December Holidays (pg. 2)
Happy HolidaysBoxing Day - December 26th
The first
Boxing Day is believed to have started in the
Middle Ages. This is just a guess cuz the
exact date isn't known. How Boxing Day started is a
question as well. Some say it started with the giving of
Christmas Boxes, while others think it was named after the
tradition of opening
charity boxes placed in churches during the
Christmas season. Either way, it's now known as one of the biggest shopping days of the year. Do you have
big shopping plans for Boxing Day?
Kwanzaa - December 26th
Although some people believe this holiday is a
substitute for Christmas, it is not a religious holiday. It is celebrated every year on December 26th. Kwanzaa, which means "first fruit of the harvest" in
Swahili, is a time to focus on the traditional
African values of family. It is based upon the celebration of seven principles or beliefs called the
Nguzo Saba and was created by Ron Karenga in 1966 to celebrate African-American heritage.
New Year's Eve - December 31st
The celebration of the New Year is the oldest of all holidays. It was first observed in
ancient Babylon about 4000 years ago. In the years around
2000 BC, Babylonians celebrated the beginning of a new year on what is now
March 23rd, although they had no
written calendar. It wasn't until 153 BC that the Roman senate declared
January 1st to be the beginning of the new year.
For more festive December holidays, click here.
What will you be doing for the holidays this year? Send in your stories!
Spending time with my family that lives three and a half hours away. I love talking and spending time with them.
Kidz Submit by:
Nickname: liz_4ever_2004
Age: 16
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More Fun Holidays to Celebrate This Year!
Read more: Behind the Holiday