Wintertime is a special time of year, celebrated across borders and cultures with a myriad of festivities. Main streets become decked with poinsettias and twinkling lights, kitchens pervaded with traditional foods and drinks, and homes overflow with loved ones. From Diwali to Christmas, Hanukkah to Tet, the holidays are celebrated in many different ways and are unique to everyone. The holiday season is often filled with gifts and grub, which can further its appeal. Yet, it truly shines as a highlight of every year because of the family and friends that convene to spread love, laughter, and light.
Within our Stevenson community alone, a variety of traditions and cultures are celebrated. Terry O’Hara, a member of the Stevenson faculty and parent of two Stevenson students, celebrates Christmas and Thanksgiving each year with his family. Thanksgiving is an American holiday that celebrates gratitude. It is celebrated on the last Thursday of November and is traditionally celebrated by gathering loved ones and sharing a grand Thanksgiving dinner. The dinner generally consists of turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, cranberry sauce, and a variety of pies. O’Hara describes what Thanksgiving is like in his family, and why he enjoys it: “I have 7 brothers and sisters, and 6 of whom will probably be there and … it's really good to get that huge amount of people together in the same place and see everybody every year …Checking in, that's the best part.” O’Hara explains his family's latest celebratory Thanksgiving endeavor, a tradition they have carried in recent years: “Deep-fried turkey has been, like, the latest thing for us ... So, it's great because it comes with a little bit of risk. We got the standby fire extinguisher in case something goes wrong.” Traditions are a way of creating valuable celebrations because they are special and unique to each family, and for O’Hara’s family, this tradition gives them one more thing to be thankful for.
For another individual outlook on seasonal festivities, Nina Dinh, a Stevenson Student, shares why she adores the holiday season: “I look forward to it every year because it makes me feel so much closer to my family and my ancestors and my culture.” For Dinh, the holiday festivities are an opportunity to connect with not only her living family members and loved ones, but her ancestors as well. While not alive to rejoice alongside the celebrations, ancestors and deceased family members often hold special places in their living family members' hearts, and their memory is often celebrated during the holiday season. Furthermore, Dinh shares: “During Tet, I usually go back to my mom and dad's hometown and we have this big prayer table where we dedicate a lot of days to acknowledging and connecting with our ancestors. And there's lots of food and singing and dancing.” Tet is a Vietnamese holiday celebrating the Vietnamese New Year throughout the last week of January. It is considered the biggest holiday in Vietnamese culture and encompasses many traditions that unite families. Traditional Vietnamese food is often eaten during this time, such as sticky rice, chicken, kho, and pork. It is also celebrated with family reunions, decor of flowers and lanterns, and lucky money given as gifts to children.
Anita Kumar, one of the nurses who runs the Health Center here at Stevenson, celebrates Christmas and Diwali. She expresses the joy Christmas brings her, and how she participates in the festivities: “A great Christmas tree, buying gifts, having fun, exchanging gifts with friends and families, and bringing cakes and drinks…I love Christmas and all the lights. We decorate our house with lights.” Although it originated as an exclusively religious holiday to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, Christmas has become a holiday celebrated by people of varying faiths and religions. It is often celebrated with a Christmas tree, decked in ornaments and lights with presents beneath to be opened on Christmas Day. Some people also attend church on Christmas or celebrate Santa Claus, a fictitious character that embodies the joy of the holiday spirit. For Kumar, Christmas means spending time with family and friends, eating good food, adorning her home with festive decor, and watching her son open presents on Christmas morning.
Yet, Christmas time is not even the best part of the holiday season for Kumar, because, she states: “My favorite part of the holidays is Diwali because… we make foods, sweets, delicacies, and eat. Oh, we eat. It's good.” Diwali is an Indian holiday that celebrates the new year, often taking place in late fall or early winter. Its festivities traditionally include lighting lamps and lights, visiting with loved ones, and eating traditional Indian food such as halwa, gulab jamun, halva, samosas, and much more. Diwali is also known as the festival of lights because it is traditionally celebrated by lighting rows of clay lamps in streets and houses, which symbolizes good over evil, and light over darkness. Diwali holds many religious and spiritual meanings, primarily celebrating numerous wins for Hindu gods, such as the triumph of Lord Krishna and the return of Lord Rama. It is a celebration of light and allows many families to gather joyously.
Overall, despite the variety in celebrations and traditions, the holiday season is a source of joy for many households and cultures worldwide and continues to strengthen bonds, lift spirits, and spread love. While the holidays look different for each household, they nevertheless spread invaluable light across borders and cultures, bringing happiness and cheer to many.
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