Best of the Season to You

Diwali, Hindi, is a five-day holiday of lights in the fall, celebrating victory of light over darkness. On Bodhi Day, Buddhist people decorate a ficus tree with multi-coloured lights to symbolize the varied paths to Nirvana and all things are united. Hanukkah, Jewish, is celebrated from the evening of December 18 to 26 in 2022. The menorah represents the Temple’s candelabrum which burned for eight days and nights during a battle, using an amount of oil meant for a single day. Winter Solstice is celebrated by many cultures at the start of the solar year. Kwanzaa, African, is a seven-day celebration from December 26 to January 1 with the lighting of the kinara each day. If you want to greet a person celebrating this holiday, you say “Habari gani” (Swahili). They would reply with the principle for that day. New Year’s marks the last day in the Gregorian calendar. Three King’s Day, Christian, also known as Epiphany, marks the day the Three Wise Men visited the Christ child and brought him gifts. Members of the Orthodox Church celebrate Christmas on January 7th. Why? It’s a difference in calendars. Chinese New Year marks the end of winter and the start of spring. The first day of celebration starts with the New Moon and ends on the Full Moon. People indulge in feasts, watch dragon and lion dances and parades, light fireworks, and distribute luck money in red envelopes. Ramadan, Muslim, is a month of daily fasting during daylight hours until Eid-al-Fitr when they break the fast. Eid-al-Fitr is a time of celebration with the family, giving gifts and doing charitable works.

Now if that’s not enough reason to celebrate until January 3rd, 2023, I don’t know what is!

Merry Christmas from all of us at PinkLight Production and a very happy and healthy New Year!