An Omnist December: More Than Just Christmas

One couple celebrates the season with a variety of multicultural holidays all month long. Join them at http://omnistdecember.blogspot.com/.

12. December 5: Krampusnacht

Via en.wikipedia.org

What it is: In German-speaking Alpine folklore, Krampus is a horned beast who shows up during the Christmas season to punish the children who have misbehaved. He is considered by some to be the shadow of Saint Nicholas, who rewards well-behaved ones with gifts. At his most merciful, he leaves coal for naughty children, but the really misbehaved kids will earn a trip to hell in his burlap sack, or a lashing from his willow switch.

How to Celebrate: Get your buddies together for a Krampuslauft. A Krampuslauf is a run of celebrants dressed as the wicked beast, often fueled by alcohol. It is customary to offer a Krampus schnapps, a strong distilled fruit brandy. These runs may include perchten, sometimes portrayed as a female counterpart to Krampus, or wild pagan spirits of Germanic folklore. More accurately, the perchten are closer associated with the period between winter solstice and January 6th.

Send Krampuskarten. Europeans have been exchanging greeting cards featuring Krampus since the 1800s. Sometimes introduced with "Gruß vom Krampus", the cards usually have humorous rhymes and poems. Krampus, portrayed with one human foot and one hoof, is often featured looming menacingly over children or carrying children off to hell in his sack. In some, Krampus has sexual overtones; he is pictured pursuing buxom women. Over time, the representation of Krampus in the cards has changed; older versions have a more frightening Krampus, while modern versions have a cuter, more Cupid-like creature

11. December 6 - 15: Hannukah

Via en.wikipedia.org

What it is: A Jewish holiday commemorating the re-dedication of the Holy Temple (the Second Temple) in Jerusalem at the time of the Maccabean Revolt against the Seleucid Empire. Hanukkah is observed for eight nights and days, starting on the 25th day of Kislev according to the Hebrew calendar, which may occur at any time from late November to late December in the Gregorian calendar. It is also known as the Festival of Lights and the Feast of Dedication.

How to Celebrate: There is a lot of history and differing tradition to Hannukah -- not the least of which being the spelling -- so we will focus on the basics here. First get your 9 stemmed candlabra called a menorah, and a lot of candles. The middle candle is called the Shamash, and is lit each night in addition to the Sabbath candles, mainly to act as a utility light because the Sabbath candles aren't to be used for actually illuminating the space. So the first night you light the Shamash and the leftmost Sabbath candle; the second night you light the Shamash and the two leftmost Sabbath candles; and so on.

Next, you may want to exchange small gifts, or gelt (chocolate coins). Then you can use the gelt to play dreidel. The dreidel is a spinning top with four sides, and depending on which side it lands on you either add a coin to the pot, win the whole pot, win half the pot, or do nothing. While you play dreidel by candle light (only the light of the Samash of course!), you may also want to whip up some latkes. Latkes are potato pancakes pan fried in oil to commemorate oil in the lamp of the temple that lasted 8 days. Again, I skipped over so much great tradition here. There are special prayers and songs, and variations on all of it to be enjoyed. Please check out the Wikipedia link for a very detailed description of all the festivities and the story of Judah Maccabee, which is the whole point of the celebration after all.

10. December 8: Bodhi Day

Via en.wikipedia.org

What it is: Bodhi Day is the Buddhist holiday that commemorates the day that the historical Buddha, Siddhartha Gautauma, experienced enlightenment, also known as bodhi in Sanskrit and Pali. Having reached nirvana, Buddha would escape the cycle of reincarnation. Legend has it, Siddhartha had recently forsaken years of extreme ascetic practices and resolved to sit under a peepal tree and simply meditate until he found the root of suffering, and how to liberate oneself from it.

How to Celebrate: Services and traditions vary amongst Buddhist sects, but all such services commemorate the Buddha's achievement of nirvana, and what this means for Buddhism today. Individuals may choose to commemorate the event through additional meditation, study of the Dharma, chanting of Buddhist texts (sutras), or performing kind acts towards other beings. Some Buddhists celebrate with a traditional meal of tea, cake, and readings.

9. December 12: Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe

Via timeanddate.com

What it is: It is believed that a man named Juan Diego encountered the Virgin Mary twice in Mexico City, on December 9 and December 12 in 1531. According to legend, Mary told Juan to ask the bishop to build a church on Tepeyac Hill. However, the bishop needed proof of Juan's encounter and asked for a miracle. Juan returned to the hill to see roses in a spot where there were previously cacti and an image on his cloak of the Lady of Guadalupe. The bishop was convinced of the miracle and built a church in honor of the event.

How to Celebrate: Public celebrations, or fiestas, are held in honor of Mary, the Virgin of Guadalupe, on December 12. Catholics from across Mexico and other countries pay pilgrimage to see an image of Mary (Virgen Morena), believed to be authentic, in the Basilica of Guadalupe in Mexico City. Children are dressed in traditional costumes and are blessed in churches. Thousands of people come to church to pray.

You can celebrate at home by lighting the candle of Our Lady of Guadalupe, decorating with roses and rose petals, and by praying the Memorare and performing five Hail Marys in gratitude for the four apparitions to Juan Diego and the one to Juan Bernardino.

8. December 18 (or whenever): FSMas or "Holiday"

Via en.wikipedia.org

What it is: This has got to be one of my favorites. If you don't know what Pastafarianism is, give it a google; it's worth a google. Around the time of Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa, Pastafarians celebrate a vaguely defined holiday named "Holiday" or FSMas after the Flying Spaghetti Monster. Holiday does not take place on a specific date so much as it is the Holiday season itself. Because Pastafarians reject dogma and formalism, there are no specific requirements for Holiday. Pastafarians celebrate Holiday in any manner they please.

