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Holiday Spirit

Each holiday celebrated this time of year is special in its own right, a time when we pause from our daily grind and reflect on the blessings around us. Festive get-togethers with loved ones are balm to our spirit, a communal thanksgiving for the support and affection provided throughout the year. And, for children of all ages, presents received -- and given -- are the icing on the cake at these joyous occasions. We are very pleased to share with you an assortment of holiday information for your amusement, enlightenment, and to share. Best wishes for a wonderful festive season, full of peace, joy, health and happiness.

CHANNUKAH	CHRISTMAS	KWANZAA
Antiochus, the Greek king who tried to eliminate Judaism in the second century B.C., fought with the Jewish Maccabees in the events that created Channukah. He referred to himself by “Antiochus Epiphanes,” which meant God Manifest; the Jews called him “Epimanes,” which meant madman.	St Nicholas is an extremely popular patron saint. As well as being national saint of Greece and Russia he is also the patron saint of brides, bakers and brewers, children, dockworkers, judges, merchants, murderers, pawnbrokers, perfumiers and pilgrims.	Kwanzaa is Swahili for "fresh fruits." The holiday is based on African harvest festival traditions.
Foods fried in oil are eaten to commemorate the victory of the Maccabees and the return of religious freedom for the Jews.	Legend holds that a bayberry candle burned on Christmas Eve bodes a year of health, wealth and good luck. Just be sure no one blows it out because an extinguished candle forebodes bad fortune.	Maulana Karenga, a professor of black studies at California State University at Long Beach, created Kwanzaa in 1966 as a nonreligious celebration of family and social values for African American families.
Cheese is eaten as a Chanukkah tradition in honour of Judith. She fed cheese to the Greek general Hologernes to make him thirsty so he would drink a lot of wine. When he passed out, she cut off his head. His soldiers fled in shame and fear.	The "Huron Carol" is credited by many to be the first Christmas carol written in North America as well as being the first Christmas carol written in an Amerindian language.	The greetings during Kwanzaa are in Swahili. Swahili is a Pan-African language and is chosen to reflect African Americans' commitment to the whole of Africa and African culture rather than to a specific ethnic or national group or culture. The answer to the traditional greeting, "Habari gani?" for each day of Kwanzaa is different, in commemoration of the Seven Principles., i.e., "Umoja", on the first day, "Kujichagulia", on the second day and so on.
The only work women are allowed to do during the time the menorah is lit is cook. A special cake made at Hanukkah called Katowes Cake, contains forty-four ingredients to honour the forty-four candles burned at Channukah.	Cranberries appeared as a substitute in the nineteenth century for holly berries that were not available on the Canadian frontier.	Gifts are given mainly to children, but must always include a book and a heritage symbol. The book is to emphasize the African value and tradition of learning stressed since ancient Egypt, and the heritage symbol to reaffirm and reinforce the African commitment to tradition and history.
There are 17 correct ways to spell Hanukkah: Chanuccah, Channuka, Channukah, Chanuka, Chanukkah, Chanuko, Hannuka, Hannukah, Hanuka, Hanukkah, Hanukka, Hannukka, Kanukkah, Khannuka, Khannukah, Khanukkah, Khanukkah.	Canadian Christmas customs include: mumming in Newfoundland (called belsnickling in New Brunswick and Santa Clawing in Nova Scotia); la guignolee in Quebec -- house visits for charity with a medieval French song being sung; female Santa Claus figures in the Maritimes such as Mother Goody.	Eji Ogbe The Odu Ifa Meditation Let us not engage the world hurriedly. Let us not grasp at the rope of wealth impatiently. That which should be treated with mature judgment, Let us not deal with in a state of anger. When we arrive at a cool place, Let us rest fully; Let us give continuous attention to the future; and let us give deep consideration to the consequences of things. And this because of our (eventual) passing

WINTER SOLSTICE

Many of the popular Christmas traditions have their roots in the celebration of the Winter Solstice.

In pagan Scandinavia the winter festival was the yule (or juul). Great yule logs were burned, and people drank mead around the bonfires listening to minstrel-poets singing ancient legends. It was believed that the yule log had the magical effect of helping the sun to shine more brightly.

Mistletoe was sacred because it mysteriously grew on the most sacred tree, the oak. Druid priests would ceremoniously cut mistletoe sprays for families to hang in their doorways as good luck. To hang it over a doorway or in a room was to offer goodwill to visitors. Kissing under the mistletoe was a pledge of friendship.

In Iran, there is the observance of Yalda, in which families kept vigil through the night and fires burned brightly to help the sun (and Goodness) battle darkness (thought evil).

Sacred plants of Winter include:

Yew: Last Day of Solar Year; Death.
Silver Fir: Winter Solstice Day; Birth.
Birch: Month following Winter Solstice; Beginnings.

Holly symbolizing: Old Solar Year; Waning Sun; Protection; Good Luck

Oak symbolizing: New Solar Year; Waxing Sun; Endurance, Strength, Triumph, Protection, Good Luck

Mistletoe symbolizing: Peace, Prosperity, Healing, Wellness, Fertility, Rest, Protection

Ivy symbolizing: Fidelity, Protection, Healing, Marriage, Victory, Honor, Good Luck

Frankincense symbolizing: Sun, Purification, Consecration, Protection, Spiritual Illumination

Myrrh symbolizing: Healing, Death and Afterlife, Purification, Inner Peace

Wheat symbolizing: Sustenance, Abundance, Fertility, Good Luck