinner, play games, etc.” My husband then suggested we do a formal Seven Fishes and invite other friends over to make the night more festive and the plans snowballed.
“MY BEST HOLIDAY GIFT WAS MY FIRST DAUGHTER—SYDNEY SUSI— WE WERE ABLE TO BRING HER HOME ON DECEMBER 22, JUST IN TIME FOR CHRISTMAS” – HEATHER BRYANT
“MY SEVEN FISHES AND FRIENDS— WOULDN’T HAVE IT ANY OTHER WAY!”
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J A N U A R Y
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In 1966, at the height of the Black Liberation and Civil
SEVEN SYMBOLS:
Rights movements of the 1960s, Maulana Karenga, a
1.
professor and chair of the Department of Africana Studies
roots of African-Americans in agriculture and also
at California State University in Long Beach, created Kwanzaa in an effort to reinforce family, community and
the reward for collective labor 2.
culture among Black Americans.
Seven Principles: The holiday is celebrated over a period
Mazao The Crops which represents the historical
Mkeka The Mat the foundation for growth and self-actualization
3.
Vibunzi Ear of Corn signifies children
4.
Mishumaa Saba The Seven Candles represent the
of seven days, from December 26 to January 1. Each
seven principles of the Nguzo Saba
day is centered on the principles of the Nguzo Saba, the
5.
Kinara The Candleholder symbolizes ancestry
seven core principles of African tradition: Unity, Self-
6.
Kikombe Cha Umoja The Unity Cup symbolizes unity
determination, Collective work, Cooperative economics, Purpose, Creativity and Faith.
between the living and dead 7.
Zawadi Gifts gifts are given by parents to children to reward their accomplishments and commitments
During Kwanzaa, a seven-branch candleholder called the kinara is used for candles that represent the Nguzo Saba. Three candles are red, three candles are green, and the last candle (the center candle) is black. One candle is lit each day. The kinara bears resemblance to the menorah used in the Jewish celebration of Hanukkah. The Bendera, the official holiday flag, is another symbol used to represent the celebration. The colors of the flag correlate with the candle colors: black symbolizes the people, red symbolizes the struggle, and green symbolizes the future and hope that comes from that struggle. Celebrants give gifts on December 31st. Gifts are sometimes handmade and given mainly to children. They must always include a book and a heritage symbol.
DID YOU KNOW: ·
Over 28 million people worldwide celebrate
·
Both Oprah Winfrey and Angelina Jolie
·
Kwanzaa is not considered a religious holiday but
Kwanzaa annually.
celebrate Kwanzaa.
a cultural one with an inherent spiritual quality. ·
Catfish, collards, and macaroni and cheese are some of the staple dishes of Kwanzaa.
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Contrary to popular belief, Boxing Day is not a day
DID YOU KNOW?
where you lace up your gloves and take it out on your
·
December 26th is also known as St. Stephen’s Day.
opponent... Boxing Day originated in the United Kingdom
The first St. Stephen is believed to have been a very
when Queen Victoria held the throne throughout the
early follower of Jesus and he is said to have been
1800s. Boxing Day was given its name during a time
the first Christian Martyr. The second St. Stephen
when people from wealthy classes would box gifts and
was a Missionary, in Sweden, in the 800s. He loved all
give to the poor. It was traditionally a day off of work for
animals but particularly horses (perhaps why there
servants, and the day they received a special Christmas
is traditionally horse racing on Boxing Day). Both St.
box with money, gifts and leftovers from their employers.
Stephens have been associated with charity and giving
Some Boxing Day stories have been passed down as the
for a very long time; and historically that’s what St.
day Alms Boxes were opened and monetary donations
Stephen’s Day/Boxing Day was about.
from parishioners were distributed to the poor. In The
·
In the UK, where football (soccer) is the top dog, all
Netherlands, some collection boxes were made out of
top-tier football leagues hold a full program of matches.
rough pottery called ‘earthenware’ and were shaped like
Other notable sporting events in the UK are rugby
pigs. Perhaps this is where we get the term ‘piggy bank’!
matches and horse racing – the King George VI Chase,
which is the 2nd most prestigious chase in Britain.
