Christmas is highly celebrated here in the United States, with people decorating their whole house, from the outside to the inside. Christmas is a Christian holiday that celebrates the birth of Christ. Christmas is the holiday that many people in the United States celebrate but there are more holidays celebrated in December. Many of them more popular in other countries than the United States.
Chanukah or as many people know it as Hanukkah, is a Jewish celebration that starts at sunset of Sunday December 6 and ends at nightfall of Monday December 14 this year 2015. This celebration is due to the success of the small army of the Maccabees taking back the holy land from the mighty Greek army occupying it. Hanukkah in Hebrew means dedication or induction the Maccabees rededicated the Holy Temple and its altar, which had been desecrated and defiled by the pagan invaders. Hanukkah moves around each year, "Chanukah begins on the twenty-fifth day of the Jewish month of Kislev. The Jewish calendar is primarily based on the lunar cycle, and its dates fluctuate with respect to other calendar systems. Thus the first day of Chanukah can fall anywhere between November 28th and December 26th." (Chanukah FAQs).
Kwanza is another huge holiday celebrated by African Americans or people of African heritage. Kwanza starts on Saturday, December 26, and ends on Friday, January 1 of this year.The name Kwanzaa is derived from the phrase “matunda ya kwanza” which means “first fruits” in Swahili. Each family celebrates Kwanzaa in its own way, but celebrations often include songs and dances, African drums, storytelling, poetry reading, and a large traditional meal.(History).
There are many holidays celebrated on December many famous in other countries, but still celebrated here in the United States.
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