Let’s Celebrate Them All

When the wintertime rolls around the only thing we focus ourselves on is Christmas. But not everyone cares for Christmas, maybe you've heard of Hanukkah or Kwanza, or las posadas or other wintertime holidays. It's important to know that other people celebrate other things. What are these other holidays about, it is important to inform yourself.

Hanukkah
Hanukkah is a Jewish Holiday celebrated over the course of 8 days. The most recognized symbol is the Hanukkah candle, the candle holder that carries 8 candles, one lit for each day.
The holiday is celebrated for the recovery of Jerusalem, and the rededication of the second temple. The story goes as follows
Judah Maccabee and the other Jews who took part in the rededication of the Second Temple witnessed what they believed to be a miracle. Even though there was only enough untainted olive oil to keep the menorah’s candles burning for a single day, the flames continued flickering for eight nights, leaving them time to find a fresh supply. This wondrous event inspired the Jewish sages to proclaim a yearly eight-day festival
From History.com

Las Posadas
Las Posadas is a Latin Hispanic holiday that takes place between December 16 and 24th. It is an extended prayer that commemorates the journey of Joseph and Mary and their journey from Nazareth to Jerusalem. In the biblical story, they both have trouble finding housing and are forced to seek shelter in a stable and there Jesus is born.
The actual celebration goes as follows; a small child dressed as an angel leads a procession through the streets of the town carrying lit candles and images of Mary and Joseph riding a donkey. Adults, including musicians, follow the procession, which visits selected homes and asks for lodging for Joseph and Mary. Traditionally, the procession is always refused to lodge, though the hosts often provide refreshments. After the procession mass is usually held.

Christmas
Christmas that we all know of is the westernized tradition that is biblical, the birthday of Jesus. But what does that have to do with Christmas trees and Santa Claus? The legend of santa clause can be traced down to the legend of Saint Nicolas, who was estimated to be born around 280 a.d in patara near modern day turkey. The story goes that he went around giving away his inherited wealth to the sick and poor. They used his death date as a holiday, December 6, as a way to feast or make large purchases, or even get married.

Kwanzaa
Kwanzaa is an African American tradition that is celebrated from December 26 - January 1st. This holiday is a special alternative to Christmas for African American people to celebrate themselves and their history. This holiday was created by Maulana Karenga in 1966 after the watts riot, wherein LA accusations of police brutality on a pregnant woman led to 34 deaths and 40 million in property damage
There are seven days of Kwanzaa as well as seven main principles, and each of the seven days of Kwanzaa is dedicated to one of the principles, as follows: Umoja (Unity), kujichagulia (Self-Determination), Ujima (Collective Work and Responsibility), Ujamaa (Cooperative economics), Nia (Purpose), Kuumba (Creativity), and Imani (Faith).