Winter Holidays in the United States

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Winter Holidays in the United States

• By
• Justine Smith
• Teaching American History

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Saint Nicholas

• Saint Nicholas was a bishop from Myra, Asia Minor
  (modern-day Turkey)
• He lived during the 4th Century
• He used all of his resources to help the sick,
  suffering and less fortunate

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Sinterklaas

• A Dutch folk tale based on the original Saint
  Nicholas
• Sinterlkaas was mispronounced by settlers in the
  US as Santa Claus
• Sinterklaas wears red Bishops robes and hat and
  rides a white horse across rooftops while
  delivering gifts to children
• He is also assisted by mischievous helpers

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Thomas Nast, 1840-1802

• Caricaturist and editorial cartoonist
• Father of American political cartooning
• Made many illustrations of Santa Claus
• Added new details to the myth including
• Writing a letter to Santa
• Bad kids not receiving gifts
• Santas home at the North Pole

Merry Old Santa Claus by Thomas Nast 1st.
Published in Harpers Weekly in 1881
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• Santa Claus visits soldiers during the Civil War,
  1863
• The soldiers receive item like warm socks

Reindeer
Santa on sleigh delivering gifts
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A woman prays for her husbands safety while the
husband, a soldier in the civil war, tries to
stay warm. On one side, Santa is seen on the roof
tops with his reindeer preparing to go down a
chimney. On the other side Santa is flying away
with his sleigh and reindeer.
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Clement Clarke Moore, 1779-1863

• Professor of Greek and Oriental literature at
  Columbia
• Wrote a two volume Hebrew dictionary

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Clement Clarke Moore

• Twas the Night Before Christmas
• Published anonymously in a New York newspaper on
  December 23, 1823
• Responsible for many modern conceptions of Santa
  Claus such as
• Method of transportation
• Names of reindeer
• His appearance
• Gift delivery date of Dec. 24
• Brings toys to children

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Norman Rockwell, 1894-1978

• Created covers for the Saturday Evening Post for
  over 40 years
• He was famous for capturing everyday, small town
  American life
• His art included illustrations and paintings for
  books, catalogs, poster, stamps, playing cards,
  calendars, and magazines

Plymouth Car Ad, 1951
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Norman Rockwell

• Received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in
  1977 for vivid and affectionate portraits of our
  country
• He also explored issues such as
• Civil rights
• Racism
• Poverty
• Space exploration

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Norman Rockwell
Norman Rockwell
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Kwanzaa

• A non-religious holiday celebrated by
  African-Americans people of African descent in
  other countries
• The purpose is to celebrate family, community,
  and culture
• It lasts for seven days, December 26 - January 1
• Each day of the celebrations focuses on a
  different principle

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Kwanzaa

• Modern Kwanzaa practices were popularized by an
  American named Dr. Maulana Karenga in 1966
• Kwanzaa is based on the First Fruits of the
  Harvest celebration which dates back to ancient
  Egypt
• Matunda ya kwanza means first fruits in Swahili

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The Seven Principles - Nguzo Saba
The seven principles are guides for daily life.

• Umoja (Unity)
• Kuji-chagulia (Self-determination)
• Ujima (Collective Work and Responsibility)
• Ujamaa (Cooperative Economics)
• Nia (Purpose)
• Kuumba (Creativity)
• Imani (Faith)

Mishumaa saba (candles) in a kinara (candle
holder)
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The Seven Symbols
Part of the celebration is to arrange a display
of symbolic objects in the home

• Mazao- fruits, vegetables and nuts
• Mkeba- placemat representing cultural foundation
• Kinara- candle holder
• Muhindi- ears of corn (one for each child in the
  family)
• Zawadi- gifts that represent the seven principles
• Kikombe cha umoja- communal cup of unity
• Mishumaa saba- seven candles respresenting the
  seven principles

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Hanukkah

• Also known as the Festival of Lights and the
  Festival of Rededication
• Observed by Jewish people
• An eight day celebration
• It starts on the 25th of Kislev (a month on the
  Hebrew calendar), which usually happens in Nov.
  or Dec.

Children in the US decorating Hanukkah cookies
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Festival of Rededication

• At around 160 BC the army of Antiochous IV
  conquered Jerusalem
• Much of Jerusalem was destroyed or desecrated,
  including the Temple of Jerusalem
• When the Jews regained control, they held The
  Festival of Rededication to rededicate the Temple

A reconstruction of what the Temple of Jerusalem
may have looked like
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Festival of LightsThe Miracle of the Oil

• At the rededication of the Temple, there was only
  enough oil to keep the eternal flame lit for one
  day
• Miraculously the oil burned for 8 days
• From this came the custom of lighting one candle
  per night for each of the eight days of Hanukkah
• The ninth candle, which is higher or lower than
  the others, is called a shamash (guard or
  servant)

A group of menorah (candle holders)
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Dreidel

• A four sided top that is a symbol of Hanukkah
• Each side of the toy has a different letter
• N nes
• G gadol
• H haya
• S sham
• The words mean A great miracle happened there,
  which refers to the miracle of the oil
• The dreidel is used to play a game

Glass Dreidels
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Gelt

• Gelt is Yiddish for money
• Traditionally gelt was given to children by their
  relatives at Hanukkah
• In the U.S., however, many families give other
  gifts too
• Sometimes gelt is gold or silver wrapped
  chocolate coins
• Gelt is also used when playing the Dreidel game

Chocolate Gelt
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Christmas

• A celebration commemorating the birth of Jesus
• Some principles associated with Christmas are
• Peace
• Good Will
• Compassion
• Several secular traditions have evolved around
  the celebration such as
• Gift giving
• Exchanging cards
• Christmas trees/lights

Adoration of the Christ Childby Matthias Stomer
c. 1630
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Christmas Trees

• Usually evergreen coniferous tress
• May symbolize
• Everlasting life
• Renewal of life
• The Trinity (because of triangular shape)
• The tree that Christ was crucified on
• The tradition of displaying decorated trees
  started in the 16th century in Germany, spread
  across Europe and then the US in the 1900s

The official White House Christmas tree in the
Blue Room, 2004
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Christmas Tree Decorations

• A star is often placed at the top of the tree
  referring the star of Bethlehem
• Early decorations were fruits, nuts, and paper
  flowers that children were allowed to take as
  gifts on Christmas Day
• Wax candles appeared on trees in the 18th cent.
• Electric tree lights were first used in 1882 by
  Edward H. Johnson, a associate of Thomas Edison