DECEMBER 2023 MORE INFORMATION
Christmas Eve is the evening or entire day before Christmas Day, the festival commemorating the birth of Jesus. Christmas Day is the day that many Christians associate with Jesus’ birth. Boxing Day is a secular holiday celebrated in the United Kingdom, Canada, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, and South Africa. Kwanzaa is a seven-day celebration of African-American culture and life originally founded in 1966. St. John’s Apostle and Evangelist Day is the feast day for St. John celebrated by Christian denominations. Feast of the Holy Innocents is a Christian feast in remembrance of the massacre of young children in Bethlehem by King Herod the Great in his attempt to kill the infant Jesus. Watch Night is a day for Christians to review the year that has passed, make confessions, and then prepare for the year ahead by praying and resolving.
World AIDS Day commemorates those who have died of AIDS and acknowledges the need for continued commitment to all those affected by the HIV/AIDS epidemic. International Day of Persons with Disabilities was designed to raise awareness in regard to persons with disabilities in order to improve their lives and provide them with equal opportunity. Hanukkah is a Jewish holiday that is celebrated for eight days and nights. Hanukkah celebrates the victory of the Maccabees, or Israelites, over the Greek-Syrian ruler, Antiochus, approximately 2,200 years ago. Immaculate Conception of Mary, or the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, celebrates the solemn celebration by various Christian denominations who believe in the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Bodhi Day, the Buddhist holiday that commemorates the day that Siddhartha Gautama experienced enlightenment. International Human Rights Day was established by the United Nations in 1948 to commemorate the anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe is a religious holiday in Mexico commemorating the appearance of the Virgin Mary near Mexico City in 1531. Las Posadas is a nine-day celebration in Mexico commemorating the trials Mary and Joseph endured during their journey to Bethlehem. Yule Winter Solstice is celebrated by Pagans and Wiccans. The first day of winter (and the shortest day of the year) represents a celebration focusing on rebirth, renewal, and new beginnings as the sun makes its way back to the Earth. A solstice is an astronomical event that happens twice each year when the sun reaches its highest position in the sky. Dongzhi has an important place in the traditional festivals of China. It is usually celebrated on December 20th or 21st, when the night is longest and the day is shortest in the northern hemisphere. A traditional holiday celebrated by many Chinese people, Dongzhi has a long history and certain notable customs.
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