[dropcap style=”flat”]W[/dropcap]hen someone thinks of holiday traditions, the usual images pop up: drinking hot chocolate, opening up presents on Christmas morning and of course the big feast at the end of the night. In fact, 79 percent of people plan to put up a Christmas tree, according to a 2013 poll by Pew research.
However some familial, cultural and religious celebrations aren’t so conventional, and make for a truly unique experience each year.
Take for instance junior Michelle Wu and her family who attend a Christmas day camp hosted by their church, the Chinese Christian Church.Their tradition started in 2012, when Wu first moved to Columbia. Although the camp is held in Kansas City, the distance doesn’t stop families who live as far out as Arkansas from coming. Wu believes that her family has kept coming back because it’s a fun experience that also serves to strengthen their bonds within the community. Wu even knows teenagers who have never stayed at home for Christmas, instead choosing to spend the holiday with other camp goers.
“[This] tradition is important because it’s something for me always to look forward to,” Wu said. “I always get to make new friends and meet new people.”
It’s certainly not random that Wu feels this way; 69 percent of people look forward to spending time with friends and family during the holiday season, according to a 2013 poll by Pew research. Gustavo Carlo, professor of diversity and co-director of the center for family policy and research at Mizzou, said that traditions such as Wu’s stem from broad cultural groups and from previous generations as vehicle to pass on values, knowledge and beliefs. They are also a way to distinguish one family from the next by creating a unique way to celebrate different occasions. Traditions don’t only pertain to cultural or familial identity though, there is an individual aspect as well.
“Traditions are maintained as a way to reaffirm their heritage and/or emotional ties. Thus, they can help individuals emotionally connect to their family and cultural roots,” Carlo said. “Because cultural heritage and family are strongly influential in our lives, these traditions can symbolize our sense of who we are. We are motivated to continue our traditions to keep those ties and sense of self.”
Senior Catherine Maring and her family connect back to their roots with a fun German holiday tradition. The activity involves a green glass pickle ornament being hidden in a Christmas tree. The goal for each kid is to find the pickle first, and subsequently secure the twenty dollar jackpot.
“There is also almost always some friendly shoving one another around accompanied by light smack talk,” Maring said. “The purpose is just to have fun and create a little competition.”
Maring believes this activity serves to add enjoyment to their holiday celebrations. The tradition was brought over by her aunt and cousins who used to live in Austria, along with other beliefs and values handed down from their ancestors. Maring appreciates what this tradition adds to family gatherings and also sees the value of traditions across the board.
“In general traditions are followed so as to remember the past and celebrate their meaning,” Maring said. “They are meant to bring people together which is what this little game does for us.”
Junior Divya Divya and her family celebrate Hindu holidays, which also mostly revolve around rituals and spending time with family. The first is Diwali, also known as the festival of lights.
On that day all of Divya’s family fills up the entire house with all kinds of lights and partakes in prayers at the shrine. At the end of prayer each family member lights a candle and puts it outside overnight. The purpose is to try and get the goddess of wealth, fortune and prosperity, Lakshmi to visit their house. This holiday is celebrated every fall, usually in early November or late October.
Divya’s absolute favorite tradition is celebrating Holi, the festival of colors. The origins of Holi come from a Hindu legend in which a king named Hiranyakashipu grew arrogant and demanded everyone worship him. When his son Prahlada remained devoted to Vishnu, the king subjected him to severe punishments. Eventually Prahlada’s evil aunt tricked Prahlada into sitting on a pyre with her while she wore a cloak that protected her.
However, before Prahlada could get hurt the cloak flew onto Prahlada, and the aunt burned to death. Afterwards the Vishnu came down and killed the king. The next day the people spread the ashes on their foreheads, signifying good over evil. Divya remembers Holi as a fun way to celebrate with family.
“When we were younger we would play pranks on my aunt because she would hate getting colored stuff on her. We would [mix] colored powder and colored water,” Divya said. “I remember one time I was like ‘oh someone hurt me!’ [but] when she got there my brother [covered her in powder.]”
Raksha Bandhan is a tradition to celebrate the bond between brother and sister. In Indian culture the brother is supposed to protect the sister, and the sister in return should care for and love the brother. This tradition involves the sister tying a band around the brother’s hand and giving him sweets. The brother in return gifts the sister with money.
Money and gifts being tied with a holiday isn’t only present in Christmas or Raksha Bandhan, as Muslim freshman Malek Necibi knows. He celebrates Eid with his Muslim family every year. The tradition involves taking off work or school, gathering together at a specific location that is decided before hand, and then participating in prayer as well as listening to a 45 or so minute long speech. When participants arrive back at home, the children receive gifts or money. The entire day is spent with friends and family. Necibi believes the tradition serves to help remind the Muslim community of certain points in their history. The tradition is especially important to Necibi and his immediate family as his extended family lives in Tunisia. They therefore communicate over the internet on Eid.
“Even though there are people out there that are trying to get rid of us,” Necibi said. “We can still be happy and celebrate our lives as our ancestors could in the past.”
It’s not a coincidence that Necibi’s Muslim tradition stemmed from a need to transmit knowledge of past events, as it’s a common trend in many different traditions.
“Most traditions stem from broad cultural groups or from previous generations of family members,” Carlo said “Traditions can serve as vehicles for transmitting family values, knowledge, and beliefs from one generation to the next. So, it is a venue for educating the next generation of family members.”
art by Ana Ramirez
What are some of your holiday traditions? Leave a comment below!
