Try Something New
Learn about a holiday custom, from a faith (or region) that is not your own
Another big winner Friday! Wooty woooot! Elise of Canton won themselves a World Holiday Treats II box from eat2explore, an award-winning educational food and culture “explorer box” that inspires families to cook, taste and discover different world's cuisines and cultures. Which brings us to the topic of today, dear readers!
So, of course you may have your tried and true traditions. They may be religious or they may not be! But today we want to encourage you to branch out. Experience what a holiday season may look like to someone on the other side of the world, or someone just down the block that’s of a different faith. There are many to choose from so the options are endless!
For example, talk with your kids about Diwali! The festival of lights, celebrated by Hindus, Sikhs and Jains, symbolizes the victory of good over evil, or light over darkness. Light your home with clay lamps or have your kids create a Rangoli!
Try out the Lunar New Year, one of the biggest yearly holidays celebrated throughout Asia. Adorn your home with the color red, visit a local Chinese bakery for some traditional treats or create your own Lai See envelope!
Or even bring a Kinara (Kwanzaa) or a Menorah (Judaism) into your home and learn about each respective lighting ceremony and all the meaning that comes along with it.
So today, let’s show our kids that the world is big and the world is small. You can touch, feel and experience traditions not your own, in your own home. ‘Cause we all need a little more understanding of each other these days, don’t we?