The holiday season means different things to different people. While some are busy shopping and baking for Christmas, there are many other celebrations happening at this time of year.
Throughout the month of December, several religions and cultures observe various winter holidays. Among the other celebrations explored by And Another Thing are the Jewish holiday Hanukkah, the black American celebration of African culture known as Kwanzaa, and traditional Latinx celebration of the Christian holiday of Epiphany, better known as Three Kings Day.
Several guests trace some of the traditions in their celebrations back to the winter solstice– the day with the shortest period of sunlight. We also hear from a witch whose religion honors the cycles of the earth during the winter festival of Yule.
Holiday celebrations around the region:
Guests:
- Rabbi James Greene, executive director at Camp Laurelwood
- Todne Thomas, associate professor of African American religious studies at Harvard Divinity School
- Nilda Morales-Rivera, director of the El Centro Family Center and the Center for Hispanic Seniors at the Institute for the Hispanic Family of Catholic Charities
- Winifred Costello, healer, Reiki master teacher, tarot reader, mentor and witch
This episode was originally broadcast on December 16, 2021.