Gift Giving for the Holidays - Hanukkah, Christmas & Kwanza

Written by Jola Harrison 
It’s giving season, one of the most joyous times of the year! Kicking off this festive month, we’re sharing the first edition of Take it Personal’s Gift Giving blog. Take a read to explore 3 different holidays on the December calendar: Hanukkah, Christmas, and Kwanza. 

Hanukkah : December 18 - 26, 2022

Hanukkah, also known as The Festival of Lights or Chanukah is an eight-day Jewish celebration. Celebrations revolve around lighting a nine-branched menorah each day. Religious rituals include daily scriptures and singing hymns, while other customs include eating treats fried in oil, giving children money or gifts (common gifts are candles and coins), and playing a game with a four-sided top called a dreidel.

Christmas : December 25, 2022

Decorating Christmas trees, leaving milk and cookies out for Santa Clause, gathering with loved ones, and gift exchanges. Yes, you guessed it … Christmas! On this day, most Christians honour Jesus’s birth, but it is also celebrated as a cultural holiday across the globe. 

Christmas wishlists range from children asking Santa for the latest gaming system or trendy new clothes to adults wishing for some peace and quiet, fancy glassware, comfy socks, or something from the heart, hmm.. maybe a custom gift will have your loved one smiling, and teary-eyed? 

Kwanza : December 26, 2022 - January 1, 2023 

Kwanza is relatively new compared to other holidays, and was welcomed an end of the year calendar spot in 1966. 

So what is Kwanza or Kwanzaa (both spellings are spell-check approved!)? Kwanza is a week long celebration honouring the African heritage and traditional values of African Americans. Each day is devoted to discussing one of the seven principles of African culture, and a candle is lit to highlight each of them. 

The 7 principles are:  

• Umoja (Unity)

• Kujichagulia (Self-Determination)

• Ujima (Collective Work and Responsibility)

• Ujamaa (Cooperative Economics)

• Nia (Purpose)

• Kuumba (Creativity)

• Imani (Faith)
  

During Kwanza, families come together and feast, honour ancestors, participate in various activities such as African drumming, poetry and gift giving. Common gifts exchanged are books, music, art accessories, or culturally themed products. Gifts are encouraged to be homemade and educational.

Wishing you and your loved ones a holiday full of warmth and cheer. If you’re searching for the perfect gift to give this season Take it Personal with a custom gift item. There’s no feeling like watching a loved one open a thoughtful gift with a face full of joy. 

Happy Holidays! 

Question : Please let us know what holiday you celebrate this month, what you are planning to give and what you wish to receive 😊

Blog References: 

Hanukkah: 

https://www.britannica.com/topic/Hanukkah

https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/celebrations/article/hanukkah#:~:text=Usually%2C%20Hanukkah%20starts%20in%20late,a%20menorah%20for%20eight%20nights.

https://www.history.com/topics/holidays/hanukkah

Christmas: 

https://www.rd.com/article/christmas-on-the-25th/

https://www.statista.com/topics/3216/national-holidays-in-the-us/

https://comfyliving.net/how-many-people-celebrate-christmas-2/#:~:text=Worldwide%20statistics%20show%20that%20some,the%20most%20important%20religious%20holidays.

Kwanza: 

https://www.history.com/news/5-things-you-may-not-know-about-kwanzaa

https://www.interexchange.org/articles/career-training-usa/history-principles-and-symbols-of-kwanzaa/

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/what-kwanzaa-means-for-black-americans

https://nmaahc.si.edu/explore/stories/seven-principles-kwanzaa

Images: 

Photo by cottonbro studio: https://www.pexels.com/photo/menorah-with-lit-candles-4040880/

Photo by Element5 Digital: https://www.pexels.com/photo/four-boxes-near-lighted-string-lights-712323/

Photo by RODNAE Productions: https://www.pexels.com/photo/woman-in-blue-and-red-floral-dress-sitting-on-floor-beside-a-table-6192364/