Helping Young Children Learn About Winter Holidays

Holidays give us opportunities to make connections with family and friends and to share traditions of other families, cultures and religions. Whether we are sharing customs with our own families or providing holiday activities in a school or childcare setting, we can help children learn about and appreciate other holiday traditions - as well as the people who celebrate them!

​We at ECS are by no means authorities on winter holidays that we ourselves do not observe (we celebrate Christmas).  But we are passionate about accurately and respectfully helping young children learn about holidays and traditions from other cultures, faiths, and families!

Below are a few things we have learned about the holidays of Hanukkah (Chanukah) and Kwanzaa.  From our perspective of cultural humility, we are open to correction or clarification if we have misunderstood any basic facts.  We also welcome your comments about how your families celebrate these holidays!

Hanukkah Traditions:
The Jewish observance of Hanukkah begins at sundown on December 7th this year. For eight nights, families gather  to celebrate with these traditions:

• A time for giving and sharing with others 
• Lighting of menorah candles, one more each night of eight nights
• Traditional songs shared 
• The story of the Hanukkah miracle, when the Maccabees had oil to light the temple lamp for only one day, but the oil lasted for eight days. 
• Children begin to learn and help say traditional prayers with family at home  
• Playing the dreidel game and winning wrapped “gold” coins of chocolate
• A gift each night 
• Cooking latkes and enjoying special jelly-filled Hanukkah doughnuts called sufganiyot 

Hanukkah books we recommend:
We recommend the children’s book, My Family Celebrates Hanukkah by Lisa Bullard (Early Bird Stories). Simple illustrations tell the history of the Hanukkah miracle and how the family celebrates together today.  

Other books for young children include:
-Is it Hanukkah Yet? By Nancy Krulik (Step into Reading) - a book for early readers
-Hanukkah by Mari Schuh (Spot books) - including simple language, a pronunciation guide and photo illustrations 
-Hanukkah by Grace Jones (Festivals Around the World) - a book of questions and answers explaining Hanukkah traditions and features photo illustrations 
-The Colors of My Jewish Year by Marji Gold-Vukson - a board book of all Jewish holidays

​5 Facts about Kwanzaa:

• When:  Kwanzaa begins on December 26th and lasts for seven days
• Why:  Dr. Maulana Karenga started the celebration in 1966 to honor African culture and heritage
• What:  Kwanzaa is organized around The Seven Principles: Unity, Self-Determination, Collective Work and Responsibility, Cooperative Economics, Purpose, Creativity and Faith
• How:  Each night, one of the seven candles in the kinara is lit. The center candle is black for African heritage, three red candles represent past struggles, and three green are for hope
• How:  For seven nights, families “celebrate with feasts (karamu), music, dance, poetry, narratives…” (Official Kwanzaa Website)

Here are some Kwanzaa books for young children we recommend:
-My Family Celebrates Kwanzaa was written by Lisa Bullard
-Kwanzaa, by Mari Schuh (Spot holidays series), contains simple words, photo illustrations, and explanations of Kwanzaa traditions 
-Kwanzaa, by Rachel Grack (Celebrating Holidays series), features photo illustrations, concepts, vocabulary, and how to make a Kwanzaa flag

Whatever your culture or faith tradition, we at ECS a wishing you a very happy holiday season!

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References

​Chanukah Guide. (n.d.). Chabadad.org Kids. https://www.chabad.org/kids/article_cdo/aid/358959/jewish/Chanukah-Guide.htm
Hanukkah Activities Theme for Preschool. (n.d.). Preschool Plan-it. https://www.preschool-plan-it.com/hanukkah-activities.html​
Kwanzaa: A celebration of family, faith and culture. (n.d.). Official Kwanzaa Website. www.officialkwanzaawebsite.org/