Winter Holidays Around The World

You definitely know about the main winter holidays celebrated at NHS, including Christmas, Hanukkah, and the New Year. But the winter season offers the opportunity to learn about the culture and history behind many different holidays all around the world. In this article, I will take a closer look at some of the more obscure winter holidays that you’ve probably never heard of from all of the other continents. Hopefully by the end of this article, you’ll gain a deeper understanding of the lesser known holidays of wintertime, and how they bring joy and connection to those who celebrate them.

1. Dongzhi Festival - Asia

Dongzhi (冬至) translates to “Winter’s Arrival,” and it usually falls between the 21st and 23rd of December, on the shortest day of the year. It became an imperially recognized traditional festival during the Han Dynasty (206 B.C.E - 220 C.E), but gained widespread recognition and became deeply connected to Chinese culture during the Tang Dynasty (618 C.E - 907 C.E) and Song Dynasty (960 C.E - 1279 C.E). It is primarily celebrated in China, although it is also observed in Japan and South Korea. The holiday’s origins are rooted in the ancient Chinese philosophical idea of yin and yang, which connects it to the winter solstice. It emerged from the belief that the winter solstice marks the peak of cold yin energy, and the moment that energy begins to transition into the warm yang energy of the coming spring. Dongzhi is celebrated in many ways, the most popular being spending time with family and friends, worshipping heaven and the ancestors, honoring harmony and balance, making rice wine, as well as eating dishes such as hotpot, dumplings, and ginger rice.

2. St. Lucia’s Day - Europe

St. Lucia’s Day is a festival of lights celebrated in Sweden, Norway, and the Swedish areas of Finland on December 13th, in honor of St. Lucia who was a Christian martyr from Sicily who was killed by the Romans in 304 C.E because of her religious beliefs. St. Lucia’s story eventually made its way from Italy to Scandinavia with missionaries who came to convert the Vikings. In Scandinavian countries, each town elects its own “St. Lucia,” who leads the procession that marks the beginning of the festival. This holiday marks the beginning of the Christmas season in Scandinavia and is meant to bring hope and joy to the coldest and darkest part of the year. The most common celebrations of St. Lucia’s Day include spending time with family, serving coffee and baked goods such as saffron bread and ginger biscuits, and having bonfires.

3. Three Kings Day - South America

Epiphany, or “Three Kings Day,” is a Christian  holiday remembering the manifestation of Jesus Christ, and this holiday is one of the oldest festivals of the Christian church. The holiday is a reflective time for many communities of faith, who honor the three kings mentioned in the biblical account of Jesus’ birth. Epiphany was first celebrated between 300 and 400 B.C.E, and is still celebrated today in countries such as Venezuela, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Argentina, Mexico, Uruguay, Puerto Rico, Paraguay, and Cuba, as well as in Latino communities all over the world. One tradition is for children to leave grass or hay for the three kings in exchange for a present. In Spain, children leave a small shoe underneath their pillow with a wish list. Music is also an important aspect of the holiday tradition, and parades of people will pass through the streets, singing songs and playing instruments.

4. Boxing Day - Oceania

Boxing Day is a holiday celebrated in Australia and New Zealand, as well as in other British Commonwealth countries such as the United Kingdom and Canada. The holiday originated in the Victorian Era (1837-1901), when the upper class would box up leftover food, money, or goods and give them to their servants and the lower class. During Advent, the four-week period leading up to Christmas, Anglican churches would set up boxes where members of the community offer donations. On Boxing Day, the boxes were opened and the money was handed out to the poor. Today, Boxing Day is a national public holiday celebrated on December 26th, the day after Christmas, where banks, government offices, and other institutions are typically closed. Common Boxing Day traditions include donating to charity, horse racing, and stores having sales. In Australia and New Zealand, where Boxing Day is in the summertime, people hold outdoor picnics with family and friends.

5. Nc’wala - Africa

The Nc’wala Ceremony is a slightly more niche holiday, celebrated in the country of Zambia. The Ngoni people migrated to Zambia in the early 19th century, and Nc’wala is a celebration of the Ngoni people’s cultural heritage. There is no specific year when Nc’wala was created, but it was officially revived in 1980 by Paramount Chief Mpezeni III to commemorate the tribal victories that the Ngoni people accomplished during their migration from South Africa. The holiday takes place in late February, and the date marks the first fruits of the harvest season. This year’s ceremony is from February 18th to February 22nd. The ceremony is known as a “feast for the senses” and is filled with vibrant colors, music, and dances. Some common rituals include the chief delivering a speech with blessings for the harvest, traditional drumming, and warrior performances.

6. Midwinter Day - Antarctica

Although nobody lives in Antarctica permanently, there are thousands of people present during the summer months, and about a thousand people living there during the winter. During the extremely frigid season, researchers celebrate Midwinter Day to bring light and warmth to the darkest and coldest times. Midwinter Day was first celebrated in 1898 by the crew of the Belgian Antarctic Expedition, and has continued to be celebrated by each of the 40 research stations that are operational during the winter. Antarctica is in the southern hemisphere, so Midwinter Day is typically celebrated around June 20-21 on the winter solstice. The research stations, which represent 21 different countries, all celebrate the day in unique ways, although the most common traditions include trading good wishes, gifts, and greeting cards. The three U.S National Science Foundation research facilities also enjoy a specially prepared meal on the holiday.

Although wintertime can sometimes feel cold and endless, I hope that learning about these lesser-known traditions reminds you that countless different cultures around the world are constantly bringing light to the darkest time of the year through their celebrations. I wish everybody a wonderful holiday season regardless of what you choose to celebrate, and a happy start to the year ahead!