How to Celebrate: As mentioned above, there is no standard for "Holiday", we chose the only Friday without another celebration, since all Fridays are holidays to Pastafarians. You may choose to join us in decorating your holiday tree with a pipe cleaner representation of the Great Noodley One, wearing a colander on your head, and wishing everyone a "Happy Holiday"... or not. Just do whatever you want! But seriously, check out the link below to learn about the most satirical religion ever. Yes it's a recognized religion in the US.

7. December 22: Yule

What it is: Yule was an indigenous midwinter festival celebrated by the Germanic peoples. In the earliest references to it, the Yule-tide period lasts somewhere around two months in length, falling around the end of the year between what is now mid-November and early January. We chose to celebrate on the winter solstice, as it relates to many neopagan observations of the longest night.

How to Celebrate: Gift one of your friends (preferably one with a fireplace) a Yule Log. Throw it into the fire immediately and have a nice gathering with friends lit only by the fire until it burns itself out. For the tech savvy, there is a yule log app for the Apple TV or iPad. Then the party never has to stop!

Make yourself a Yule Goat ornament for your tree. It's traditionally made out straw and red ribbon.

Have a feast of Yule Boar. Traditionally, the Feast of St. Stephen is celebrated on the 26th and has its roots in ancient Norse tradition of offering a boar's head to the god Freyer in hopes of a prosperous year. Of course in modern times, we can simply enjoy our Christmas ham, and be thankful that we didn't have to hunt any boar ourselves.

6. December 23: Festivus

Via en.wikipedia.org

What it is: A holiday for the rest of us! Any Seinfeld fan will remember this as the holiday that George Costanza's dad invented so as not to participate in the commercialized holiday of Christmas.

How to Celebrate: Throw out that tree and get a Festivus pole instead. Look for an aluminum one with a "high strength to weight ratio" and leave it bare because "tinsel is distracting".

Gather friends and family around for a feast of any reddish colored meat loaf.

During the meal, commence with the "Airing of Grievances" and tell everyone about how they have wronged you this past year.

After dinner, it's time for the head of the house to challenge someone to Feats of Strength". Festivus doesn't end until the head of the house is pinned! It could be a long night!

For extra credit, put a clock in a bag and nail it to the wall. If anyone asks why, "It's not for you to know."

5. December 24: Milad un Nabi

Via en.wikipedia.org

What it is: The birthday of the Prophet Muhammad. This holiday is actually a point of contention among differing denominations of Islam. The Prophet himself clearly stated that he was not to be worshiped, and as such, some scholars strongly disapprove of public celebration.

How to Celebrate: While many Muslim areas throw large street festivals, one can celebrate with fasting, prayer and charity. So grab your prayer mat, skip today's meals, gather with family, and toss some change in the red kettle. This is a great opportunity to simply take some time to research a little about Islam if nothing else. I personally find it interesting to see just how similar the core faith is to that of Christianity and Judaism. In fact, all three are Abrahamic religions, so they are literally based on the same God, people, and teachings. I won't get into a long theological discussion here, but PLEASE at least check out the Wikipedia article on Islam and familiarize yourself with the religion as a whole. After all, that's kind of what the Omnist December is all about.

4. December 25: Christmas

What it is: The traditional Christian holiday celebrating the birth of the savior Jesus Christ, miracle child born to the Virgin Mary in a manger in Bethlehem.

How to Celebrate: Though the traditions vary across the globe, most American families celebrate by decorating an evergreen tree with ornaments and lights; lighting up their houses in bright, cheerful displays; exchanging gifts; and enjoying a feast together as a family. Most children await the arrival of Santa Claus, who brings gifts, some of which he may leave in a hanging stocking, in exchange for milk and cookies.

3. December 31: First-foot

What it is: From Scottish and Northern English folklore, also known in Manx Gaelic as qualtagh, First-foot celebrates the first person to enter the household on New Year's Day to bring good fortune for the coming year.

How to celebrate: Whether a friend or a resident of the house, the first-footer may not be in the house at the stroke of midnight. Preferably the visitor will be a dark-haired male for good luck. In some regions, stopping the first caroler signing and leading him through the house will bring the best luck. The first-footer usually brings gifts, sometimes silver coins, bread, salt, coal, or whisky to represent financial prosperity, food, flavor, warmth, and good cheer.

2. December 31: New Years Eve

What it is: A traditional celebration of the final night before the New Year begins.

How to celebrate: Funny 2016 glasses and party hats; poppers, horns, and fireworks; a Champagne toast and a kiss at midnight.

1. December 26 - January 1: Kwanzaa

Via officialkwanzaawebsite.org

What it is: An African American and Pan-African holiday bringing a cultural message which speaks to the best of what it means to be African and human in the fullest sense. Created to introduce and reinforce seven basic values of African culture which contribute to building and reinforcing family, community, and culture.

How to celebrate: "Heri za Kwanzaa" is the greeting and one responds with the appropriate principle for the day. The seven principles are in Swahili and represent unity, self-determination, collective work and responsibility, cooperative economics, purpose, creativity, and faith. A table is spread with a piece of African cloth (the mkeka), with a candle holder (the kinara) and seven candles (Mishumaa Saba) -- 1 black for the people, 3 red for their struggle, and 3 green for the future and hope. An ear of corn (mazao) is placed on the mkeka for each child in the home, and if there are no children, two ears of corn are placed for the children of the community that belong to all of us. A unity cup (the kikombe cha umoja) is used to pour libation (tambiko) to the ancestors in remembrance of those who paved the path down which we walk.