Presently, many parts of Europe such as Romania,
·
Hungary, Germany, Poland, the Netherlands, Czech
annually between the Australian cricket team and an
Republic and Scandinavia celebrate December 26th as a second Christmas Day. Boxing Day is also celebrated all
In Australia, they host the Boxing Day Test match
opposing national team. ·
over the world in Canada, Nigeria, Ireland, South Africa
The IIHF World Junior Ice Hockey Championship begins December 26th and will be held in Canada this year,
and Hong Kong.
without spectators due to COVID-19. ·
Actual boxing does occur on Boxing Day - In some African Commonwealth nations, particularly Ghana, Uganda, Malawi, Zambia and Tanzania, professional boxing contests are held on December 26th. This practice has also been followed for decades in Guyana and Italy.
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ARMENIAN CHRISTMAS J A N U A R Y
Most people are surprised when their Armenian friend or co-worker mentions Christmas Day in January. This is also true for people from over a dozen Orthodox Christian countries, like Russia, Greece and Ukraine.
The New Year marks the end of the holiday season here in the United States but in Armenia they are just getting started. There, New Year’s Eve kicks off two weeks of holidays during which Armenians celebrate Christ’s Nativity, his Baptism and the Epiphany (which means the revelation that Jesus was God’s son). January 6 is acknowledged as the day when the Wise Men visited the infant Jesus.
How is Christmas different in Armenia? Christmas Eve, January 5, is a public holiday. Armenians light their homes and churches with candles to illuminate the end of dark days and long nights. Christmas Day, also a public holiday, is known to Armenians as Water Blessing Day to commemorate Christ’s baptism. Holy water, blessed by the head priest, is shared with families in the community. The coming holiday will be celebrated January 5, 2021.
The Armenian Apostolic Church celebrates Christmas on January 6th. Why? As Christianity expanded into Western Europe, the people there had been celebrating a Roman holiday, “Solis Invicti” on December 25th. Rather than compete with an already popular holiday, the church simply decided to move Christmas Day to December 25th and celebrate January 6th as the Feast of the Epiphany. Shenoraavor Nor Dari!
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O M I S O KA D E C E M B E R
E
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very year on December 31st, or New Year’s Eve,
noodle tradition. It is believed that udon sounds like “un”
people around the world celebrate the last day
which means luck or fortune in Japanese. Noodles are
of the year from large gatherings and public
often eaten plain, with scallions and sometimes tempura.
celebrations, to small parties and intimate evenings with friends and loved ones. In Japan, December 31st is known
Soba Fun Fact
as Omisoka, meaning “the last great day.” Traditionally it
Goldsmiths used the soba flower to collect gold dust,
was held on the final day of the 12th lunar month, but with
which is why soba noodles represent good fortune.
the adoption of the Gregorian calendar, December 31 is now used for the celebration in Japan.
Toshinoyu Toshinoyu is the practice of bathing the night of Omisoka.
HISTORY BEHIND THE NAME
The bath signifies the cleansing of the past year’s
·
‘uncleanliness’ including driving out evil spirits and bad luck.
The last day of each month was historically named misoka. The last day in the 12th lunar month was
·
called Omisoka – the “great thirtieth day”
As midnight approaches, many people across Japan visit
The last night of the year on Omisoka day is called
a shrine or temple for hatsumode, or the first shrine, or
Jo-ya night. Jo-ya night means “the night to remove
temple visit, and prayer of the year. It is a tradition to
last year’s evil.”
stay up all night to welcome the Toshigama-sama god at the beginning of the new year. At some Shinto shrines,
Oshogatsu (New Year) traditions in Japan are aimed at
amazake, a sweet, low-alcohol Japanese drink made
ensuring good luck and fortune in the upcoming year.
from fermented rice, is pass out to crowds that gather as
Omisoka customs may include year-end cleaning, or osoji,
midnight approaches. At most Buddhist temples, crowds
repaying debts, enjoying noodles for long-life, known
will gather to listen to the joya no kane, the ringing of a
as Toshikoshi-soba, and self-cleansing and purification,
large bonsho (Buddhist bell) 108 times to represent each
Toshinoyu.
of the earthly sins believed to cause human suffering.
