Merry Christmas refers, specifically, to the Christmas holiday, celebrated December 25th. One day of the festival is dedicated to faith, and another is called a Day of Meditation. The word Kwanzaa means “first fruits” in Swahili, the most widely spoken African language. Kwanzaa and Hanukkah are important holidays that reflect the African American culture and the Jewish culture, respectively. All of the holidays have certain things in common, including unity, celebration and sharing. The last major Islamic religious holiday, Ramadan, based on a lunar calendar, ended on August 31. This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions. Hanukkah. Whatever else we may think about Kwanzaa, we should not allow it to distract us from Jesus, whom God sent to be born in the manger, to die on the cross, and to be raised from the dead, so that everyone who trusts in him could be saved. If there is a danger in Kwanzaa, it is the temptation of turning culture into a religion. Imani (Faith): To believe with all our hearts in our people, our parents, our teachers, our leaders, and the righteousness and victory of our struggle. This is not the least bit true, it is important not to confuse these holidays in order to not hurt the sentiments of different people. This year, Hanukkah begins on December 24 and lasts until January 1, Christmas (like always) falls on December 25, and Kwanzaa begins December 26 and lasts through January 1. Where is the best place to find unity? The Bible teaches the importance of unity, work, responsibility, purpose, creativity, and faith. The eight days of Hanukkah along with lighting the candles for the eight nights are in order to commemorate this miracle. “Many people mistakenly believe that Kwanzaa is a religious holiday, but it isn’t at all,” said Jack. What is Kwanzaa, and how did it start? The terms Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays have become a very controversial subject and are under constant debate. Santa Claus can be dated back to Saint Nicolas, a monk born in 280 A.D. Kwanzaa is Swahili and means `'first fruits.'' Although it is promoted as a festival for the worldwide African community, it is mainly observed here in the United States. It can be dated back to the 2nd century BC and lasts eight nights. Blue and silver colors Music, food, the menorah, star of David, chocolate gelt and dreidel. Please include the following statement on any distributed copy: Unity, work, responsibility, purpose, creativity, and faith are noble virtues. People from all over the world, including astronomers followed the Star of Bethlehem in order to bring gifts to the newborn. All the festivals are celebrated with a feast and all family members and loved ones are invited join the festivities. However, the oil lasted eight days and this was considered as a miracle. When Judah was captured by King Antiochus III the Great of Syria, he allowed the people to continue with their customs and religion. Common grace cannot save us. For Internet posting, please use only This way no one feels left out and and you dont have to worry bout what you say every time you meet someone. Difference Between | Descriptive Analysis and Comparisons, Counterintelligence Investigation vs Criminal Investigation. Whatever virtues there may be in Kwanzaa come to their fullest expression in Jesus Christ. And what is true faith? However, many people often believe that Kwanza and Hanukkah are variants of Christmas that are celebrated by other cultures, such as the African Americans and the Jewish. Kwanzaa and Hanukkah include lighting a light and a similar candlestick (Kwanzaa has 7 candles and Hanukkah has 9), while Christmas includes a decorated tree and in some homes the Nativity scene. Every year before we have our big Christmas Around the World day we teach Christmas, Hanukkah & Kwanzaa first, figuring those are holidays the kids will have experience with in their real lives. Turns out, I was completely right. December is about more than just Christmas. Difference between Christmas, Kwanza and Hannukah Key Difference: Christmas is celebrated to commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ, son of God. Nia (Purpose): To make our collective vocation the building and developing of our community in order to restore our people to their traditional greatness. It is celebrated from 26 December to 1st January and can sometimes be celebrated with Christmas and New Years. According to the Official Kwanzaa Website, the festival “brings us together from all countries, all religious traditions, all classes, all ages and generations, and all political persuasions on the common ground of our Africanness.” This makes it sound like culture is the ultimate reality. Kwanzaa, which starts December 26 and ends January 1, is also grouped into the holiday festivities. This year Christmas Eve will fall on a Monday and Christmas Day on a Tuesday. December is about more than just Christmas. Unity, work, responsibility, purpose, creativity, and faith are noble virtues. The start of December brings with it many different holidays that are celebrated across many cultures and religions. Have the children either write or draw a picture about 2 similarities and 2 differences between the 3 holidays. In the church of Jesus Christ, which unites people from all cultures into one indivisible and everlasting family. Red, Black and Green to represent Kwanza colors. Kwanzaa. Kwanzaa and Hanukkah, celebrated by African-Americans and Jewish people respectively, are observed during the Christmas season. hanukkah, kwanzaa & baby Jesus. Join the discussion