Winter traditions in the United States

Happy winter!  Today is the first day of winter in the Northern Hemisphere.  Religious celebrations for holidays like Hannukah and Christmas are here.  Here’s a look at Christmas traditions and winter traditions in the United States.

Christmas lights on a house in New York. Image via Wikipedia

1. Lights.  It’s location in the Northern Hemisphere makes the days shorter and the nights longer in December.  On December 21st, the sun rises at 7:28 AM and sets at 5:24 PM in Phoenix, Arizona.  In New York, New York, the sun sets at 4:30 PM.  And in Anchorage, Alaska, the sun doesn’t rise until 10:14 AM and sets at 3:41 PM– that’s just five and a half hours of daylight.  It’s no coincidence that lights are an important winter tradition– for Hanukkah, for the winter solstice, and for Christmas.

2. Greens.  Taking trees and branches from plants that stay green all year, such as evergreen trees, pine trees, holly, and mistletoe, is a tradition borrowed from celebrations for the winter solstice.  By celebrating plants that do not die in winter, people encouraged the winter to go away, the sun to return, and the days to lengthen.  The most famous part of this tradition is the Christmas tree.  Some people cut down their own trees and some people buy pine trees or fur trees for their houses.  Traditional tree decorations include garlands, tinsel, glass balls, snowflakes, candles, angles, babies, stars, and candy canes.

Decorations on a Christmas tree. Image via Wikipedia

3. Giving gifts.  Exchanging presents dates back to the ancient Roman feast called Saturnalia.  Gifts are an important part of celebrations for Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa.  It is also traditional for employers to give gifts to employees, coworkers to give gifts to each other, and students to give gifts to their teachers.  ”Secret Snowflake” or “Secret Santa” gift exchanges, where each person in a group gives an anonymous present to somebody else, are popular.

4. Carols.  Caroling is the tradition of singing winter or holiday songs.  Sometimes people go from house to house singing for money.  Some songs, like “Jingle Bells” and “Let it snow” are about winter, some are about winter traditions like “Deck the Halls,” and some like “Silent Night” and “Joy to the World” are about Christmas.

5. Food.  Traditional winter food and drink include hot chocolate, cookies, cakes, and pies.

Questions for conversation: Is it winter where you live?  What winter traditions are celebrated in your country?

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