KEY TERMS
More modern Omisoka activities involve social gatherings,
Osoji
and viewing the 4+ hour long Kohaku Uta Gassen (Red/
Osoji is the custom of year-end cleaning. It relates to
White Singing Battle) and mixed martial arts matches.
susubarai, the traditional end-of-year dusting of regalia
The singing competitions is one of the most watched
at Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines. Aside from
television programs. This custom has its roots in the
purifying the home prior to the New Year, the cleaning
ancient Japanese culture surrounding toshigamisama or
and decluttering is also seen as a time to reflect on the
toshitoku-sama, which revolved around the practice of
past year.
showing reverence toward the gods of the current and upcoming years.
Toshikoshi Soba Toshikoshi-soba is a tradition of eating buckwheat soba
Don’t forget to say…
noodles on Omisoka, which represents a “crossing over
·
from one year to the next,” which is the meaning of toshikoshi. The length of the soba noodles are believed to
“Yoi o-toshi wo” (Have a good New Year) when seeing someone for the last time before the New Year.
·
“Akemashite omedeto” (Congratulations on the New
ensure longevity and health, and the easy bite and break
Year), the traditional first greeting at the beginning
into the noodles symbolizes a break from any bad luck in
of the New Year.
the past year. In Western Japan, the dominance of wheatbased udon noodles has produced a separate toshikoshi
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THESE ARE JUST A FEW OF THE MANY, MANY WINTER SOLSTICE CELEBRATIONS AND TRADITIONS AROUND THE WORLD. PERHAPS NEXT YEAR, WE’LL EXPLORE MORE!
YULE WINTER SOLSTICE D E C E M B E R
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Most of us view the Yule Winter Solstice as simply the
would set one end of these logs on fire. The people
shortest day and longest night of the year. But it is so
would feast until the log burned out, which could
much more!
take as many as 12 days. The Norse believed that each spark from the fire represented a new piglet or
Yule is the Pagan and Wiccan celebration of the winter
calf that would be born during the coming year.
solstice, celebrated in December every year, in the southern hemisphere this occurs in June. Cultures around
•
The Chinese celebration of the winter solstice, Dong
the world have long held feasts and celebrated holidays
Zhi (which means “Winter Arrives”), welcomes the
around the winter solstice which marks the start of
return of longer days and the corresponding
astronomical winter. Fire and light are traditional symbols.
increase in positive energy in the year to come.
Humans may have observed the winter solstice as early
•
Native American traditions for the Zuni, a Pueblo
as the Neolithic period – the last part of the Stone Age,
people in western New Mexico, celebrate the winter
beginning about 10,200 BC. Neolithic monuments, such
solstice with a ceremonial dance called Shalako. After fasting, prayer and observing the rising
a Newgrange in Ireland and Meshowe in Scotland, are
and setting of the sun for several days before the
aligned with sunrise on the winter solstice. Stonehenge,
solstice, the Pekwin, or “Sun Priest” traditionally
which is oriented toward the winter solstice sunset may
announces the exact moment of itiwanna, the rebirth
also have been a place of December rituals for Stone Age
of the sun, with a long, mournful call. With that
people.
signal, the rejoicing and dancing begin, as 12 Kachina clowns dance along with the Shalako themselves
SOLSTICE TRADITIONS •
– 12 foot-high effigies with bird heads, seen as
Ancient Romans held several celebrations around
messengers from the gods.
the time of the winter solstice. Saturnalia, a holiday in honor of Saturn, the god of agriculture, was a
•
weeklong celebration. Saturnalia was a hedonistic
The Hopi in northern Arizona celebrate the winter solstice with a similar ritual, the celebration of Soyal.
time, when food and drink were plentiful and the
An all-night ceremony begins, including kindling
normal Roman social order was turned upside down.
fires, dancing and sometimes gift-giving.
