When it comes to the holidays Panthers celebrate them in many different ways, including Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanza, and New Year’s. However with each holiday, Panthers enjoy the positive feeling and warmth of the holiday season.
Winter Solstice: Occurring on December 21st, the Winter Solstice is an annual holiday celebrated since ancient times. This holiday is the one day a year when the earth is tilted the furthest away from the sun. People celebrate it in many different ways, such as feasting, gift giving, and rituals.
Christmas: Every year, families around the world gather together to celebrate a holiday known as Christmas. This holiday originates from Christian roots, who celebrated Jesus, the son of God’s birthday. Nowadays, some people celebrate this holiday involving characters such as Santa, Rudolf, and elves. No matter how you celebrate this day, it is the time of year to bring people closer and show generosity.
Hanukkah: Hanukkah is a holiday celebrated by mostly people of Jewish belief. During the week of Hanukkah, families gather together and light a candle on a menorah, or a candelabra, each day. Some families also open presents, play the game, dreidel, dance, and sing. This year, Hanukkah is celebrated from December 25th to January 2nd.
Kwanzaa: From December 26 to January 1, some people celebrate a holiday called Kwanzaa. Dr. Karenga was the one who came up with the whole idea and first celebrated it on December 26, 1966, hoping people from African ancestry could bond as a community. Kwanzaa has a special candle holder that holds one black, three red, and three green candles. Each one means a different thing: Umoja (unity), Kujichagulia (self-determination), Ujima (collective work and responsibility), Ujamaa (cooperative economics), Nia (purpose), Kuumba (creativity), and Imani (faith). After lighting each candle, different families do different things like recite poems, sing and dance or drum, and eat together to bond.
New Year’s Eve: New Year’s Eve is a holiday where friends and family gather together and celebrate by eating and making resolutions on what goals they have for the new year. A big part of New Year’s Eve is also lighting fireworks.
New Year’s Day: On New Year’s Day, on January 1st, friends and family gather to eat and get ready for a new year with a toast or song. Some also believe that you shouldn’t do any chores or anything on New Year’s Day because you will be stuck doing it for the whole year.
