The holidays consist of multicultural celebrations.(Graphic: Stacey Poapst)

Maybe you’ve experienced that awkward moment when you return from winter break and ask someone, “How was your Christmas?” and they tell you they don’t celebrate it.
 
You might feel bad about bringing it up, but many people who don’t celebrate Christmas have other holiday traditions, such as Kwanzaa, Ukrainian Christmas and Hanukkah. Kwanzaa was first celebrated in 1966 when Ron Karenga, then leader of the black nationalist United Slaves Organization, wanted to give blacks an alternative to Christmas, so they could celebrate their own cultures and histories. 
 
Kwanzaa is based upon the principles of creating a united black community, and it is not affiliated with any one religion. The festival goes from Dec. 26 to Jan. 1 each year. Daniel Osabu-Kle, professor of political science at Carleton, said the purpose of Kwanzaa is being crowded out by symbolism, and referred specifically to the lighting of candles that has become a part of the festival for some people. “People have ritualized the whole thing,” he said.  “Kwanzaa is to share and forgive.”

Families decorate their households for Kwanzaa with art, colorful African cloth, and fresh fruits that represent African idealism. Women often also wear a traditional African garment, the Uwole.  Kwanzaa ceremonies may also include musical selections, such as African drumming. Kwanzaa also has its own greeting, “habari gani,” which means “what’s the news?” in Swahili. Gift giving is a part of Kwanzaa and may occur at any time during the festival, but gifts are traditionally exchanged on the last day of Kwanzaa, Jan. 1. Osabu-Kle said no specific foods are eaten during the festival, but it is rather about sharing food.
 
“Everybody brings what they have produced, and they share it and enjoy it together,” he said. Another holiday, Ukrainian Christmas is celebrated on Jan. 7. Many Ukrainian-Canadians celebrate Ukrainian Christmas in addition to the traditional Christian celebration Dec. 25. Like the Christmas celebrations most Canadians are familiar with, Ukrainians put up Christmas trees, and a character called St. Nicolas or “Did Moroz” is said to place gifts under the Christmas tree at night. In the evening, children may go around to their neighbors with torches and sparklers spreading grains and colored seeds. They wish people good health and abundant harvest for the next year and ask for some donations. They may also perform Christmas songs. An important part of Ukrainian Christmas is the Holy Supper, eaten the night before. 
 
At the supper, traditional Ukrainian foods are usually enjoyed, such as perogies, borscht and cabbage rolls. The traditional Ukrainian Christmas greeting is, “Khristos rodyvsya,” which means “Christ is born.” Hanukkah, a Jewish celebration, is enjoyed for eight nights each year, and the dates vary from year to year based on the Hebrew calendar. This year, the celebration goes from Dec. 11-19. The festival is most known for the lighting of a Menorah, a nine-branched candelabrum.  James Casteel, co-ordinator at Carleton’s Centre for Jewish Studies, said the lighting of the menorah is significant in that it comes at the darkest time of year, so it is a sort of festival of lights.   Many families exchange gifts at night and eat special foods, such as fried foods, foods baked in oil and dairy products.  Casteel said eating foods baked in oil symbolizes the burning of oil for the eight days of the celebration. Casteel said different families observe the holiday in different ways. 
 
As for gifts, he said, some families exchange a gift per day, and others put more emphasis on one night.  The gift exchange is more for the kids than the grown-ups, he said. Many families say daily prayers on each day of Hanukkah.  The festival has become an important celebration of Jewish identity. Dreidel is a Jewish game that children traditionally play during Hanukkah. In the game, each player starts out with a certain number of coins, nuts, raisins, candies or other markers, and places one marker in the "pot." The first player spins the dreidel, and depending on which side the dreidel falls on, either wins a marker from the pot or gives up part of his stash.
 
Looking forward to the holidays because of Christmas traditions is a familiar feeling for most Canadians.  But even most people who don’t celebrate Christmas, or celebrate more than just Christmas, have traditions to look forward to.  This January, you’ll be able to ask people not only how their Christmas was, but also how their Kwanzaa, Ukrainian Christmas, or Hanukkah went.