Chanukah & Kwanzaa

[dolores]

Anyone celebrating/doing activities for Chanukah, Kwanzaa or any other holiday in December in your daycare/with family? Or combine several/all the December holidays?

Chanukah Sameach!

[Cat Herder]

We do Flag Day of India (The Armed Forces Flag Day), Pearl Harbor Day of Remembrance and Christmas in December.

[dolores]

Hmmm...I have to look up Flag Day of India to learn more.

I also just remembered that we did Boxing Day where I lived when I was younger.

[Cat Herder]

I love the idea of boxing day. It would be so fun for it to take off, here.

I have joked about adding in a Festivus Pole, too. I really like the idea of the annual airing of grievances, too. :: ::

[Cat Herder]

Hmmm...I have to look up Flag Day of India to learn more..

It is about the China Burma India Theater (CBI) in WW2 and providing services for wounded/disabled Indian servicemen who gave so much in their combined effort with us. Almost all of my families have family who served.

[flying_babyb]

We are!! this week is our "Hanukah" week. We are celebrating the way my family does (minus the religious element). We have been putting a candle on the menorah for each night, did latkes for breakfast, and playing the dreidel game. This week we will try matzo toast, a special kosher jam my aunt makes, and play with the dreidel some more. My coworker will do kwanza the week we come back from break and we will do Christmas around the world next week (who knew like 8 countries put out shoes for candy and prizes the night before Christmas?)

[dolores]

We are!! this week is our "Hanukah" week. We are celebrating the way my family does (minus the religious element). We have been putting a candle on the menorah for each night, did latkes for breakfast, and playing the dreidel game. This week we will try matzo toast, a special kosher jam my aunt makes, and play with the dreidel some more. My coworker will do kwanza the week we come back from break and we will do Christmas around the world next week (who knew like 8 countries put out shoes for candy and prizes the night before Christmas?)

. We covered a December holiday each week too- focusing on the symbols, food and activities. Interesting how similar they are from those aspects. Children loved the dreidel game and latkes, decorating our felt Christmas tree and dancing to drumming etc for Kwanzaa. Our families are diverse and some celebrate one or more of these holidays. We also have a family that celebrates winter solstice so we squeezed in an activity for that too.
PS: I did not know about the putting out shoes/candy tradition...interesting!

[flying_babyb]

. We covered a December holiday each week too- focusing on the symbols, food and activities. Interesting how similar they are from those aspects. Children loved the dreidel game and latkes, decorating our felt Christmas tree and dancing to drumming etc for Kwanzaa. Our families are diverse and some celebrate one or more of these holidays. We also have a family that celebrates winter solstice so we squeezed in an activity for that too.
PS: I did not know about the putting out shoes/candy tradition...interesting!

Yea the candy thing was great!! Covered a bunch of countries at once. I did winter solstice once and had 3 parents accuse me of being a witch

[dolores]

I did winter solstice once and had 3 parents accuse me of being a witch

Yikes! I saw mention of witches when I googled winter solstice. But my family who celebrates season solstices said it's about the changes in nature for them.