For a week, slaves would become masters; Peasants were in command of the city; Business and schools
•
were closed so that everyone could join in the fun.
In Japan, the winter solstice is a traditional practice centered on starting the New Year with health and good luck. People light bonfires to encourage the
•
In addition, members of the upper classes often
sun’s return; huge bonfires burn on Mount Fuji each
celebrated the birthday of Mithra, an ancient Persian
December 22.
god of light, on December 25. Some theorists believe the early Roman Catholic Church may have chosen this date for Christmas in order to supplant pagan rituals, though many Christian scholars dispute this.
•
Shab-e Yalda, (“Yalda night”) is an Iranian festival. This celebration springs out of ancient Zoroastrian traditions and customs intended to protect people from evil spirits during the long night. Shab-e-Yalda
•
Norsemen of Scandinavia celebrated Yule from the winter solstice through January. In recognition of the return of the sun, fathers and sons would bring home large logs, which became known as Yule logs. They
translates to “Night of Birth”. Iranians all over the world celebrate the triumph of the sun god Mithra over darkness.
“BLESSED IS THE SEASON WHICH ENGAGES THE WHOLE WORLD IN A CONSPIRACY OF LOVE.” – HAMILTON WRIGHT MABIE
A FEW OF OUR FAVO R I T E T H I N G S M A C E R I C H
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE HOLIDAY ACTIVITY?
H O L I D A Y S
not celebrate the holiday and share our traditions with them. We have continued that in our family today and we believe no person should be left behind on a holiday
Stacy Turchin Rosenthal
so we open our home to all. It is fun to share and learn
My favorite activity during the holidays are to drive
about how others celebrate and their traditions. The
around and see all of the holiday decorations. There are
one good thing about Chanukah is that we have 8 nights
places that have drive thru holiday light shows and we like
to share and celebrate so we get more time to share in
to attend them as well. Believe it or not I love to decorate
others celebrations as well. This is an important one for
the Christmas trees with friends so any chance I get to
me as I moved around a lot for my career and was not
be a part of that I jump right in. During Chanukah, we
always able to be home for Chanukah, so being invited to
have some pretty competitive dreidel games amongst the
others homes to celebrate always made wherever I was
cousins and the winner walks away with all the chocolate
feel like home.
money- known as Gelt. We usually play before we eat and again after we open presents.
Gabrielle Licht On Hanukah you get 8 presents. My mom would let us
Gabrielle Licht
open a new gift every night but at the end of Hanukah I
My favorite holiday activity has to be baking and cooking
had to choose one of my gifts and give it away to charity.
with my family. We start early in the morning and
As I got older we stopped this tradition because we only
basically bake and cook as much as possible. My sister
gave one/two gifts a holiday since we only celebrate 1
and I tend to make my mom angry as we roll dough in
night together, but I loved that tradition. I also love eating
flour on her counters and usually fry a bunch of different
latkes!!!
foods including latkes and donuts.
Heather Bryant
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE HOLIDAY RECIPE?
I am fortunate to have a handful of traditions from my childhood – most of them at my grandparents house in towanda, pa. My brother and i always seemed to have
Heather Bryant
so much fun and looking back, i see how ordinary they
I make homemade apple pie and my grams cheesecake
were yet they brought us so much joy! Perhaps we were
– my favorite food as a child was grams homemade
just lucky to grow up in the 80s when things were much
cinnamon rolls and chex mix (i still have tupperware that
simpler….For example, egg hunts outside for easter (my
she put it in).
grandfather would always hide them in the same spots it seemed each year), every july 4th my brother and i would
WHAT IS A CHERISHED FAMILY TRADITION FROM YOUR CHILDHOOD YOU’LL PASS ON?
