Friday, December 26, 2008

Kwanzaa Etc.

Happy Kwanzaa!

Yesterday our daughter reminded us that it was going to be Kwanzaa today. I don't even know whether people say "Happy Kwanzaa" to each other or whether there is another phrase. It is a unique holiday celebrated since 1966 in the US and mostly, but not exclusively, by African Americans here and around the world.

Kwanzaa is a rather new invention, yet it already feels like a tradition here, with holiday stamps at the post office etc.! We often forget that Christmas, Hanukkah, Ramadan and all other holidays - at some point - were simply invented by people with a goal to unite in celebration of higher ideas. The more the merrier! Most people celebrate several kinds of holidays at once, or reinvent their own family version that is meaningful to them. My son's best friend was Jewish, so he got to celebrate Hanukkah in addition to Christmas. As far as kids go - it is all about the presents - and there are endless discussions whether Hanukkah - with a present a day for seven days - or a one-time showering on Christmas Eve - is "better". "Both" is the best as far as they were concerned - they had it made.

The rituals differ but the fundamental ideas of holy days all seem quite similar in spirit. So, to all the people in the world - Happy Holy Days!!! and Happy New Year!!! May we all live up to higher ideas and evolve into the peaceful beings we already are, but keep forgetting.

No comments: