Winter Holidays

Which winter holiday is always celebrated on December 25?

• Hanukkah

• Christmas

• Kwanzaa

• Yule

Which tradition is shared by Christmas and Yule?

• Decorating + Lighting Trees

• Attending church services

• Commemorating the birth of a savior

• Giving coal to naughty children

Why does Hanukkah begin on a different day each year?

• The winter solstice falls on different days

• No one knows exactly when King Antiochus reigned

• It's based on a combined lunar/solar calendar

• It always falls a week after Thanksgiving

What happened when King Antiochus took over the temple?

• The Maccabees outlawed the Jewish religion

• The king lit candles for eight days to celebrate

• The Jewish people agreed to worship Antiochus's gods

• Jewish rebels fought to take back the temple

People light candles on Hanukkah to symbolize

• The miracle of one night's oil burning for eight nights

• The harsh treatment of Jews under King Antiochus

• The bravery of the Maccabees

• The defeat of King Antiochus's army

Unlike Christmas and Hanukkah, Kwanzaa

• Is only celebrated in Africa

• Is not a religious holiday

• Only lasts for one day

• Always occurs during February

The name "Kwanzaa" comes from a Swahili phrase that has to do with:

• Religion

• Agriculture

• Astronomy

• Family

Both Hanukkah and Kwanzaa

• Were created in the 20th century

• Involve the lighting of candles

• Celebrate miracles

• Lack a religious component

What do the seven candles lit during Kwanzaa represent?

• Principles of the holiday

• Generations of African Americans

• Founders of the holiday

• Countries in Africa

Yule takes place on

• The day of the winter solstice

• The last day of December

• The first day of December

• The day of the vernal equinox