Help for the holidays

In a multi-ethnic, multicultural and multi-religious society like Canada, simple holiday greetings can become a source of angst.

Wish someone a "merry Christmas" and you may irk a devout non-Christian. But a generic "happy holiday" greeting may be equally annoying, as some Canadians who celebrate Christmas may be saddened to see it watered down.

Adding to the quagmire is a tendency to treat all December holidays as equals, which can have the unintended consequence of exaggerating the cultural importance of minor festivals and diminishing the spiritual significance of major holidays.

As a secular Jew, whenever somebody wishes me a happy Hanukkah in response to a "merry Christmas," I stifle the urge to wish them a happy Ash Wednesday. Hanukkah is important, but nowhere near as important to Judaism and Jewish culture as Christmas is to Christianity and Canadian society as a whole.

But there is a solution to this conundrum: learn a bit about each other.

These upcoming holidays may help:

St. Nicholas' Day

When: Dec. 6, which is today.

Celebrated by: Catholics in parts of continental Europe.

What is it? A day to commemorate St. Nicholas, the Catholic inspiration for Santa Claus. Kids may receive gifts. In some regions, it's a bigger gift-giving occasion than Christmas.

Bodhi Day

When: Dec. 8

Celebrated by: Mahayana Buddhists in China, Japan, Korea and elsewhere.

What is it: A commemoration of the day Buddha achieved enlightenment. Usually marked with prayers.

Hanukkah

When: From sunset Dec. 20 until Dec. 28

Celebrated by: Secular, religious Jews.

What is it? An eight-day commemoration of the post-biblical rededication of the Second Temple. A candelabra is lit and oil-cooked foods are eaten to recall the miraculous eight-day burning of a small quantity of oil. Spiritually, it represents the transition from dark to light.

Winter Solstice

When: Dec. 22

Celebrated by: Wiccans and other Earth-centred spiritual groups.

What is it? The shortest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere has spiritual significance in many of the world's cultures and forms the basis for many winter holidays. It's also the major Wiccan holiday.

Christmas

When: Dec. 25

Celebrated by: Christians and most of the secular Western World.

What is it: After Easter, the commemoration of the birth of Christ is the second-most solemn day on the Christian calendar. Christmas is also the most widely observed secular holiday in North America.

Kwanzaa

When: Dec. 26 to Jan. 1, 2012

Celebrated by: African Americans, primarily.

What is it? A week-long celebration of African heritage and community values, marked with candle-lighting, gift giving and a festival meal.

New Year (western)

When: Jan. 1, 2012

Celebrated by: The Western World and eastern nations (such as Japan) that follow the Gregorian calendar.

What is it? The start of the Gregorian calendar is a day off in North America -- but also a day for public celebrations in parts of Europe.

Orthodox/Ukrainian Christmas

When: Jan. 7, 2012

Celebrated by: Orthodox Christians and other Eastern Europeans.

What is it? The two-week gulf between the Julian and Gregorian calendars means Christmas is celebrated in January in parts of Eastern Europe and many Ukrainian households in Manitoba.

Makar Sankranti

When: Jan. 14-15, 2012

Celebrated by: Hindus, religiously, and much of India, secularly.

What is it: Traditionally, one of the most important Hindu festivals, when the sun makes a symbolic and astrological passage across the heavens. Observances can include offerings of food, prayers or discarding old clothes.

New Year (eastern)

When: Jan. 23, 2012

Celebrated by: China, southeast Asia and Asian communities worldwide.

What is it: The beginning of the lunar year is the major festival in most of Asia as well as the Asian diaspora.

bartley.kives@freepress.mb.ca

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition December 6, 2011 A2