December Holidays Around the World

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December Holidays Around the World
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St. Nicholas Day

• December

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St. Nicholas Day Facts

• Originated in Catholic European countries
• Associated with the patron St. Nicholas
• Celebrated to award children with sweets and
  gifts
• Traditions feast, poems, small gifts, candies,
  nuts, and fruit placed in shoes or stockings

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Bodhi Day

• December

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Bodhi Day Facts

• Originated in East Asia
• Associated with Buddha
• Celebrates anniversary of Buddhas
  enlightenment
• Traditions A meal of rice and milk a cultural,
  personal observance

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St. Lucia Day

• December

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St. Lucia Day Facts

• Originated in Sweden
• Associated with patron St. Lucia
• Celebrates church feast holiday dedicated to
  St. Lucia
• Traditions a girl portrays St. Lucia in a
  procession eating gingersnap cookies eating
  Lussekat buns singing carols

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Eid ul-Adha

• December

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Eid ul-Adha Facts

• Originated in Middle East
• Associated with Muslim religion
• Celebrates Abrahams willingness to obey God by
  sacrificing his son
• Traditions re-enactments of Abrahams obedience
  by sacrificing a cow or ram, donating a large
  portion of the meal to the poor, exchange of
  presents and cards, praying

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Tohji-taisai

• December

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Tohji-taisai Facts

• Originated in Japan
• Associated with Shinto religion
• Celebrates Sun Goddess Amaterasu
• Traditions bonfires, eating pumpkin, honoring
  the dead

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Christmas

• December

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Christmas Facts

• Originated in Rome
• Associated with Christianity
• Celebrates the birth of Jesus
• Traditions giving gifts, church services,
  spending time with family, putting up Christmas
  tree

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Boxing Day

• December

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Boxing Day Facts

• Originated in England
• Associated with Queen Victoria
• Celebrates Charity
• Traditions Donating time or money, giving gifts
  to poor children, helping a family in need,
  shopping

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Junkanoo

• December

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Junkanoo Facts

• Originated in the Bahamas
• Associated with African culture
• Celebrates the Bahamian culture through a street
  festival of singing and dancing
• Traditions intricate costumes, ringing cow
  bells, beating drums, group competitions

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Sources

• http//home.att.net/dittydum/december10.htm
• http//www.stnicholascenter.org/Brix?pageID76
• http//en.wikipedia.org/
• http//www.netglimse.com/holidays/boxing_day/boxin
  g_day_facts.shtml
• http//www.interknowledge.com/grandbahama/junkanoo
  .htm
• http//www.history.com/minisite.do?content_typeMi
  nisite_Genericcontent_type_id1253display_order
  1sub_display_order2mini_id1290