12-month Gift and Celebration Guide
With so many nationalities and faiths in every country, the holiday season can seem to be complicated. Keep in mind other traditions and dates: your diverse restaurant, hotel and club guests will appreciate your thoughtfulness.
Christmas: Celebrated on December 25, although some Orthodox Christians celebrate it on January 7.
Traditional greeting: "Merry Christmas". More religious Christians might say "Have a blessed Christmas" to each other.
Most any gift is acceptable and appropriate: CDs, videos, electronic gadgets, books, clothing, toys. If you're giving a present to a child, though, you may want to check with his or her parents about what to give. Some parents are concerned about the materialism surrounding Christmas and are trying to limit both the number of presents their children receive and the amount spent on them.
Presents are usually opened either Christmas Eve or Christmas morning. Some families open a few presents the night of December 24 and open the rest the next morning.
Ramadan, Eid ul Fitr, and Eid ul Adha for muslims: Ramadan, a month-long time of dawn-to-dusk fasting, prayer, self-improvement and reflection, begins according to the phases of the moon. See current dates. At the end of Ramadan is the celebration of Eid ul Fitr, when families and friends gather for feasts and good company.
Eid ul Adha comes at the end of the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca and Medina, which millions of Muslims embark on each year. The holiday is celebrated with Muslims individually sacrificing a goat or lamb--or jointly sacrificing a cow or camel--followed by a gathering of family and friends.
Traditional greetings: During Ramadan Muslims greet each other by saying "Ramadan Mubarak, " which means "May God grant you a blessed month, " or Ramadan Kareem, " which means "Wishing you a generous Ramadan. " On Eid ul Fitr and Eid ul Adha Muslims simply say "Eid Mubarak" or "Eid Mabrook, " which means "May God make it a blessed feast. "
Exchanging gifts is not a hard-and-fast custom for both Eids. Usually adults give toys or money to children, and some adults exchange gifts if they so choose. During Ramadan Muslims often share dates, the primary fast-breaking food, following the example of the Prophet Muhammad. It would not be inappropriate to give dates or other food items to break a fast (make sure that food items do not include pork or non-halal meat).
On both Eids, Muslims tend to dress up, cook special meals, and spend the day meeting friends and family and reflecting on the special time they have just spent.
Hanukkah for jews: Celebrated for eight days at the end of the year, with the date changing slightly each year .
Traditional greeting: "Happy Hanukkah. "
Most any gift is acceptable and appropriate: CDs, videos, books, clothing, toys. A Hanukkah-related gift would be especially nice. For kids, this might be a dreidel (a small spinning top that young children play with during the holiday) or a Hanukkah-related storybook.
When are presents opened? It varies from family to family. Some open them only on the first night of the holiday; others open them all eight nights. If you're not sure when your Jewish friends give presents, play it safe and offer your gifts on the first night of Hanukkah, December 25.
Diwali: Diwali, also called Deepavali is a major Hindu festival that is also very significant in Sikhism and Jainism. The festival marks the victory of good over evil. Known as the Festival of Lights, it symbolises the victory of good over evil, and lamps are lit as a sign of celebration and hope for mankind. On the day of Diwali, many wear new clothes, share sweets and snacks and light firecrackers.
Dates: October 21 2006, November 9 2007, October 28 2008. Rohatsu: This holiday commemorates Buddha's enlightenment. The celebration begins December 1 and culminates on the 8th. (In fact, "Rohatsu" is Japanese for "December 8. ")
Traditional greeting: There is no greeting specifically for this holiday, although Zen practitioners greet each other with the 'gassho' gesture, placing their palms together in front of their face in an acknowledgement of the other person's Buddha-nature.
Gifts are not exchanged on this holiday. Instead, it is observed by Zen practitioners, who sit on December 8 in meditation, often all night long, in remembrance of Buddha seeing the morning star after meditating for several days preceding his enlightenment. In monasteries, this December 8 sitting sometimes follows an entire week of intensive meditation practice.
Kwanzaa: This celebration of traditional African values of family, community, and culture is celebrated from December 26 through January 1. "Kwanzaa, " by the way, means "first fruits of the harvest" in the African language of Swahili. Traditional greeting: "Happy Kwanzaa. "
Gifts for children, called zawadi, are very much encouraged. Usually given from parents to their children, these are not overly expensive. Traditional presents are books (emphasizing the value of learning) and "heritage symbols" (such as art objects, bookends, pictures, etc. ) that evoke African history and tradition. Gifts are usually given on the last day of Kwanzaa, January 1.
And finally, don't forget what Bart Simpson said: "Aren't we forgetting the true meaning of Christmas? You know, the birth of Santa".
Enjoy your party!
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Some excerpts from www.beliefnet.com
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