IFRAME: //www.googletagmanager.com/ns.html?id=GTM-S6J5 Home Sign In Join [javascript] My Profile LogOut * [home_main-nav_normal.png] * [games_main-nav_normal.png] * [videos_main-nav_normal.png] * [animals_main-nav_normal.png] * [explore_main-nav_normal.png] * [world_main-nav_normal.png] * picture of the word FAQ FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS We've got answers! * picture of a people's heads ABOUT US Meet the NG Kids team. * picture of a key PRIVACY POLICY Read the fine print. POPULAR * My Shot GO * Animal Jam GO * Weird But True GO * Giveaways GO SEE MORE x [modal-icon.png] OOPS! You are no longer entitled! Expired entitlement (Submit) Subscribe Now! Next Hamsters: From the Wild to Your Bedroom Hamsters: From the Wild to Your Bedroom Previous QA preview 10480 Articles Winter Celebrations ____________________ In the Northern Hemisphere, the winter solstice happens in December, but it's in June for those living in the Southern Hemisphere. Photograph by Marcel Schauer, Dreamstime picture of a snow-covered tree During Three Kings Day in France bakers hide a coin, jewel or little toy inside a cake. The person who finds the treat gets to wear a crown. Photograph by Juan Moyano, Dreamstime picture of a King Cake with a crown on top A Hanukkah menorah has nine candles, a candle for every night, plus a helper candle in the middle. Photograph by Gavril Margittai, Dreamstime photograph of a menorah The candle holder used in Kwanzaa celebrations is called a kinara. Photograph by Timothy Nichols, Dreamstime picture of a Kwanzaa candle holder and harvest foods Chinese New Year begins on February 19, 2015. Photograph by Tharun15, Dreamstime picture of an illustrated sheep Around the world, family members help to decorate the tree and home with bright lights, wreaths, candles, holly, mistletoe, and ornaments. Photograph by Inara Prusakova, Dreamstime Photo of a decorated Christmas Tree Chinese New Year Chinese New Year is the most important of the traditional Chinese holidays. It falls on different dates each year, between January 21 and February 20. Visits to friends and family take place during this celebration. The color gold is said to bring wealth, and the color red is considered especially lucky. The New Year's Eve dinner is very large and includes fish, noodles, and dumplings. Chinese New Year begins on February 19, 2015. Chinese Horoscopes It's the Year of the Sheep. See if you're one! Christmas Christmas is celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. Christmas in the United States brings together many customs from other countries and cultures. Around the world, family members help to decorate the tree and home with bright lights, wreaths, candles, holly, mistletoe, and ornaments. On Christmas Eve, many people go to church. Also on Christmas Eve, Santa comes from the North Pole in a sleigh to deliver gifts; in Hawaii, it is said he arrives by boat; in Australia, the jolly man arrives on water skis; and In Ghana, he comes out of the jungle. See the light! My Shot #candles Hanukkah 
Jewish people celebrate Hanukkah, a holiday honoring the Maccabees victory over King Antiochus, who forbid Jews to practice their religion. For eight nights, Hanukkah is celebrated with prayer, the lighting of the menorah, and food. A Hanukkah menorah has nine candles, a candle for every night, plus a helper candle. Children play games, sing songs, and exchange gifts. Potato pancakes, known as latkes in Yiddish, are traditionally associated with Hanukkah and are served with applesauce and sour cream. This year Hanukkah starts the evening of Tuesday, December 16 and the last night is Wednesday, December 24. Kwanzaa On December 26, Kwanzaa is celebrated. It is a holiday to commemorate African heritage. Kwanzaa lasts a week during which participants gather with family and friends to exchange gifts and to light a series of black, red, and green candles, which symbolize the seven basic values of African American family life that are unity, self-determination, collective work and responsibility, cooperative economics, purpose, creativity, and faith. New Year's Day New Year's Day is the first day of the year in the Gregorian calendar on January 1. There are often fireworks at midnight to celebrate the new year. Commonly served in the southern part of the United States, black-eyed peas are thought to bring luck and prosperity for the new year, greens (usually collards) bring wealth, and pork because pigs root forward. Shoot for the stars! Tips for taking fireworks pics Three Kings Day At the end of the Twelve Days of Christmas comes a day called the Epiphany, or Three Kings Day. This holiday is celebrated as the day the three wise men first saw baby Jesus and brought him gifts. On this day in Spain, many children get their Christmas presents. In Puerto Rico, before children go to sleep on January 5, they leave a box with hay under their beds so the kings will leave good presents. In France, a delicious "kings' cake" known as La galette des rois is baked. Bakers hide a coin, jewel or little toy inside it. [my-shot-logo.png] [myshot-logo-2line.png] Winter Winter Solstice The Winter Solstice occurs Sunday, December 21 this year. It is the shortest day of the year. People all over the world participate with festivals and celebrations. Long ago, people celebrated by lighting bonfires and candles to coax back the sun. Husky Slalom Action Polar Bear Ice Hockey Action Seal Curling Action Arctic Fox Snowboarding Action Next Hamsters: From the Wild to Your Bedroom Hamsters: From the Wild to Your Bedroom Previous QA preview Dive Deeper * ABOUT US * CONTACT US * VISIT NATIONALGEOGRAPHIC.COM * SUBSCRIBE * PRIVACY POLICY * TERMS OF SERVICE ©1996 - 2014 National Geographic Society All rights reserved.