Living Simply October Challenge: Day 31 Global Celebrations

     Today is the last day of our October daily challenges to Live Simply as you get through the holiday season. I hope it's been helpful and has added value to your life in some way. As I promised yesterday, today I'll share ideas to add new traditions to your holiday season by focusing on OTHER holidays that are celebrated globally at this time of year. Maybe one will be something you'll want to include. If one interests you, you can simply Google the holiday and find out lots of ways to celebrate it through spirit, decorating, foods, and more.

1.  Hanukkah - an 8 day celebration for the Jewish people around the world. It's also known as the Festival of Lights. It celebrates the re-dedication of the Second Temple in 165 B.C. The ruler had outlawed Judaism and confiscated their temple. The Jewish people revolted and retook the temple, but it required cleansing from being defiled. The candle holder, known as the Menorah, needed to burn uninterrupted for 8 days & nights, but they only had enough oil for one. Miraculously, it burned for all 8 days - exactly. And by then they had enough oil to replenish it.

2.  Kwanzaa - this holiday is less religious and more about reconnecting African with their culture. It's celebrated 12/26 through 1/1. The celebrated principles are unity, self-determination, collective work & responsibility, cooperative economics, purpose, creativity, and faith.

3.  Omisoka - Japanese New Year celebrated on 12/31. For the new year, the Japanese cleanse their homes and remove clutter from top to bottom. They have a giant feast with friends and traditional Japanese foods. They have a televised, nation-wide talent competition that evening. At midnight, they visit Shinto shrines. Temples ring a large cast iron bell at midnight to signify the 108 earthly wants that create suffering.

4.  Hogmanay - this is the Scottish new year. People gather together on New Year's Eve for food, storytelling, drinking, and gift-giving. They enjoy bonfires and fireworks. It's traditional to welcome the new year by standing in a circle and singing, "Auld Lang Syne", roughly translated to mean, "for old times' sake". You probably already have heard it in old movies like It's a Wonderful Life. They also sometimes celebrate "first footing" where they visit other people's homes bearing gifts.

5.  Festivus - a fictional holiday made up during an episode of Seinfeld back in 1997, then called, "A festivus for the rest of us". Instead of a tree, there's an undecorated aluminum pole to contrast typical Christmas consumerism and materialism. There's an Airing of Grievances where you can tell those around you how they've disappointed you throughout this last year. Next is a Festivus Dinner - if copying what was shown in the episode, it looks like slices of meatloaf on a bed of lettuce for everyone, and side dishes of peas, and mashed potatoes. After dinner there's Feats of Strength, where the head of the household must be pinned (in a wrestling manner). Writer of that episode, Dan O'Keefe even wrote a book about it where he elaborates to make it a full-blown holiday, expands the menu, etc.

Have fun with these. See the meaning behind some of them, the humor in others. Have a great season!