take sparklers and run around the house to see whose latest the longest and going to mangilardo’s (our favorite italian restaurant) every time we visited. As a matter of fact, we have made several trips since having children
Stacy Turchin Rosenthal
ourselves to introduce them to the best garlic pizza and
We always had family and friends for the holiday and
gnocchis around!
one I liked best was having over our friends who did A favorite family christmas tradition was when my mom
brought up the box that held the manger scene and each
cellphone for hannukah and that was a HUGE deal. The
piece was individually wrapped. My brother and i would
material things are fun, but now when family time is (was)
unwrap each one hoping to get baby jesus; second best
so limited I really cherished that.
was the angel; then mary and then joseph, etc….Since my brother lives close to my mom, and my two nephews are old enough now, my brother is going to start that
WHAT IS YOUR BEST HOLIDAY MEMORY?
tradition with them this year.
Stacy Turchin Rosenthal
WHAT IS A FAMILY TRADITION YOU STARTED WITH YOUR FAMILY?
Having a home filled with family and friends and sharing
Stacy Turchin Rosenthal
Gabrielle Licht
We always have a the big family gathering at our house
My favorite holiday memory is with my cousins at my
and sometimes we have themes. Last year since our
house and the plays we would put on. We are 5 girls
celebration fell on Christmas Day, we had a PJ and dessert
and we would always have the best time on holidays. My
party. Everyone wore their favorite and comfy PJ’s/
grandmother would always make the best latkes, and my
lounge wear and we all brought a different dessert to
other grandmother would put a Greek spin on our favorite
indulge and try. It was great as we were already wearing
foods. Finally I just loved having everyone there at holiday
our stretchy pants!!!
dinners before we lost my grandfathers.
Also, we always light the candles all together and even
Heather Bryant
try to include the dog in the pictures! We take turns
When i was growing up – my grandparents were alive
opening presents that day starting with the youngest and
(my mom’s parents) - they used to put money as our
by the end we are already playing a new game someone
christmas gift in an envelope and my grandfather would
received.
put the envelopes on the tree. They were the last thing
in food and laughter.
we would open. We would have to go youngest to oldest
Gabrielle Licht
so it always started with me – i would open and fib about
While my family is only my husband and me, we light the
the amount in it – for example if there was $5 – i would
candles every night together and drink wine as we watch
say $20!!!!! Then my older brother would open his and he
them burn. We take the time to reflect on our days and
would fib and if his was $10 he would say $30!!!!! Then my
dreams.
aunt bridget would open hers and if it was $50 she would say $200!!! And my mom would open and if it was $75
WHAT WAS THE BEST HOLIDAY GIFT YOU RECEIVED?
she would say $500!! It never got old! And my brother and i still relive that to this day with great memories of my grandparents!
Stacy Turchin Rosenthal Not sure I remember a best, but the most memorable was
WHAT IS YOUR 2020 HOLIDAY WISH?
when I was younger and had asked for a sleeping bag as one of my gifts. So one day I decided to snoop around
Stacy Turchin Rosenthal
and actually found some of the presents and one was a
That no matter how you celebrate or with who- you take
Raggedy Anne and Andy sleeping bag! I was so excited
the time to enjoy the moments both big and small. Happy
but then felt very guilty for snooping, so I never snooped
Holidays to all!
again!
Gabrielle Licht Gabrielle Licht
My 2020 holiday wish is that next year my husband’s
That is a tricky question. I think the best gift ever has
family and my family can be together to celebrate and
always been the family time. I remember when I got a
that my sister has a healthy baby girl due this Februrary.
SPECIAL THANKS TO THE DREAM WRITERS: Judd Mohel Rachel Olish Pat Burkhardt AND OUR CONTRIBUTORS: Gabrielle Licht Stacy Turchin Rosenthal Heather Bryant Miriam Cardone
KURT IVEY’S BOATHOUSE LIGHTS
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