Winter is approaching fast and all over the United states people are getting ready to celebrate the upcoming holiday season. Many Americans celebrate Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s. But, what do other cultures celebrate? Let’s explore the history of holidays around the world.
Learning Liftoff is an educational website for families and kids, and their site has an excellent article that highlights 9 Winter Holidays Around the World, including St. Lucia Day and Mardi Gras.
For a look at Las Posadas and Soyal (Soyaluna), check out this article from Shondaland about the Most Widely Celebrated Winter Holidays.
The winter holiday season spans several months from November into the new year. But, WorldStrides takes a look specifically at celebrations that take place during the month of December, including Boxing Day and Omisoka.
Pancha Ganapati is a Hindu festival that is celebrated during the same week as Christmas and is also referred to as “The Family Festival of Giving.”
The Chinese New Year is possibly the most important of the traditional Chinese holidays. It falls on different dates each year, sometime in January or February, depending on the lunar calendar.
And, United Planet dives into Eid-al-Adha and Diwali while also reminding us that there is a seemingly endless list of holidays that are celebrated around the world.
For more information on celebrations around the world, please visit our library catalog to find the titles listed below and more. Happy Holidays to you and may it be a joyous time for you and your family!
Celebrations Around the World
Embark on an exciting journey through the most interesting and important festivals, celebrations, and holidays enjoyed by people around the world. Stunning original illustrations and fascinating facts will inspire and inform children about cultures and religions from a huge range of countries and continents. Witness a camel marathon in a celebration of the Sahara Desert, and munch on Mid-Autumn mooncakes in China. Discover why skeletons dance at the Day of the Dead in Mexico, and how the world’s biggest tomato fight, La Tomatina in Spain, gets cleaned up! Children will love poring over artist Katy Halford’s beautiful illustrations, which showcase every celebration in absorbing detail. Engaging factual writing introduce young readers to the most interesting aspects of each celebration, from the costumes worn to the food eaten, and encourage an understanding of other cultures and religions. It’s time to celebrate!
A Winter Walk in the City
Take a walk through the city in winter and experience the sights, sounds, colors, and smells of the multitude of different holidays we celebrate this season. From Hanukkah and Christmas to Mawlid al-Nabi and Chinese New Year, everyone has a reason to celebrate. With simple rhymes, a counting pattern, and stunning papercraft art reminiscent of Ezra Jack Keats, this diverse board book is the perfect introduction to the cultural melting pot that makes the city so special.
Wintercake
When Thomas misplaces the basket of dried fruit he needs to make his seasonal wintercake, friends old and new come together to save the day.
Winter Candle
When each family at the diverse Juniper Court apartment complex needs something to light up the dark of winter, the stumpy, lumpy candle provides a glow brighter than the fanciest taper, revealing the true spirit of each holiday it illuminates.
Cocktails for the Holidays
Karen Foley, James Beard Award winner and editor of Imbibe magazine, delivers a curated array of festive cocktails for friends and family. Foley’s authority as a cocktail expert is perfectly complemented throughout by gorgeous photographs, making this an irresistible package for any host looking to keep the spirits flowing this holiday season.
Baking for the Holidays
A charming holiday baking cookbook brimming with delicious, indulgent recipes, cozy winter photography, and lots of holiday cheer from Sarah Kieffer. Here’s a festive holiday baking book to celebrate this very special time of year.
