Category Archives: Holiday Traditions
When you wake up on Christmas morning, what do you see? Have your stockings been filled by Dun Che Lao Ren? Don’t forget to leave straw on your shoes to feed the hungry camels, who have journeyed for 12 days to see the Christ child. Perhaps your house is visited not once, not twice, but…
Let’s finish our world tour of holiday traditions… Are you feeling festive yet? Central America In Guatemala’s villages, local men in devil costumes appear on the streets and chase children during the first week of Advent. The devilish period ends on December 7 with a folk ritual known as “La Quema del Diablo” (The Burning of the Devil),…
Travel around the world with Chang-Castillo and Associates as we explore holiday traditions in various countries. Hanukkah Hanukkah, also spelled Chanukah, is the Jewish eight-day, wintertime “festival of lights,” celebrated with a nightly menorah lighting, dreidel spinning and feasting on fried foods. The Hebrew word Chanukah means “rededication”. The Holy Land was ruled by the…
Looking for the Best Holiday Gift Ever? How About a Second Language! Tired of all the “things” littering your family members’ Holiday Wish Lists? Sometimes, you have to be your own Santa Claus (otherwise known as Papa Noel, Babbo Natale, Father Christmas…), take over the gift giving reigns and get that list under control. Sometimes,…
Kicking off the holiday season, the American Thanksgiving occurs on the fourth Thursday of November. Its origins go back to the fall of 1621, when Pilgrims celebrated their first successful wheat crop. The holiday has since evolved into a day in which families gather around a feast of turkey, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, and pumpkin…
Christmas in Spain Now, for the third and final part in our series of Christmas traditions from around the world, let’s go to Spain. ¡Feliz Navidad! If you love Christmas, we recommend a visit to Spain or any number of Latin American countries where Christmas is a nearly one-month long event, filled with feasting, music,…
Now, as part of our Christmas traditions from around the world series, let’s travel to France. The celebration of Christmas in France varies by region. Most provinces celebrate Christmas on the 25th of December. However, in eastern and northern France, the Christmas season begins on December 6th, with St. Nicholas Day (la fête de Saint…
