Unique Gifts for a Multicultural Holiday Experience

The holiday season is coming up soon. It’s never too early to start planning wonderful gifts for the people in your life. Like many of us, you probably have a beautiful and diverse group of friends and coworkers. While a generic snowman wishing “Happy Holidays” would probably work, getting a personalized gift that represents their culture and traditions is far more special.

Here are some suggestions to help celebrate whichever holiday you love, with the people that you care about. Check out these gift ideas.

Hanukkah

lights of hanukkah

An eight-day celebration, Hanukkah gifts are usually smaller items, unlike larger presents on a single-day holiday, such as a birthday. Traditional Hanukkah gifts were actually called gelt, essentially meaning money.  Gelt is usually replaced with chocolate coins today, or alternatively a thoughtful holiday gift like these items from the Hanukkah jigsaw puzzle store.

Hannukka begins December 12th in 2017. Learn the traditions of your friends and coworkers traditions for this holiday by discovering new foods, songs, and more traditional gifts.

Kwanzaa

happy kwanzaa

Kwanzaa is a festive time that falls between Christmas day and New Year’s from December 26th to January 1st. An African-based holiday that celebrates family, community, and culture, Kwanzaa is a newer holiday that began in 1966. Celebrants plan feasts called karamu, music, and dancing that involve the Seven Principles, guiding ideas such as self-determination and collective work.

Consider learning traditional dishes to help prepare for a celebration with your neighbors. If you’d like to give a more traditional type of gift, consider items such as a meditation journal for the day of reflection following the festivities.

Yule

Yule celebration card

Yule is a pagan tradition dating back to the Celts. Celebrated between December 20-23rd, Yule traditionally marks the winter solstice. Those who participate in Yule celebrations involve either bonfires or burning of the Yule log in the fire, a process symbolizing the rebirth of the son. There is also traditionally warm spiced cider, whether alcoholic or non.

Yule is part of pagan cultures that celebrate the sun, moon, and old gods and goddesses. Typically a highly inclusive celebration, you can work to perfect your own cider recipe. Desired gifts on Yule could include crystals, gemstones, or silver artwork.

Ramadan

Ramadan Reciting Quran

Ramadan is a time of fasting and contemplation, where Muslims do not eat while the sun is up. Many people will also take this time to give up bad habits, and to re-read the Quran. It can be difficult for those outside the religion to understand when Ramadan occurs because it is observed based on a lunar calendar, meaning it occurs in every season depending on the year.

Eid-ul-Fitr marks the end of Ramadan. A time of celebration and forgiveness, this new moon is a time when Muslims will give small gifts to children and larger gifts to charity while feasting and dressing in fine clothes. If you’d like to support your friend or neighbor during this time, try to refrain from lunch or dinner invites until after Ramadan is over. During Eid-ul-Fitr you could make a donation of food or cash to a charity in their name as a sign of respect.

There are many beautiful holiday traditions that occur around December. Providing thoughtful gifts to your friends and neighbors is a kind way to demonstrate your caring. Going even deeper by learning about these beautiful traditions can help bring joy to both your given and chosen families this holiday season.

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