Hanukkah
A popular Jewish holiday, Hanukkah celebrates the rededication of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem after the Jewish victory over the Syrian-Greeks in 165 B.C.E. The word Hanukkah means dedication in Hebrew and is celebrated over eight days and nights.
“My family has a tradition to celebrate Hanukkah by making a feast and eating kugel for dessert on the first night of the eight days,” Sophomore Susan Lauing said. “My favorite part about Hanukkah is being around family and focusing on giving a gift rather than receiving one.”
During each day of Hanukkah people light a candle on a menorah, a nine-branched candle holder, and the extra candle, known as the Shamash, is used to light the other candles. People also give out gelt, which are chocolate coins, to children and play dreidel. The side of the dreidel has the acronym, Nes Gadol Hayah Poh, meaning a great miracle happened.
Bodhi Day
The Buddhist holiday, Bodhi Day, honors the day that Siddhartha Gautama, Buddha, experienced Bodhi, also known as enlightenment. Most Buddhists spend Bodhi Day studying the Dharma, performing kind acts towards others, or in Junior Jessica Huang’s case, going to the temple to pray and meditate.
“My family and I basically pray for good health and luck for the New Year,” Huang said. “We would also donate towards helping charities, providing education, etc. There isn’t really a symbol that stands for the holiday since it is more of a spiritual event.”
After paying their respects, Buddhists would have a traditional meal of rice and milk in order to replicate the meal Buddha was said to have eaten after his enlightenment. To a Buddhist, Bodhi Day is a day of remembrance, much like the Christian celebration, Christmas, of the birth of Jesus.
Christmas
As one of the most celebrated holidays in the world by Christians and non-Christians, Christmas is an annual commemoration of the birth of Jesus. Although many people may know Christmas by the well-known icon, Santa Claus, who is known for delivering presents to the homes of well-behaved children on Christmas Eve, there is much more to the holiday than receiving presents; it is a time when giving back is also very important, whether it be through physical or conceptual means. As for Junior Samantha Chen, her way of giving back is by attending her church’s special worship service on the Sunday before Christmas, where people would act out the scene of when Jesus was born and by spending precious time with friends and family.
“I have to admit I like the presents during Christmas,” Chen said. “But, I also really enjoy being with my family and friends in church and rejoicing such a wonderful holiday that celebrates Christ’s birth.”