12 Winter Holidays from Around the World Not narrated by Morgan Freeman

From Christmas to Yuletide to Hanukkah, midwinter festivals and holidays are celebrated around the world from different religions, cultures and customs. Let's celebrate 12 of those events from around the globe. On Christmas Eve in Finland, families place a single lit candle in the snow next to the graves of their loved ones. The candles are a symbol of resurrection and a reminder that ancestors will live again. As the birthplace of both Jesus and Saint Nicholas, the Middle East is home to some spectacular Christmas celebrations. From Christmas lights on the streets of Cairo to a giant Christmas tree in the main square of Beirut, Christmas here is one of the most celebrated events of the year. Every year, a winter solstice celebration, called the Zhangjie Festival, is celebrated in Taiwan on December 21st or 22nd. Zhangjie means the arrival of winter. Hanukkah in Israel is observed for eight nights and days, with lighting the candles of a candelabra with nine branches, called a menorah. The Krisken, or Krisken El, is a traditional giver of gifts at Christmastime in several European countries. The word Krisken translates to Christ Child, but is depicted as an angelic figure with blonde hair and wings. In Italian folklore, Bifana is an old woman who delivers gifts to children throughout Italy on Epiphany Eve, the night of January 5th, in a similar way to Saint Nicholas or Santa Claus. Icelandic children get to enjoy the favor of not one, but 13 Father Christmases, called the Yule Lads. These merry but mischievous fellows take turns of visiting kids on the 13 nights leading up to Christmas. Saturnalia is an ancient Roman festival in honor of the god Saturn, held on the 17th December of the Julian calendar, and later expanded with festivities through the 23rd of December. Hogmanay is the Scots word for the last day of the year, and is synonymous with the celebration of the New Year in the Scottish manner. John Canoe is a street parade with music, dance, and costumes of Akan origin in many islands across the English-speaking Caribbean every 26th of December and New Year's Day. Yule, or Yuletide, is a festival historically observed by ancient Germanic people. Scholars have connected the original celebration of Yule to the wild hunt and the god Odin. Last, we have Kwanzaa, which is a week-long celebration held in the U.S. and other nations of the African diaspora in the Americas to honor African-American heritage and culture. It is observed from December 26th through January 1st, culminating in gift-giving and a feast. This colorful time of the year is marked by a plethora of beautiful costumes and celebrations rich with traditions, not including the 12 we just touched. What better way to celebrate these holidays by coming together to learn more about how others celebrate around the world? Thank you for taking the time to watch. May you and yours have a happy holidays and a joyous New Year from all of us here at Working Solutions.