It’s that time of year again!
For many of us in the United Kingdom, Christmas trees will be erected and festooned with tinsel and lights, puddings will be steaming, and Christmas hits will be played on repeat. For many others around the world, this period will be punctuated with different festivities like Hanukkah or Yaldā Night.
This season not only marks a cornucopia of delicious food to eke out the light during the darkest time of the year, but also togetherness and thankfulness.
Titanium Tutors have compiled a list of holiday reading beyond Christmas to get you and your family in the festive mood.
Yule
A pagan celebration of the rebirth of the sun, Yule is one of the world's oldest winter solstice festivals and originated in Europe thousands of years ago. Paganism has its roots in pre-Christian religions and highlights the spiritual significance of natural cycles. The ancient Norse burnt yule logs and held lavish feasts; in modern times, people endeavour to re-create traditions by decorating their homes with natural greenery or by building altars.
The collection of poetry and watercolour artwork featured in Lost Spells by Robert Macfarlane with illustrations by Jackie Morris is a captivating tribute to the beauty and spirit of nature all around us. This is the perfect pictorial journey to reflect on your natural surroundings and would make excellent reading for the pagan or nature-lover in you!
Hanukkah
Hanukkah, known as the ‘Festival of Light’ in Hebrew, is practised by those who follow the Jewish faith and commemorates the victory of the Jewish people over the Greeks to freely practise their religion more than 2000 years ago. In the eight days of its celebration, one of the candles on the ‘menorah’ (a candelabrum) is lit each night and food like the ‘latke’ (a potato pancake) is prepared and eaten.
Latkes, Latkes, Good to eat by Naomi Howland is a charming picture book which retells a classic folktale by the Grimm brothers under the backdrop of Hanukkah festivities. The illustrations have a muted palette and the wintry landscape bears resemblance to paintings by Brueghel. A heartwarming tale to share with your little ones!
3. Dongzhi
Dongzhi (冬至 or 冬節), literally translated as ‘Winter’s Arrival’ or ‘Winter Festival’, is a Chinese celebration which falls on the winter solstice marked by the lunar calendar. This ancient tradition has been observed for thousands of years and symbolises the victory of light over darkness, when the long winter nights finally give way to brighter days ahead. A staple activity each year is to cook and eat tangyuan (湯圓) with your loved ones - balls of glutinous rice in sweet or savoury broth which represent reunion.
It’s no surprise that there are far more Chinese-language books detailing the nuances of the celebration than there are English-language or translated works. However, Cambridge University press’s Chinese Festivals by Liming Wei is a comprehensive introduction to the festivals and traditions celebrated in Chinese culture across the year. Written by a Chinese expert whose work is not widely available outside of China, this book provides a broad overview of Dongzhi as well as other festivals, suitable for young and older readers alike.
4. Saturnalia
Although no longer the big hullabaloo it was in ancient Roman times, this historic festival honours the agricultural god of Saturn. Since the advent of Christianity, much like many pagan holidays, the traditions of Saturnalia have been subsumed into the Christmas and New Year celebrations we have today, like gift-giving and tree decorating. Did you know that Chester, a city in the north of England, still rejoices in its ancient traditions annually?
Internationally-acclaimed author, Rosemary Sutcliff, penned a series of historical fiction novels for children set during the last years of the Roman occupation of Britain. Some episodes specifically focus on Saturnalia, including ‘The Eagle of the Ninth’. A thrilling read for the avid young reader who wants an adventure over the holidays!
5. Winter Solstice Around the World
As you’ve probably gathered from our extensive list, cultures around the globe mark this time of year as a turning point: when the days start to get longer and when, astronomically, the sun is at its farthest southern point over Earth. So rather than only conjure up the image of Stonehenge, we hope that the mention of ‘Winter Solstice’ brings to mind a time of different cultural celebrations.
The Return of the Light by Carolyn Edwards explores twelve traditional tales across the globe, from North America to Asia and further afield, that take place on the winter solstice. Folk stories, like ‘The Sun Cow and the Thief’ from eastern India, are given new life and help us reflect on what this season truly means.
***
Whatever your faith or traditions, we at Titanium Tutors wish you and your loved ones a very happy winter holiday!
Blog Post Crafted by Cheryl
Cheryl manages our Admin Team, and is a qualified teacher with 5 years' experience in schools across England and Canada.
Cheryl graduated from University of Toronto with a Bachelor of Education. She tutored secondary school students in English for over nine years in Canada.
Cheryl speaks Cantonese, English and French, and in her spare time, she can be found illustrating and reading children’s books for inspiration.
Comments