today. Whereas Kwanzaa offers us principles, Christmas gives us a person—the incarnate Son of God. Kwanzaa is rooted in the Black Nationalist movement of the 1960s and was established as a way to help African Americans to connect with their African culture and historical heritage. Kwanzaa, which starts December 26 and ends January 1, is also grouped into the holiday festivities. Ujamaa (Cooperative Economics): To build and maintain our own stores, shops, and other businesses and to profit from them together. Kwanzaa was created by Maulana Karenga in 1966 and was celebrated in the same year. While, Christmas includes exchanging presents, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa are not associated with gift giving. ; Christmastide, the Twelve Days of Christmas, the season (traditionally from the 24th of December to the 6th of January) around the holiday. Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa are the three major holidays that can be found in December. Supporters of the festival claim that it is cultural, not religious, and that therefore it is compatible with any religion, including Christianity. Although, the celebrations now include these things, Christmas is and always been about the birth of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. A Kwanzaa ceremony may include drumming and musical selections, libations, a reading of the African Pledge and the Principles of Blackness, reflection on the Pan-African colors, a discussion of the African principle of the day or a chapter in African history, a candle-lighting ritual, artistic performance, and, finally, a feast (karamu). In fact, when Kwanzaa first started to attract public attention, many black churches actively opposed it for this reason. Christmas is a popular holiday that is associated with the Christmas tree, Santa Claus, and lots of presents. What are the primary difference between Kwanzaa and the holidays of Christmas and Hanukkah? In my very own concept the existing difference bewteen a Christmas Tree and a Family Tree is that the first is the traditional tree you bring home– or go into the woods and The name Kwanzaa is derived from the Swahili phrase “matunda ya kwanza”, meaning "first fruits of the harvest". Umoja (Unity): To strive for and to maintain unity in the family, community, nation, and race. Kwanzaa is celebrated by African American people to show unity and fight against oppression. H. Culmination. Posted on December 9, 2010 by Jen. 1. This Christmas we'll open presents then go to grandma's for dinner. The Son of God, who did the work of salvation when he took our sins upon himself. However, in 175 BC, Antiochus IV Epiphanes, the son of Antiochus III invaded Judea and destroyed their land and looted their temples. However, Christmas is also considered with a mix of all different traditions from even before Jesus was born. In many places, Christmas is associated with the nativity scene, in which Mary and Joseph travel from Nazareth to Bethlehem for the census and Jesus is born and laid in the manger. Hope you enjoy as much as I did! By 165 BC, their rebellion was successful and Judah and his people liberated the Second Temple. Playing the dreidel game, and giving Hanukkah gelt, Red and green colors. Many Christians feel uneasy about Kwanzaa. The following books and websites will help make your holiday more complete. How can we reach our full creative potential? Comparison between Christmas, Kwanzaa and Hanukkah: Chanukah or Chanukkah, Festival of Lights, Feast of Dedication, Celebrated by African- Americans of all religious background, Successful reclamation of the Second Temple, 25 December, although this date may change in certain countries, Begins on 25 Kislev according to the Jewish lunar calendar, Church services, gift giving, family and other social gatherings, symbolic decorating. Here’s a holiday message courtesy of Madge Stein Woods that explains the differences between Christmas and Chanukah. From his involvement in the Black Freedom Movement, Dr. Karenga recognized that black Americans lacked a cultural celebration that would affirm their African heritage. December 8, 2002. This temptation—to make everything else revolve around our culture—is one that we all face, whether or not we happen to be African American. December 10, 2011 at 6:29 AM Public Although Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa are observed in the same month of the year, according to the Gregorian calendar, they are neither related to each other nor the birth of Jesus the Messiah (Yeshua ha-Mashiach). Kujichagulia (Self-Determination): To define ourselves, name ourselves, create for ourselves, and speak for ourselves. The combination of Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa. Hanukkah celebrates faith and resistance against oppression. But what common grace can do is remind us of the good and gracious God who made us all. The Seven principles are: Hanukkah is a Jewish festival that is celebrated to commemorate the rededication of the Holy Temple (Second Temple) in Jerusalem. With the exception of self-determination, these virtues echo important aspects of biblical Christianity. Noun (es) Christmas Day, the day it is celebrated, 25 December, an English quarter day. According to Karenga, the symbols were designed to convey the seven principles. It is another sign of God’s common grace, which is at work within all people and all cultures. Centuries before the birth of Jesus, the Norse in Scandinavia celebrated Yule or the winter solstice. Any exceptions ... Christmas Hanukkah Kwanzaa Baking Candy Snack Host & Hostess Gifts Gift Ideas Holiday Cookies. These virtues are rooted in traditional African philosophies of life. Updated 4 hours ago 17 comments. This year, Eid al-Adha, the Festival of Sacrifice, falls on November 6. Called the Festival of Lights, Hanukkah is an eight-day celebration. Lighting candles, celebrating by showing unity and doing things for one another. Since, it took eight days to clean and purify oil, not enough oil was available to sustain the candle for that long. [Information for this Window on the World comes from The Official Kwanzaa Website hosted by Dr. Maulana Karenga. © 2021 Tenth Eating foods fried in oil, such as latkes and sufganiyot, and dairy foods. They are unity (Umoja), self-determination (Kujichagulia), collective work and responsibility (Ujima), cooperative economics (Ujamaa), purpose (Nia), creativity (Kuumba), and faith (Imani). unaltered excerpts (not the content in its entirety) and provide a hyperlink to this page. What is the difference between Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa? Although, Karenga initially established the holiday as an alternate to other religions, he quickly changed it stating that it is not to replace any religion and that people could celebrate Kwanzaa along with Christmas and other religious holidays. There is not an Islamic winter holiday tradition. Hanukkah, Ramadan and Kwanzaa certainly don’t. This is the difference between Kwanzaa and Christmas. However, they only come to their full expression and ultimate perfection in Jesus Christ. The festival is presented as a time of reverence for the Creator and the creation. Mattathias, a Jewish priest, and his five sons led a rebellion against the King. Presbyterian Church. Even religion finds its place under culture, rather than the other way around. Who has shown us what it means to work and to take responsibility for others? a decorative mat (Mkeka) on which other symbols are placed, corn (Muhindi) and other crops, a candle holder kinara with seven candles (Mishumaa Saba), a communal cup for pouring libation (Kikombe cha Umoja), gifts (Zawadi), a poster of the seven principles, and a black, red, and green flag. (Hanukkah, Christmas and Kwanzaa.) We can thank God for our ethnic heritage. Just in case anyone asks you what the difference is between Christmas and Following the cleaning and purifying process of the temple, the people looked for purified olive oil in order to light the tradition Jewish candle, or Menorah. DaniDane November 28, 2011. Kwanzaa is a week-long spiritual festival celebrated among the African Americans celebrated in the United States and in the Western African Diaspora in other nations of the Americas. This is mainly a matter of timing. He is the author of. By opening our imaginations up to the sanctifying influence of the Holy Spirit. Includes children and sharing libations. Decorations include green evergreen, fake snow, white colors, ornaments, tinsel and mistletoe. Christmas is now associated with Santa Claus as the bringer of presents to children that behave. Kwanzaa is a secular occasion, not a religious one. Christmas, Hanukkah, Yule, Kwanzaa, Diwali (kind of), Boxing Day, and sometimes Ramadan. The phrases Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays do have some differences. Singing special songs, such as Ma'oz Tzur. Because we are all made in the image of God (see Gen. 1:27), we cannot help but reflect his goodness and grace, in spite of our sin. The month of December is known to bring many different holidays, of which Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanza are the most popularly known. Image Courtesy: appsforpcmania.com, kids.britannica.com, melikedesign.com. Jack said that people of all religions can celebrate Kwanzaa because it is a holiday that focuses on the maintenance of principles and values. Each day is dedicated to a principle, along with the lighting of the candle. Close the day with a discussion on "what have we learned about Kwanzaa ", fill in KWL chart. As a little girl, even though I didn’t know much about religion or culture, I knew that there had to be a connection between Hanukkah and Kwanzaa. However, they only come to their full expression and ultimate perfection in Jesus Christ. LIGHT. Kuumba (Creativity): To do always as much as we can, in the way we can, in order to leave our community more beautiful and beneficial than we inherited it. Only the saving grace of Christ can do that. definitely better … It starts on the 25th of Kislev, which can fall on anywhere between November and December on the Gregorian (Western) calendar. Website: tenth.org, Phil Ryken was the senior minister of Tenth Presbyterian Church from 1995—2010 and is now the President of Wheaton College. As you saw in our earlier post, there are tons of holidays that are celebrated in December, but arguably the main three are Hanukkah, Christmas, and Kwanzaa. In keeping with this definition, Kwanzaa is partly a harvest festival. The holiday trio of Hanukkah, Christmas and Kwanzaa are bunched into almost overlapping dates this season, providing the chance to share faiths and cultures. But we have to be careful not to make it the basis for our life in this world. or in unaltered excerpts, as long as you do not charge a fee. First started to attract public attention, many Black churches actively opposed it for this reason Self-Determination ) to! Christmas is celebrated by African American similar to Hanukkah, an English day. Eating foods fried in oil, such as latkes and sufganiyot, and thus to Christianity. 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