However some familial, cultural and religious celebrations aren’t so conventional, and make for a truly unique experience each year.
Take for instance junior Michelle Wu and her family who attend a Christmas day camp hosted by their church, the Chinese Christian Church.Their tradition started in 2012, when Wu first moved to Columbia. Although the camp is held in Kansas City, the distance doesn’t stop families who live as far out as Arkansas from coming. Wu believes that her family has kept coming back because it’s a fun experience that also serves to strengthen their bonds within the community. Wu even knows teenagers who have never stayed at home for Christmas, instead choosing to spend the holiday with other camp goers.
“[This] tradition is important because it’s something for me always to look forward to,” Wu said. “I always get to make new friends and meet new people.”
It’s certainly not random that Wu feels this way; 69 percent of people look forward to spending time with friends and family during the holiday season, according to a 2013 poll by Pew research. Gustavo Carlo, professor of diversity and co-director of the center for family policy and research at Mizzou, said that traditions such as Wu’s stem from broad cultural groups and from previous generations as vehicle to pass on values, knowledge and beliefs. They are also a way to distinguish one family from the next by creating a unique way to celebrate different occasions. Traditions don’t only pertain to cultural or familial identity though, there is an individual aspect as well.
“Traditions are maintained as a way to reaffirm their heritage and/or emotional ties. Thus, they can help individuals emotionally connect to their family and cultural roots,” Carlo said. “Because cultural heritage and family are strongly influential in our lives, these traditions can symbolize our sense of who we are. We are motivated to continue our traditions to keep those ties and sense of self.”
Senior Catherine Maring and her family connect back to their roots with a fun German holiday tradition. The activity involves a green glass pickle ornament being hidden in a Christmas tree. The goal for each kid is to find the pickle first, and subsequently secure the twenty dollar jackpot.
“There is also almost always some friendly shoving one another around accompanied by light smack talk,” Maring said. “The purpose is just to have fun and create a little competition.”
Maring believes this activity serves to add enjoyment to their holiday celebrations. The tradition was brought over by her aunt and cousins who used to live in Austria, along with other beliefs and values handed down from their ancestors. Maring appreciates what this tradition adds to family gatherings and also sees the value of traditions across the board.
“In general traditions are followed so as to remember the past and celebrate their meaning,” Maring said. “They are meant to bring people together which is what this little game does for us.”
Junior Divya Divya and her family celebrate Hindu holidays, which also mostly revolve around rituals and spending time with family. The first is Diwali, also known as the festival of lights.
On that day all of Divya’s family fills up the entire house with all kinds of lights and partakes in prayers at the shrine. At the end of prayer each family member lights a candle and puts it outside overnight. The purpose is to try and get the goddess of wealth, fortune and prosperity, Lakshmi to visit their house. This holiday is celebrated every fall, usually in early November or late October.
Divya’s absolute favorite tradition is celebrating Holi, the festival of colors. The origins of Holi come from a Hindu legend in which a king named Hiranyakashipu grew arrogant and demanded everyone worship him. When his son Prahlada remained devoted to Vishnu, the king subjected him to severe punishments. Eventually Prahlada’s evil aunt tricked Prahlada into sitting on a pyre with her while she wore a cloak that protected her.
However, before Prahlada could get hurt the cloak flew onto Prahlada, and the aunt burned to death. Afterwards the Vishnu came down and killed the king. The next day the people spread the ashes on their foreheads, signifying good over evil. Divya remembers Holi as a fun way to celebrate with family.
“When we were younger we would play pranks on my aunt because she would hate getting colored stuff on her. We would [mix] colored powder and colored water,” Divya said. “I remember one time I was like ‘oh someone hurt me!’ [but] when she got there my brother [covered her in powder.]”
Raksha Bandhan is a tradition to celebrate the bond between brother and sister. In Indian culture the brother is supposed to protect the sister, and the sister in return should care for and love the brother. This tradition involves the sister tying a band around the brother’s hand and giving him sweets. The brother in return gifts the sister with money.
Money and gifts being tied with a holiday isn’t only present in Christmas or Raksha Bandhan, as Muslim freshman Malek Necibi knows. He celebrates Eid with his Muslim family every year. The tradition involves taking off work or school, gathering together at a specific location that is decided before hand, and then participating in prayer as well as listening to a 45 or so minute long speech. When participants arrive back at home, the children receive gifts or money. The entire day is spent with friends and family. Necibi believes the tradition serves to help remind the Muslim community of certain points in their history. The tradition is especially important to Necibi and his immediate family as his extended family lives in Tunisia. They therefore communicate over the internet on Eid.
“Even though there are people out there that are trying to get rid of us,” Necibi said. “We can still be happy and celebrate our lives as our ancestors could in the past.”
It’s not a coincidence that Necibi’s Muslim tradition stemmed from a need to transmit knowledge of past events, as it’s a common trend in many different traditions.
“Most traditions stem from broad cultural groups or from previous generations of family members,” Carlo said “Traditions can serve as vehicles for transmitting family values, knowledge, and beliefs from one generation to the next. So, it is a venue for educating the next generation of family members.”
art by Ana Ramirez
What are some of your holiday traditions? Leave a comment below!
