The December Multi-Cultural Calendar is Full

Dec. 6 is St. Nicholas Day (Christian)
Dec. 8 is Bodhi Day (Buddhist)
Dec. 8 is also the observance of the Immaculate Conception (Catholic)
Dec. 12:

• Feast Day of our Lady of Guadalupe
• beginning of the Advent fast (Orthodox)
• Feast of St. Lucia (evening, then continues sometimes all month
• Hanukkah (begins at sundown the day before and ends Dec. 19)

Dec. 16-25 is Posadas Navidenas (reenacting the search for a room at the inn by Mary and Joseph)
Dec. 17-23 is Saturnalia, at least if you are an ancient Roman
Dec. 18 is Hijira, Islamic New Year
Dec. 21 is:

• Winter Solstice
• Christian Yule
• Wiccan Yule, aka Litha in the Southern Hemisphere

Dec. 23 is Tenno no tanjobi - Emperor's Birthday

Dec. 25 is:

• Christmas
• Sol Invictus

Dec. 26 is:

• Zarathosht Diso (death of the prophet Zarathustra; Zoroastrian)
• Boxing Day (U.K. and former Commonwealth nations)
• St. Stephens Day, aka Wren Day

Dec. 27 is Feast of the Holy Family (Catholic)
Dec. 27 is Asjira (Islam, begins at sundown the day before)
Dec. 28 is Holy Innocents day (Christian)
Dec. 31 is Watch Night (Christian)

St. Lucia day is interesting because of its apparent disregard for child safety. One girl is chosen to wear a crown of lit candles the morning of Dec. 13. She wakens her family and serves them coffee and sweet saffron buns. The story of the little-known saint who inspired this feast day is that Lucia (St. Lucy of Syracuse) wore a headpiece with candles in it as she carried food to starving, persecuted Christians who hid in the caves. So her feast is known as the festival of lights, and has come to symbolize not only bringing light to the shortest day of the year, but the spiritual light of Christ to all of us.

Also tradition says that if you stay up you may witness a miracle at midnight. No, not winning the lottery but something like the cows speaking or water turning into wine. BTW do you know that St. Lucia is really hip? She even has a Facebook page and you can follow her on Twitter!

To observe a proper Saturnalia one observes a feast day on December 17, the dedication of the temple to Saturn. Serious Saturn gave rise to a holiday marked by tomfoolery and the reversal of social roles (slaves and masters switching places, much like in Shakespeare's play Twelfth Night. Slaves at a feast table before the masters did. So even though the slaves prepared both meals, it was a token tweaking of the normal social order.

School was closed, and people exchanged small presents. Typical gift items might include writing tablets, dice, knuckle bones, money boxes, combs, toothpicks, hunting knives, balls, perfume, sausage, cups or spoons, clothing, masks, books, or even pets. Shades of the Christmas puppy!

Boxing Day is rooted in the traditions of English sailors. Call it superstition if you will, but sailors had a priest put a box on their ship before it went out. The sailors would drop money into the box to ensure a safe voyage. If the ship arrived home safely, the sealed box was delivered to the local priest to pay for a Mass of thanksgiving. The priest was to keep the box sealed till it was opened after Christmas, with its contents to be shared with the poor.

Traditionally all alms boxes in the churches are also opened. Now Boxing Day is the day after Christmas, but strictly speaking (I am told), it is the first weekday after Christmas. It is a public holiday and businesses are closed.

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